Cashflow Is King: Why Every Business Must Tell Its Financial StorySummary:
Don’t grow broke. Safeguard your company’s future and increase its value by understanding the whole picture and making the complicated simple. Do this by measuring, charting and planning how you’re going to get from A to B in a way that everyone can follow and they can get excited about. It’s about the numbers showing up in human benefit for all stakeholders.
Cash: one of the four essential elements you need to scale a business successfully. But how do you ensure you have what you need so you don’t grow broke?
According to global expert Alan Miltz, it’s time to talk numbers – but in a way that everyone will understand and care about. Not everyone on the board can be a specialist in finance but with Alan’s approach and tools to hand, all heads at the table can have a clear picture of where the company is going and their role in getting it there.
In other words, once we understand the rules of the game, we can play it better.
Show Notes
In this podcast discussion with Alan Miltz – Co-author of Scaling Up, Co-founder of Cash Flow Story and Sparks host Phil Rose you’ll learn:
‘You can survive with decent people, decent energy and decent execution, but run out of cash and it’s game over’, the chartered accountant, turned entrepreneur, turned global speaker says.
The role of CFO is ‘not about reporting, it’s about improvement,’ he continues. ‘The numbers belong to everyone.’
Alan’s a specialist in making the complex simple and we love the way he talks about the mathematics of business in a way that everyone can understand. This is a call for leaders and founders everywhere to have a more grounded, integrated approach across the board so that we can all win at the numbers game – and sleep better at night.
Key Insights:
💡 Memorable Quotes:
“Profit is an opinion. Cash is a fact.”
“If you don’t understand your numbers, you don’t understand your business.”
“The secret to scaling is not in more sales—it’s in managing your cash cycle.”
Texts mentioned:
Scaling Up – Verne Harnish, Alan Miltz et al.
More about Alan
Find Helen Nicholson at:
Alan Miltz is the global authority on financial storytelling, cash flow strategy, and business valuation.
As co-author of the best-selling book Scaling Up (the Financial Chapter) and creator of the Cash Flow Story platform, Alan has helped over 30,000 businesses and 500 banks globally transform their understanding and management of profit, cash, and value.
He’s a sought-after speaker for the Entrepreneurs' Organization, Young Presidents' Organization, the TEC Forum, and Scaling Up. He serves as a board member across industries, helping leadership teams simplify financial decisions and scale smarter.
Cash Flow Story is a powerful financial storytelling platform built to help business owners, CFOs, and advisors make sense of their numbers—fast. With just four pages and three key cash flow metrics, CFS simplifies financial reporting and helps leadership teams drive better decisions.
Trusted by leading banks, advisors, and thousands of businesses worldwide, it brings clarity to the most important question in business: ‘Where is the cash?’.
Learn more at www.cashflowstory.com
Learn More:
§ Visit the Ignium website
§ Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
§ Listen to the show here
Keywords in this episode:
Cashflow story
Scaling Up
Verne Harnish joins Phil Rose to unpack Scaling Up, the daily huddle rhythm, BHAGs, and the one metric leaders must protect to scale purpose and profit in 2025.
Guest: Verne Harnish — founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and creator of the Scaling Up framework
Host: Phil Rose, Sparks by Ignium
Why this conversation matters now (2025):
Leaders are operating in a world of persistent change—shifts in interest rates and capital access, AI‑driven disruption, talent mobility, and sustained pressure on margins. The companies that win aren’t just the “biggest”; they’re the fastest learners—those that pulse daily, stay close to customers and teams, and turn purpose into a competitive system. Verne Harnish breaks down exactly how to do that, with practical tools you can deploy this week.
What you’ll learn
Episode highlights (chapter guide)
(Times approximate; use as chapter headings in your player/CMS)
00:00 — Why scaling up changes economies and lives
03:30 — EO origin story & the MIT Entrepreneurial Masters Program
06:20 — Scaling Up revised: leading with purpose
10:05 — Navigating inflation/talent shifts without “growing broke”
12:40 — OODA loop, intel cadence, and moving faster by pulsing faster
15:10 — Pricing strategy + Scaling Up Compensation principles
16:30 — Gross margin per employee: your guardrail metric
18:10 — Perspective: global growth & mindset for opportunity
20:00 — Anatomy of a great daily huddle (3 questions)
23:15 — Replacing time‑heavy 1:1s with an 8‑minute exec huddle
26:10 — 10X examples: from military ops to call‑centre retention
30:00 — Coaching at the top: Best Buy’s turnaround & The Heart of Business
31:15 — People–Strategy–Execution–Cash: the Scaling Up backbone
34:00 — Coaching + learning + tech: the complete scale system
38:00 — Proof points from UK scaleups & why bold beats timid
The Sparks playbook (take this to your next leadership meeting)
Key quotes
Resources mentioned
Who should listen
Founders, CEOs, and leadership teams in the £/$3m–£/$200m range who want disciplined growth, stronger margins, and a culture that compounds performance.
Ready to scale with purpose and profit? Book a Scaleup Diagnostic with Ignium, or start with our Daily Huddle Template and run it for 10 workdays—then measure the lift in speed and clarity.
In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, our podcast created to help you scale your business with purpose, Phil Rose talks to author, mindfulness expert and Networking Queen, Helen Nicholson. If the thought of networking finds you heading for the nearest exit, you’ll be surprised to hear that introverts have a distinct advantage over extroverts when it comes to building connections that last.
The pair take a trip through the neuroscience behind the concept of ‘social battery’ and what extroverts can learn from their introverted counterparts.
