Scaling by Design: How Adam Torres Built a Media Empire Without Investment

Responsibility, Risk, and the Real Work of Scaling Up

Description: In this episode of Scaling Up, Not Giving Up, I sit down with Roger Martin — serial entrepreneur, franchise founder, and CEO of RockBox Fitness and beem® Light Sauna. Roger has led teams of over 500, built national brands, and trained thousands in sales, leadership, and communication. But this conversation isn’t about hype — it’s about reality. We talk about the difference between responsibility and accountability, the gauntlet of growth every founder must pass through, and why leaders end up with exactly the teams they deserve. Roger also shares sharp, unfiltered advice for anyone thinking about making the leap from employee to entrepreneur — and why some people absolutely shouldn’t. 🔍 What we cover in this episode: * Why you promote what you tolerate in your team * The difference between being responsible and being accountable * Why scaling requires unreasonable effort * What founders need to accept before they ever get momentum * Hiring for subtraction, not just selection * The mindset shift every entrepreneur has to make to scale 📚 More from Roger: * An Insider’s Guide to Business: Secrets from an Entrepreneur’s Playbook * ThriveMore with Roger Martin * Roger’s Linktree (podcast, socials, and more) [https://linktr.ee/thrivemorewithrogermartin] 🎧 Listen & Follow the Podcast: https://pod.link/1804985577 [https://pod.link/1804985577] 📬 For More Insights: https://richard-lee.co.uk [https://richard-lee.co.uk]

Coming Monday: From $12K to P&G: How Eric Malka Built The Art of Shaving – And What Came After

Eric Malka took a $12,000 investment and turned it into a global brand. Then came the financial crisis, burnout, and one of the biggest lessons of his life. In this episode, I sit down with Eric Malka – serial entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of The Art of Shaving – to unpack the unfiltered reality of building a premium brand, scaling with purpose, and navigating chaos when things don't go to plan. We talk through: * 🧳 His early start as a broke 17-year-old immigrant in New York * 🩳 Selling board shorts in Puerto Rico – and learning the hard way * 🚀 How he bootstrapped The Art of Shaving from a single store to $10M turnover * 💥 What went wrong during the Procter & Gamble acquisition and 2008 crash * 🧠 His “crawl-walk-run-fly” framework for sustainable growth * 🛠️ Crisis management, founder stress, and how to actually avoid burnout * 💡 Why coaches aren’t just for failing businesses – and what makes a great one Whether you're just getting started or preparing for scale, Eric’s honest reflections on risk, resilience, and reinvention will resonate.

Feedback Loops, Burnout, and the Five Things Every Business Needs to Scale

Feedback Loops, Burnout, and the Five Things Every Business Needs to Scale What do all successful businesses get right when they scale? According to leadership performance coach Aaron Trahan, there are five essentials — and missing just one can throw everything off. In this episode of Scaling Up, Not Giving Up, Aaron shares the exact framework he uses with founders and leadership teams to scale sustainably — without chaos, burnout, or blind spots. 💬 “If you don’t have the right systems, today’s growth becomes tomorrow’s failure.” Whether you're scaling your first company or managing through a phase of fast growth, this one’s full of actionable insight. 🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1804985577 [https://pod.link/1804985577] 📍 More episodes and resources: richard-lee.co.uk [https://richard-lee.co.uk]

The Business Shouldn’t Need You

📘 Guest: Jeremy B. Shapiro — Serial Entrepreneur, Mastermind Facilitator, and Author of Your Business Growth Playbook 🧠 Episode Summary: What happens when the business you built starts to feel like a trap? This week, I’m joined by Jeremy B. Shapiro — a seasoned serial entrepreneur who’s spent over two decades helping business owners escape burnout, scale sustainably, and finally step out of the day-to-day. We explore the critical transition from solopreneur to true business owner, why many founders unknowingly build themselves into a corner, and how to design systems that give you real freedom — not just more responsibility. Whether you’re deep in the weeds or starting to pull back from the grind, this episode is your practical guide to building a business that works… even when you don’t. 🧩 In This Episode, We Cover: * The difference between building a business vs. building yourself a job * The early warning signs of founder burnout * Why scaling too fast without systems can sabotage success * Time-boxing and org chart hacks that actually work * How to start replacing yourself (without guilt) * Jeremy’s approach to business sabbaticals — and why he took one * The mindset shift that changes everything about how you scale 🎧 Links & Resources: * 💡 Get a free sample of Your Business Growth Playbook, an audio overview, and a growth checklist at YourBusinessGrowthPlaybook.com [https://YourBusinessGrowthPlaybook.com] * 📚 Grab the full book on Amazon or wherever you get your books * 🔗 Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/jeremyshapiro/] 🗣️ Connect with Me: * 🌐 richard-lee.co.uk [https://richard-lee.co.uk] * 🎙️ Listen to more episodes [https://pod.link/1804985577]

Scaling by Design: How Adam Torres Built a Media Empire Without Investment

In this episode of Scaling Up, Not Giving Up, I’m joined by Adam Torres — co-founder of Mission Matters and host of over 6,000 podcast interviews. Adam shares how he went from reluctant first-time podcaster to building a global media business that now produces more than 2,000 interviews a year — all without external investment. 🔥 We discuss: * Why Adam recorded his first 1,500 episodes off-camera under a pseudonym * How imposter syndrome shaped his early creative journey * The systems he’s built to avoid burnout while scaling * How to monetise expertise without selling out your focus * His philosophy on growing slowly, staying profitable, and saying no to the funding hype This episode is a must-listen if you’re thinking about scaling something on your own terms — and wondering whether obsession can ever be sustainable. 🔗 Connect with Adam: * Follow on Instagram: @AskAdamTorres [https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres] * Explore Mission Matters: missionmatters.com [https://missionmatters.com] 🔁 Like what you heard? * Follow Scaling Up, Not Giving Up wherever you get your podcasts * For more episodes and founder resources, visit richard-lee.co.uk [https://richard-lee.co.uk]