In this idea-packed episode, discover:
· The simple secrets of building a powerful network and the surprising role of dopamine in whether you’ll enjoy a busy room.
· The deep, psychological reason why your camera should be on during an online meeting.
· Understand the three steps of the branding pyramid: if you want strength at the top, you need a solid foundation at the base.
· The inextricable link between personal brand and purpose: why having clarity about one will give you focus on the other.
· Why your strengths say more about you than your weaknesses? Your brain may be playing tricks on you.
· The fool-proof pathway to finding your purpose and why patience, play and self-care help clear the way.
· What happens when the notion ‘no one is coming to rescue you’ no longer induces fear but inspires change and a search for new opportunities.
· Why fifty-five is the perfect age to learn how to sing, dance and crochet.
Key nuggets to listen out for:
‘I believe personal branding is actually deeply spiritual: it's you uncovering your purpose. It's you uncovering what you were put on this planet to do… Then you communicate that value through your network.’
‘Often, to have jobs that you don't like prior to 35 is actually very powerful because that ‘not liking something’ gives you clarity about what you do like.’
‘We've got to realise that we are the ones we've been waiting for. And there's an element of excitement and there's an element of scariness around that.’
👉 Key question: Helen uses the phrase ‘no one is coming to rescue you’ as a guiding mantra for taking responsibility for your life. For the next week, take time to notice the areas in your life where you ARE NOT taking responsibility. Where are you blaming others for your current position when you should be taking charge? Where can working with a coach help you?”
🎧 We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as we have recording it. What would you like us to talk about? Drop us a line and let us know. And remember to like and subscribe to hear more.
♻️ Feel good about sharing this podcast with someone who’ll find it helpful; that would mean so much to us and them.
Texts mentioned:
Helen Nicholson – Networking for Introverts also on Spotify
Helen Nicholson – Mindfulness: How to Stay Sane in an Insane World
Joe Dispenza – Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself
Matthew Walker – Why We Sleep
More about Helen
Find Helen Nicholson at:
Website: https://helen-nicholson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networkwithhelen/
Key Quotes
‘One of the best pieces of advice I got, which I've since paid forward to other people, is follow your envy.’
‘You can’t be brave if you’re not well.’
‘We only light people up when we’re on fire ourselves.’
‘If you don't have clarity about your purpose or your personal brand, then other people impose their clarity on you.’
Learn More:
§ Visit the Ignium website
§ Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
§ Listen to the show here
Keywords in this episode:
Purpose-driven networking
Personal branding
Introverts vs extroverts in networking
Social battery
Neuroscience of connections
Building a powerful network
Dopamine and social interactions
Online meetings and camera use
Branding pyramid
Strengths and weaknesses
Finding your purpose
Self-care and purpose
Taking responsibility for your life
Spiritual personal branding
Life clarity after 35
Self-responsibility and coaching
Growth and transformation
Helen Nicholson interview
Sparks by Ignium podcast
Mindfulness in networking
In this episode, Phil Rose digs into the experience vault of veteran leader Mark Fritz. Now an author and speaker across 50 countries, Mark spent 25 years as a leader at Kodak and shares his very unique, tried-and-tested methods.
‘From my bosses, I only wanted two things: freedom and visibility,’ he says about his early career. These themes became a basis for success over the decades.
Learn about:
Memorable Quotes:
‘Our ability to get things done is based on our ability to influence others and then get others to carry that influence to beyond where we can personally reach.’
‘You will always have an advantage when you can wrap what you want inside of what they want.’
‘The most famous orchestra conductor said everything changed when he realised he doesn’t play an instrument.’
‘The less time-consuming, more effective conversations are not driven by what you say, they’re driven by what you ask. You want to end it with the other person feeling it’s theirs, not yours.'
Texts mentioned:
Learn More:
In this insightful episode of Sparks by Ignium, host Phil Rose speaks with Erika Robinson, from Constant Contact, about how small businesses and entrepreneurs can build powerful customer relationships through intentional marketing and meaningful email communication.
Drawing on experience across global brands Erika shares a strategic, human-centred approach to digital marketing. Her insights reveal how purpose-led brands can leverage segmentation, automation, and storytelling to connect deeply with their audiences.
Marketing is one of the most difficult things to do successfully when you’re starting or scaling a business. So, how do you get your message out there and build awareness when your resources and time are already stretched?
How do you build the essentials of connection: namely, know, like and trust?
Erika Robinson, UK General Manager of Constant Contact, may have the answer. In this episode, she talks to host Phil Rose about how digital marketing tools like hers can give small business owners the leading edge over their competitors. An AI-based system like this can only complement the human element, but it’s clearly valuable in helping to communicate where you sit in the marketplace when you know what your story is.
As business coaches, we’re first to say there’s no shame in using something that takes the weight and gives you:
• More time, fun and balance in life.
• Less drama, overwhelm and frustration.
So in the podcast Phil and Erika cover how Constant Contact has been specifically developed to help the ‘small stand tall’ – and what we can all learn from this, whether we use this system or not:
• When do sales messages become boring? Erika reveals the optimal ratio between storytelling and promotion.
• How do you ensure you keep the human element when using an AI tool, and why is this important?
• Where the lead magnet comes in when building a quality, engaged mailing list.
• What are the advantages of sending emails compared to reaching out via social media?
• Why we shouldn’t be afraid of the unsubscribe button.
• How tech is enabling a return to direct mail.
• Over 50% of Brits have a side hustle – how AI is helping them to realise their dreams?
• What took Erika from finance, into marketing, into her role at the head of Constant Contact in the UK?
• What do you talk about when you think you have nothing to say?
• What we can all learn about being bold, ambitious and purposeful when facing the uncertainty of the future.
The message that runs through this podcast is one that we at Ignium are 100% there for: it’s all about giving something a go. If you try it out and it’s not for you, then try something else. There is no failure, only learning opportunities.
We’d love to know what you think about Erika’s approach, so please drop a comment or send us a message.
♻ And please share this podcast with someone who’ll find it helpful; that would mean so much to us.
Texts mentioned:
Phil Rose – Fancy Running? The How to Guide to Fancy Dress Marathon Running
Jim Collins – Good to Great
This episode is a must-listen for any business leader or founder looking to grow with intention and market with impact.
Key Takeaways:
Memorable Quotes:
"It’s not just about sending emails—it’s about starting conversations that matter." – Erika Robinson
"Marketing today is less about pushing products and more about pulling people into your purpose." – Phil Rose
Actionable Insights:
Listen to This Episode If You Want To:
About Today’s Guest
Erika Robinson is the UK General Manager of Constant Contact, a digital marketing platform that helps small businesses across the globe grow. Constant Contact’s market leading, game-changing technology has helped millions of small businesses over the last three decades.
Erika has spent two decades working across strategy and finance for some of the UK’s most recognisable brands, including financial software giant, Intuit, mental health company, Headspace and telecommunications leader, Virgin Media. Erika led Commercial Strategy for Intuit Quickbooks UK and pioneered the commercial launch of Headspace’s mental health offering across Europe and the UK.
An entrepreneur at heart, Erika founded her own business in 2019, of which she remains CEO, and therefore has an in-depth understanding of the small business owners’ priorities and predicaments. Picnic is a children’s play centre located in Kingston that has employed over 30 people from the surrounding area and welcomed 200,000 parents and children through its doors.
Erika holds a B.A. in Visual Communication from Birmingham University, an MBA from Kingston University and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). She lives with her husband and two children in London.
How to connect with Erika Robinson
Follow Constant Contact and their sponsorship of Chelsea Women’s FC: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJoONkItC0K/
Connect with Erika: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikarobinson/
Find out more about what Constant Contact have to offer at: https://www.constantcontact.com/uk
Learn More:
§ Visit the Ignium website
§ Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
§ Listen to the show here
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What are the 7 constants of successful scaling, regardless of what the world is doing around you?
In the second 100th episode of Sparks, Phil Rose draws on his experience as a business owner, Scaling-up coach, and podcast host to explore why these super 7 themes keep showing up in sustainable business growth. Even against the odds.
‘The world is changing but it doesn’t mean your purpose has to change. It just means the way you strategically address it changes.’
As much a motivational piece as it is a useful index of episodes from 2022 to 2023, every point on scaling up is as relevant today as it was when it was recorded.
With fresh 2025 eyes, he looks back on his discussions with:
Phil rounds up with his reflections on why we all need ‘a trusted partner to uncover our blind spots, guide our strategic pillars and bolster mental gain’ as he starts his own journey with a new coach.
And the 7 constants that weave through the conversations? You’ll need to listen to the podcast to learn more. Enjoy!
Enjoy this roundup and let us know what you think. Delve into a few of the episodes above or save them for when you’re walking the dog or on a long drive.
________________________________________
💡 Key Takeaways:
• The One Page Personal Plan (OPPP): Fitness, finances, faith, friends, family… and don’t forget fun! When the fun stops, it’s time to reassess.
• Strategic Mindset in Unpredictable Times: Inflation, tariffs, supply chain issues—these challenges demand leaders who can adapt quickly and think strategically.
• Wellbeing Is Leadership: Leaders must invest in their health—physical, mental, emotional—to serve their businesses effectively. Don’t guess—test!
• Hybrid Work Is Here to Stay: Embrace the evolution. The future of work demands flexible, intentional leadership.
• Track and Measure Your Progress: Use tech and tools to track sleep, health, and performance. A fit body supports a fit business.
• Be Proactive in 2025: Clarity of communication, resilience in uncertainty, and decisive financial management are essential.
• Purpose and People First: Aligning personal and organisational purpose increases engagement, energy, and effectiveness.
________________________________________
🎯 Actionable Tips:
• Conduct a personal wellbeing audit—consider getting a health baseline.
• Revisit your One Page Personal Plan—are you living in alignment?
• Embrace regular strategy reviews with your leadership team.
• Create a workplace culture that fosters resilience and fun.
________________________________________
💬 Memorable Quote:
“If you're not having fun, stop. When the fun stops in business, you’re going in the wrong direction.” – Phil Rose
“When you show up, your team sees the version of you that you bring. Make sure it's your best.” – Phil Rose
“It’s not just about scaling your business—it’s about scaling yourself first.” – Phil Rose
________________________________________
Learn More:
§ 🎧 Listen now: Search Sparks by Ignium
§ 🌐 More about Scaling Up: ScalingUp.com
§ Visit the Ignium website
§ Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
§ Listen to the show here
Primary Keywords (High Relevance & Search Intent)
SEO Keywords & Phrases for Episode 100 (Part 2):
In this special 100th episode of Sparks by Ignium, host Phil Rose reflects on five transformative years since the podcast’s inception in 2019.
Our business growth podcast with a difference has reached its centenary, and we couldn’t be happier or more proud. It’s given us a chance to share space with forward-thinking and successful entrepreneurs who have added value to their businesses while adding value to their lives.
And this is so important because we believe that a vital part of growing your business should be getting your life back. So balance and integration are threads that run right through every conversation alongside core business strategy and insider knowledge.
What You’ll Learn:
🌱 How Sparks by Ignium evolved from a marketing idea into a mission-driven platform
🎧 The role of the pandemic in opening up new ways of connecting and learning
🔍 Key leadership lessons around authenticity, vulnerability, and navigating uncertainty
🤝 Why purpose is the golden thread through every conversation and every guest
🔥 Reflections on building community, sharing wisdom, and growing stronger together
Our roundup 100th episode at a glance:
The story behind the podcast and the lockdown days of its infancy.
And we look back on the time we spoke to:
The podcast is just one of a number of resources we have in our Spark Tank for people who want to grow their business with purpose. Why? Because we believe that small business has the power to transform the economy and the way we do things.
But being a business owner isn’t easy. We all put a lot on the line, so every bit of help we can get is valuable.
Enjoy this roundup and let us know what you think. Delve into a few of the episodes above or save them for when you’re walking the dog or on a long drive.
Memorable Quotes:
"We set this podcast up to market the business… but what it’s become is something far more meaningful." – Phil Rose
"We talked about 2020 with 2020 vision—turns out we were wildly wrong. But what we learned was even more powerful."
"Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing up with authenticity, even when you’re uncertain."
Takeaway Actions:
• Reflect on how your business has evolved in the past five years. What themes have emerged for you?
• Reconnect with your purpose: Why did you start what you’re doing, and how has that evolved?
• Revisit past Sparks episodes for lessons you might’ve missed—or need to hear again.
♻ Feel good about liking, commenting or sharing this. We believe that SMEs have the power to transform the world and drive our economy but only if we stick together and share what we know.
____________________________
Books and Articles mentioned:
Patrick Lencioni - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Patrick Lencioni - The Six Types of Working Genius
Ken Blanchard - One Minute Manager
Jim Collins - Good to Great
Learn More:
§ Visit the Ignium website
§ Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
§ Listen to the show here
Primary Keywords (High Relevance & Search Intent)
Purpose-driven leadership
Entrepreneurial mindset
Business growth strategies
Leadership development
Authentic leadership
Scaling up a business
Business transformation podcast
Business podcast for entrepreneurs
Lessons from the pandemic for leaders
5 years of business growth
Reflecting on business success
🔎 Secondary Keywords (Supportive for Niche/Long-Tail Searches)
Purpose-led business
Phil Rose podcast
Sparks by Ignium
Leadership during uncertainty
Strategic thinking in business
Podcast for business owners
Coaching for entrepreneurs
Business evolution stories
Leading through change
Marketing vs purpose in podcasting
Remote podcasting lessons
‘My last coach was not a business coach. She said I can help you become a better person and perhaps that will help your business. Oh boy was she right!’
It's time for an honest question. Could you be the bottleneck in your business success? If so, what can you do about it? Often, when we seek answers about what’s standing in our way, we highlight external factors when what’s needed is a deeper understanding of our internal world.
In this episode, Phil Rose spends time with Dr Arturo Almeida – surgeon turned entrepreneur, turned coach/speaker/medical trainer and educator. They share their thoughts on the intrinsic connection between inner and outer development and discuss how personal growth is key to business growth.
Follow the conversation as they talk about:
· How Arturo survived going broke twice, why it didn’t hold him back and how he used his experiences to nudge him onto a different path.
· The power of purpose in directing your steps and why trying to appeal to everyone could be standing in the way of success.
· Do you need a consultant or a coach? And why you need to know the difference between the two.
· The restorative nature of forgiveness when a business relationship goes wrong. Letting go gives you the freedom to move forward with energy and purpose.
· What he discovered about every patient who came to see him, what they were really looking for and how this informs every aspect of his professional life today.
· From reframing challenges as signposts to transferring skills from sphere to sphere, how coaching unlocks potential and opens up before-unseen possibilities.
· Why a listening ear is a powerful tool in terms of efficiency and performance and why it’s the best thing you can give anyone.
Both avid readers, they reflect on the texts that have shaped their thinking (details below) and the human-focused principles that can be applied to create success in almost any industry.
‘If you’re growing your business, your problems become bigger,’ Arturo says ‘but your mindset is above that’. A perfect expression of how personal development underpins the kind of sustainable business growth everyone wants to see.
Join us for this compassionate and inspiring discussion and let us know what you think. Please like and share so we can expand our reach and help more people like you.
Key Takeaways:
🔥 From Medicine to Business: Arturo’s journey from being a surgeon to running his own aesthetic medicine clinic and the lessons learned along the way.
💡 Overcoming Failure: The importance of resilience, learning from business setbacks, and how failure can be the best teacher.
🎭 The Emotional Side of Business: How emotional intelligence, communication, and personal growth play a crucial role in entrepreneurial success.
🚀 Looking Ahead to 2026: Arturo’s vision for his future, including the mindset shifts needed for long-term success.
🌍 Finding Purpose: Why understanding the deeper motivations behind a business is key to making an impact and building a sustainable future.
Memorable Quotes:
Books and Articles mentioned:
· Psycho-Cybernetics – Maxwell Maltz
· The Road Less Stupid – Keith Cunningham
· El libro negro del emprendedor / Little Black Book of Entrepreneurship: No Digas Que Nunca Te Lo Advirtieron – Fernando Trias de Bes
· The Chimp Paradox – Steve Peters
· Who not How – Dan Sullivan
About Dr Arturo Almeida:
Dr. Arturo Almeida is an internationally recognized entrepreneur, business mentor, and keynote speaker, renowned for bridging medicine, business, and high-performance leadership. With over 20 years of experience, he helps healthcare professionals and industry leaders scale their businesses, enhance patient and client communication, and achieve sustainable growth.
As the Founder of Baarle Consulting Ltd, he provides business coaching, corporate training, and strategic consulting to medical professionals, brands, and executives. His unique approach blends surgical precision with business strategy, empowering professionals to optimize mindset, leadership, and business performance.
Alongside his business ventures, Dr. Almeida remains involved in clinical practice, specializing in non-surgical fat treatments, advanced minor surgery, and cosmetic vein procedures. A leading global authority in non-surgical body contouring, he has trained thousands of medical professionals and continues to contribute to the development, training, and safety protocols in this evolving field. He is also the creator of the world’s first course on the prevention and management of complications after fat-dissolving injectables, setting new industry standards for safety and effectiveness.
Dr. Almeida is a sought-after speaker at global conferences, industry panels, and leading business and medical media, including TV, radio, and publications. He shares insights on entrepreneurship, mindset mastery, and business success, helping professionals navigate the intersection of medicine and leadership. With a rapidly growing international presence in Dubai and Asia, he remains dedicated to bridging the gap between healthcare, business, and high-performance leadership on a global scale.
How to connect with Dr Arturo Almeida
Website: https://arturoalmeida.com
🔗 LinkedIn: Dr. Arturo Almeida
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drarturoalmeida
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.arturoalmeida/
Learn More:
§ Visit the Ignium website
§ Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
§ Listen to the show here
Keywords in this episode:
Entrepreneurship
Medical Business
Aesthetic Medicine
Communication Skills
Self-Belief
Emotional Management
Resilience
Personal Growth
Coaching
Transformation
Business Fundamentals
Mindset
Listening Skills
Coaching vs Consulting
Is it time to rethink everything you’ve ever learned about the USP (or unique selling point)? What is a USP in business and do they work? How do you know?
What’s the alternative?
In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, speaker and author Chantal Cornelius explains why she abandoned the concept of USP in business growth long ago. After twenty-five years of achievement in her own marketing company, extensive research, and three books she knows her no-nonsense approach isn’t edgy for the sake of it – it just works.
Setting out the secrets for success taken from her recently released book StandOut Strategies, this second conversation* with host Phil Rose outlines:
Tune in to find out which strategy aligns with your company’s culture, purpose, and client base.
Discover new ways to understand what clients want and how to serve them because, in that way, everyone wins. By digging in deep and getting to the root of what people struggle with and what they desire, we can show up and deliver using our unique skills and abilities.
Is it time you upgraded the USP in your business growth plan to something else?
*check out Chantal and Phil’s first podcast foray into marketing success here.
We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. To get our message out there, share this episode with someone you think could benefit from it. Thank you.
Chantal Cornelius:
Chantal left the corporate world in 2000 to set up Appletree Marketing. It was the second best decision she’s ever made. Since then, she’s filled her time helping hundreds of coaches, consultants, and speakers to grow their businesses. Her marketing advice is straightforward, practical, and down-to-earth. She’s written three books, with the latest, StandOut Strategies, published in October 2024. When she’s not speaking, training, or handing out marketing advice, you’ll find Chantal riding her horse, growing vegetables in her garden, or whizzing down a ski slope— but not all at the same time!
Memorable Quotes:
Takeaway Action:
Books and Articles Referenced:
Stand Out Strategies. Chantal Cornelius.
One in Ten: How to Survive Your First Ten Years in Business. Chantal Cornelius
Magnetic Marketing. Chantal Cornelius.
Learn More:
Connect with today’s guest:
Check out Chantal’s book, Standout Strategies—available now.
“Innovation doesn’t happen when you start doing something new, it happens when you stop doing something old.”
The human Summary (from the lovely Amanda Fearn):
Our second podcast episode of 2025 features Richard Mulholland, author of Here Be Dragons, a deliberately easy-to-digest book on the power of stories to sell, persuade and connect. If one of the things at the top of your list for 2025 is scaling your business by making your messaging hit home, this is a great episode for you.
He talks about some of the common storytelling mistakes many of us make and the secrets of putting them right:
Is AI there to make our creative output easier or better? ‘Easy is uninteresting,’ he says ‘we need to do something different.’ He takes us through the step-by-step process he uses to upgrade his writing. The two fumbles many business writers make when they’re scaling a business and what he does to lift interest, pace and emotional connection. How many of us switch off rather than switching over. ‘There’s a correlation between hobbies and happiness’ he says, and it enriches our personal and business lives. Why getting the right balance of peanut butter to pill is key in getting your audience to take action (you’ll love this clever metaphor). You’re not the hero of the story you’re telling (sorry about that) – and why this matters. Why the concept of a USP may be letting you down and why it’s time to trade up to a UDS (the ‘d’ of course refers to dragons). You’ll need to listen to the podcast to find out more.
This full-throttle episode is practical and fun. Everything is bite-sized and implementable: perfect when you’re scaling a business. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it.
Here’s what our AI said about the show:
In this compelling episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose chats with Richard Mulholland, founder of Missing Link, speaker, and author of Here Be Dragons and Legacide. Richard shares his fresh perspective on using storytelling as a tool for persuasion, business growth, and meaningful connection. From the art of "story selling" to the unique dragons every business must slay, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone looking to make a lasting impact. Prepare for a high-energy conversation full of wisdom, humor, and practical insights to help you own your narrative and achieve greater results.
Main Points for Listeners:
Quotes and Highlights:
Learn More:
Connect with Richard Mulholland:
· Get Rich
Books and Articles Referenced:
4. Building a Story Brand - Donald Miller
5. The Miracle Morning - Hal Elrod
Keywords in this episode:
Story Selling, Emotional Connection, Business Growth, Presentations, Unique Value Proposition, Leadership, Purpose, Entrepreneurship, Storytelling
Download Links:
(search Sparks by Ignium)
Subscribe and WATCH it again here https://www.youtube.com/@SparksbyIgnium/videos
Love it? Then please share it with your network. Let’s get the word out there. Thanks.
For the first show of 2025, we have a life-affirming story about the power of ‘forums’ in transforming the lives of entrepreneurs and leaders from a very human standpoint.
Mo Fathelbab talks to our host Phil Rose about his journey and what led him to found the International Facilitators Organisation. A renowned speaker and author, Mo outlines how forums work, why purpose is prosperity, and what it is about the model that’s so powerful.
A few of the points they cover:
· The nature of the forum methodology that creates a safe environment for peers to share openly and honestly about what’s going on in their lives.
· Why it’s good for business (and his clients include Google and Harvard Business School). It’s no secret that when people feel safe, supported, seen and loved for who they are they perform at their best.
· How meeting Scaling Up and Young Entrepreneurs Organisation founder Verne Harnish, over 30 years ago, changed the direction of his life and career.
· What he’s learned about the benefits of the emotionally connected hive mind – in particular the powerful role of continuous learning together in leadership development.
· His ambitious plans to train enough facilitators to give at least 1 billion people access to forums and the wide-reaching benefits beyond the workplace.
· The power of sharing stories rather than giving advice in shedding judgment and finding commonality.
· How taking the first step into courageous vulnerability creates a safe space for others.
Centred around Mo’s moving personal story and the focus that led him to where he is today, it’s a convincing manifesto for prosperity through honest, genuine human connection.
We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. To get our message out to a wider audience who can benefit from the words of wisdom, please share this episode with someone you think could benefit from it. Thank you.
Books mentioned:
Forum: The Secret Advantage of Successful Leaders – Mo Fathelbab
The Friendship Advantage – Mo Fathelbab
Main Points for Listeners:
Quotes and Highlights:
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Connect with the Guest:
Books and Articles Referenced:
Keywords in this episode: Real Relationships, Vulnerability, Peer Groups, Forum Process, YPO, Leadership, Empathy, Communication, Trust, Connection
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A vital component of scaling a business successfully is getting the right people on board – and making sure they love coming to work. Performance is intrinsically linked with how well your team gels and communicates as problems are dealt with and new ideas are brought to life.
So join us for another insight-rich discussion with Eric Stone, veteran exec of Enterprise Holdings as he and host Phil Rose dig deeper into the five factors of employee engagement. (Find episode 1 here).
As Eric lifts each one off the page, we get some invaluable and practical tips on implementation for maximum impact.
Listen to the five tried-and-tested elements behind his success:
Bonus takeaways from the conversation:
Another episode crammed with tangible advice and instantly implementable micro-strategies, we hope you found it as useful and inspiring as we did.
Learn More:
Connect with Eric Stone:
In the first of two episodes with author and speaker Eric Stone, our host Phil Rose discovers practical answers to the issues many businesses struggle with while scaling up. They draw on Eric’s 26 years with Enterprise Holdings which led him from its infancy to being one of the most decorated Regional VPs in the company’s history.
It’s a value-packed conversation covering:
‘You don’t have to be the smartest guy in the room, you just have to be able to use the room’ Eric says. This sums it up well. Handing over the reins is probably the most harrowing part of taking a business to the next level but Eric’s quiet confidence and human-focused mindset is as reassuring as it is inspiring.
We hope you enjoy listening to this idea-a-minute podcast as much as we enjoyed recording it.
As always, please feel free to get in touch or comment if you have something to add and share – you never know who will benefit from listening too.
Learn More: ye
Connect with Eric Stone:
In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose sits down with Chantal Cornelius, founder of Appletree Marketing, to dive deep into marketing strategies that help businesses stand out. With over two decades of experience, Chantal is known for guiding clients with her unique "standout strategies" designed to ensure authentic and effective marketing. From sharing her journey to explaining how purpose and emotional connection fuel client engagement, Chantal provides insights for businesses to connect with customers in ways that make a lasting impact. Get ready to discover actionable advice on making your brand resonate.
Main Points for Listeners:
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Biography: Since founding Appletree Marketing in 2000, Chantal Cornelius has spent the last two decades helping hundreds of coaches, consultants, and speakers grow their businesses and achieve their goals through making strong emotional connections with their clients. Her mission is to help business owners realize that the path to success doesn’t have to involve churning out endless social media content. Chantal knows that the key to standing out from competitors is to build long-lasting client relationships, and she has developed several Stand Out Strategies that businesses can use to incorporate more empathy into their work, stand out from the crowd, and form the best possible emotional connection with their clients.
Learn More:
Connect with Chantal Cornelius:
Books and Articles Referenced:
Keywords in this episode: Marketing mentor, purpose-driven business, emotional engagement, standout strategies, customer experience, brand loyalty
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This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs looking to create meaningful connections with their audience. Listen in to uncover the secrets to standing out and driving sustainable growth!
Internationally renowned speaker, author, peacekeeper and coach Urs Koenig introduced us to the phrase in his first conversation with Phil Rose.
In his second round on the Sparks by Ignium Podcast, Urs uses stories and experiences to show what this principle looks like in real life and how you can embed it into your leadership development.
We learn about:
Full of storytelling: from his peacekeeping missions to his life as a coach and father, this upbeat conversation is full of ‘pause and grab a notepad’ ideas for leadership development sure to inspire anyone.
We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.
Texts mentioned:
Radical Humility – Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human – Urs Koenig.
Shackleton’s Way – Lessons in Leadership from the Great Antarctic Explorer – Stephanie Capparell and Margot Morrell.
Does humility belong in leadership?
In this episode, Phil Rose talks to author, international speaker, UN peacekeeper and performance athlete Urs Koenig who presents a compelling argument for staying humble while driving results.
A tricky line to walk but thankfully Urs has plenty of practical information on how to do it taken from his life journey so far and his book Radical Humility. He takes Phil through his experiences as a UN peacekeeping commander, coach, leader, and family man to highlight his points of learning and how he’s used each one to impact the course of his life and that of countless others.
Things we loved:
Phil wraps this first conversation by asking Urs about the best feedback he’s been given recently and how he dealt with it. His answers will resonate with everyone.
We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did and as you listen, make time to jot down the points you found useful, you never know when they might come in handy. Share and like too, it helps to get our message out there to those who also want to scale their business, life and impact
Learn More: visit the Ignium https://www.igniumconsult.com
Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank https://www.igniumconsult.com/the-spark-tank
Listen to the show: https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/episodes
Connect with today’s guest
Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com/
Sign Up to our Ignium Bi Monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe
Connect on LinkedIn with Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/
Welcome back to part 2 of the discussion with renowned behavioural finance strategist Hugh Massie. In this episode, we learn more about the man behind DNA Behavior International. Losing your father when you’re a year old might set some people back in life. Instead, Hugh Massie turned his difficult childhood experiences into an international success story – as well as founding an organisation for young men in a similar situation to maximise their potential today.
How did he do it? Listen in as a story emerges of how we all can leverage our hardwired behaviours to achieve meaningful outcomes.
What’s in store:
· What we can learn from Hugh’s journey from chartered accountant to Money Energy Pioneer.
· How measuring your success by what you have in the bank could be setting yourself up for failure.
· Why being comfortable and genuinely fulfilled aren’t necessarily the same thing.
· What’s behind the connection between impacting a billion people and making money.
· How to avoid drama but thrive through stress.
· A dive into how his childhood affected him and how understanding his Initiator type has allowed him to impact the lives of the fatherless boys he works with today.
· Why your hardwiring isn’t an excuse, it’s your superpower (when you learn how to adapt and use it).
Finally, Hugh shares his life motto and why it has driven his success so far.
We hope you enjoy this episode. As always, please feel free to get in touch or comment if you have something to add and share – you never know who will benefit from listening too.
An episode full of moments of reflection, it asks deep questions but in a way that makes so much sense. Why shouldn’t we show up as ourselves in our business? Why shouldn’t we prioritise our health and spend time with the people we love? That’s why we set up business for ourselves in the first place. Own your business rather than it owning you to improve your chances of living a long and happy life.
If you’ve enjoyed this episode, do you know someone else who would enjoy it too? And please remember to leave us a comment, a review and subscribe for further episodes. Thank you.
(Some of) The main points for listeners:
Main Points for Listeners:
· Hugh's Early Career and his forming of his Purpose
· Hugh discusses how his background as a Chartered Accountant shaped his purpose of helping people optimize their talents and financial behaviors.
· The Impact of Life Experiences on Identity
· Learn how Hugh’s early life experiences, including growing up without a father, influenced his identity and approach to leadership and business.
· Boys Without Fathers Initiative
· Hugh shares the origins and goals of Boys Without Fathers, an initiative close to his heart, aimed at helping boys grow into influential men despite the absence of a father figure.
· The Power of Living Without Regrets
· Hugh reflects on the importance of living life aligned with your unique design, embracing your strengths, and minimizing regrets.
· Behavioral DNA and Personal Growth
· Discover how understanding your behavioral DNA can enhance both personal and professional life, leading to reduced stress and increased success.
About Hugh
Hugh Massie is the Executive Chairman and Founder of DNA Behavior International – the Behavior and Money Insights Company.
As a Titan 100 CEO and widely recognized Behavioral Solutions Architect, Hugh Massie helps growth-minded leaders create an Exponential Future by developing a “ten to the power of 9” Quantum Leap Growth Mindset and by building plans for over 1 billion people impact. With that framework and his pioneering and results-driven DNA Initiator style, Hugh addresses every opportunity and challenge through a behavioral lens.
Hugh’s purpose is to empower people worldwide to optimize their natural “hard-wired” talents and financial behaviors which drives quantum leap capacity, reduces stress, and enables greater happiness, more success, and improved health for longer. Further, Hugh empowers organizations and teams to build “category king” people-centered businesses, and in the process, enhance decision-making, culture, and performance.
Applying the pioneering behavioral finance research Hugh has undertaken since 2001, his moonshot goal is to implement an AI-driven BeSci Tech Platform that by 2030 fully informs 1 billion people annually on how to enhance their decision-making and relationships for increasing life, financial and business longevity by 30 or more years.
Hugh partners with clients to create an Exponential Future by developing trail-blazing financial behavior apps for building the “New BeFi Economy” impacting all key areas of life, finance and business.
Learn More: visit the Ignium https://www.igniumconsult.com
Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank https://www.igniumconsult.com/the-spark-tank
Listen to the show: https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/episodes
Connect with today’s guest
Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com/
Sign Up to our Ignium Bi Monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe
Connect on LinkedIn Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/
In the first of a 2-part episode, Founder of DNA Behaviour International Hugh Massie and podcast host Phil Rose explore where the spheres of money and human behaviour meet. In particular, they look at human behaviour and how it drives business outcomes, particularly in financial contexts.
Hugh shares his insights as a Behavioural Solutions Architect and explains how understanding, measuring and then adapting behaviours removes stubborn barriers to personal and business growth.
Key points:
· If money drives business but the results come about through the actions of people, how do you actively create an environment where people can express their unique talents and do their best work?
· ‘Behind every business problem is a human behaviour – problems don’t just happen.’ Find the behavioural issues and you’ve likely found your solution.
· What are the Engager and Initiator types, what are their advantages and how does DNA Behavior sit apart from other profiling tools?
· Ensuring all bases are covered with different leadership styles can cause friction but it can also give birth to a robust and profitable culture.
· Strengths if overplayed become a struggle but by gaining clarity, adapting or learning how to delegate we save our energy to create first-class outcomes.
· Where financial behaviour fits into the mix. If two people can look at the same transaction differently what implications does this have for your business growth?
This conversation is an intersection of so many themes: personal and business; behaviour and financial; and leadership and cultural. Where each meets is a place for pause, consideration, clarity and possibly redirection – but always at the heart, there is purpose.
Main Recording Points for Listeners:
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Learn More:
Connect with Hugh Massie:
Books and Articles Referenced:
Keywords in this episode: Behavioural solutions, financial behaviour, leadership styles, identity, purpose, DNA Behaviour, business success
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‘When someone is working for a greater mission, it fuels all of our work.’ In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose talks to strategic speaking expert Blair Bryant Nichols about ensuring our message is heard loud and clear.
It’s not just what we say that makes the magic, it’s how we purposefully connect it to our audience. We’re not all public speakers but we are all business owners so we need to get our message out there in a way that makes sense. How else are we going to achieve our aims or drive growth?
Whether speaking is part of your business model, a sideline or not even on your radar, this podcast is full of takeaways about authenticity, story and the uplifting power of communication.
Key points:
· Why speaking isn’t just a vocation, it’s an advocation. Purpose fuels success.
· Get over the butterflies by remembering you’re there to give your unique gift to the audience.
· The expansive nature of diverse voices – and not just when discussing diversity.
· The pitfalls of not rehearsing enough – and being over-scripted.
· Why speaking is an effective business tool you might not have thought of.
· How to convert from the spoken word to personal connections (and sales).
· Be aspirational but seek to close the gap between you and your audience.
· Authentic, personal, relatable stories build the strongest connections.
· Tips on how to use slides. Hint: don’t read them to your audience.
There are times when the pressure is on to speak to everyone in the room – and it doesn’t matter if we’re a keynote speaker at a conference or delivering a pitch to our peers. Then there are the times when we’re reaching out to our ideal clients and feel less than confident about it.
So there’s something for everyone here.
The Sparks by Ignium podcast is all about you, the listener. That’s why we love it when you get involved. So if there’s something you’d like us to cover, please get in touch – and remember to comment, like and subscribe so that we can help as many people as possible. Thank you.
About Blair
Strategic speaking expert Blair Bryant Nichols advocates for diverse and purposeful success in the speaking industry. He’s the founder of BBN Creative Management, developing speakers for corporate events, conferences and other opportunities so they can stand up and build engagement with their voices.
At the heart of his work is the strategy behind speaking events – in particular, how we leverage stories to engage the minds and hearts of the audience to transform them into clients. He loves new and distant places, reading, creating and being at home with his husband and Shepherd-mix Aspen.
Learn more: visit the Ignium https://www.igniumconsult.com
Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank https://www.igniumconsult.com/the-spark-tank
Connect with today’s guest: https://www.bbncreativemanagement.com/about
Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com
Sign up to our Ignium bi-monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe
Connect on LinkedIn Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/
Sometimes sorry seems to be the hardest word. How much time and energy could we save if we owned up and apologised more often? We discover that it’s only the right thing to do but it’s the best thing to do if you’re trying to build a team that will expand your business.
Welcome to round two with the ego. This is the second podcast discussion between leadership coach, speaker and author Christie Garcia, and our host, Phil Rose.
They talk about:
If boardroom disjoint and frayed nerves are frustrating your progress, this episode will give you a new perspective on how to build unity, trust and a shared vision – no matter how diverse your team is.
For more context on Christie Garcia’s approach and the three types of ego at play, the first episode available here is a must-listen. Make some time in your diary to come back to it later.
The Sparks by Ignium podcast is all about you, the listener. That’s why we love it when you get involved. So if there’s something you’d like us to cover, please get in touch – and remember to comment, like and subscribe so that we can help as many people as possible. Thank you.
https://www.igniumconsult.com/lets-talk/
Ego management expert Christie is the founder of the Mindful Choice Leadership Academy, an organisation dedicated to developing established and emerging leaders along with entrepreneurs and teams. The focus is on lasting change at a human level.
