If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder frustrated that your marketing and sales teams keep blaming each other instead of driving real business coaching results, this business coaching and business mentoring episode from MentorBusiness.com founder Dr. Lewis Haydon will give you clarity fast.
Dr. Lewis Haydon, a trusted global business coach, business mentor, and organisational behaviour expert, sits down with top UK sales trainer Andy Bounds and global business coach and Visibility SEO Marketing founder Peter Boolkah to tear apart the “marketing vs sales” blame game and rebuild it into a revenue engine that helps you scale your business.
You’ll hear raw, boardroom-level debate on who’s really responsible for revenue, why visibility and SEO now do half the selling before a salesperson speaks, and how AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing the sales conversation forever. This is exactly how serious founders, CEOs, and global business mentoring platforms are winning in a tough economy.
Takeaways:
Stop blaming, start aligning: Marketing and sales are two sides of the same business growth strategy. Treat them as one revenue unit, not rival departments.
Brief on outcomes, not activities: Start every marketing brief with the “afters” you want: ideal leads, sectors, deal sizes, and how success will be measured.
Visibility before velocity: Website, content, SEO, and AI-search presence (ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc.) now do a huge chunk of the sales work before anyone speaks to sales.
Afters + certainty = sales: Buyers want a better future and confidence you can deliver. Every campaign and sales conversation must increase both.
Own your part of the pipeline: Marketing owns visibility and lead quality. Sales owns conversion, follow-up, and behaviour. The CEO owns alignment and communication.
Markets have limits: Some sectors are slow, over-regulated, or not buying. You may need new verticals and offers instead of demanding “more leads” from a dead market.
Passion is fuel, not a strategy: Passion without market need and skill is just an expensive hobby. Combine all three to build something scalable.
Nobody buys from a mood hoover: Low-energy salespeople and founders kill deals. Your leadership energy sets the tone for your whole commercial engine.
Chapters:
00:00 – Marketing vs Sales: why everyone’s blaming the wrong person
03:10 – Are marketing and sales really “versus”? Communication and ownership
07:45 – What sales really want: lead quality, quantity, and speed
11:20 – Peter Boolkah on SEO, visibility, and real opportunities
16:05 – AI, ChatGPT, and Perplexity: why buyers are “pre-sold”
20:40 – Afters and certainty: the simple framework for revenue
25:15 – Market limits, buying cycles, and lazy “we need more leads” thinking
29:30 – Passion, resilience, and mood-hoover leadership
33:10 – Behaviours of high-performance sales teams in 2025
38:00 – Final boardroom summary: how to synergise marketing and sales
Keywords:
business coaching, business mentoring, business mentor, leadership development, executive coaching, CEO coaching, entrepreneurship coaching, global business coach, international business mentoring, business growth strategy, scale your business, marketing vs sales, sales and marketing alignment, SEO marketing strategy, visibility SEO, lead generation strategy, organisational behaviour, MentorBusiness.com, business mentoring platform, Lewis Haydon, Andy Bounds, Peter Boolkah, afters and certainty, AI in sales, ChatGPT for lead generation, B2B sales strategy, marketing and sales collaboration, global business mentoring platform
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If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder trapped inside a company that only functions when you turn up, this business coaching episode will give you the blunt clarity you’ve been avoiding. In this boardroom-style session from MentorBusiness.com, Dr. Lewis Haydon breaks down why your “business” is still a job and how business mentoring and leadership development can transform it into a scalable asset.
Dr. Lewis Haydon, a trusted global business coach, business mentor, and organisational behaviour expert, exposes the identity shift, systems, and strategy required to step out of day-to-day operations and finally build a business that runs without you.
You’ll learn how to escape founder dependency and scale sustainably, including:
How thinking like an employee keeps you trapped as an operator, not an owner
The essential systems (marketing, sales, operations, finance) that allow a managing director to run the company without you
The identity and behavioural shifts proven in leadership development and CEO coaching to remove control bottlenecks
Why passive income is real when you build assets correctly and why most founders never reach that point
The stress-test every entrepreneur must run: could your business survive 3 months without you?
Decision-making insight: how your habits today shape your long-term exit strategy and business valuation
Takeaways:
If your business can’t run without you, you don’t own a business, you own a job.
Systems create independence; people activate it. Without documented processes, no senior team or MD can replace you.
Identity determines scale. If you think like an operator, you will stay an operator — no matter your revenue.
Founder control is usually the biggest bottleneck. Trust, delegation, and leadership development are non-negotiable.
Start now, not “one day.” It takes years to develop an MD capable of replacing you, which means the clock is already ticking.
Chapters:
00:00 – Why most founders confuse “business ownership” with being an overworked operator03:12 – The property analogy: why you must stop “living inside” your business06:45 – SME myths, customer expectations, and the trap of being too available10:01 – Why founders stay stuck as operators and the mindset shift required11:48 – Break: Why these boardroom conversations matter for scaling your business12:34 – Identity shift: redefining who you must become to own a scalable asset16:55 – Systems, planning, and strategic structure: how real businesses operate without you20:37 – Why founders delay the hard decisions and how it destroys long-term scale24:10 – Stress-testing your business: could it survive 3 months without you?28:45 – Developing leaders, successors, and a managing director to replace you32:30 – The hard truth: your business reflects your limitations, until you grow past them
Keywords:
business coaching, business mentoring, business mentor, leadership development, CEO coaching, entrepreneurship coaching, global business coaching, international business mentoring, scale your business, business growth strategy, organisational behaviour, founder leadership, managing director succession, build a business that runs without you, MentorBusiness.com, Lewis Haydon, founder mindset shift, operational independence, systems and processes for scaling, passive income for business owners, exit strategy for SMEs, develop senior leadership teams, business coaching for entrepreneurs worldwide, high-performance founder coaching, global business mentoring platform, strategic planning for founders
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder struggling with the slow grind of business growth and wondering why you’re “not a millionaire yet,” this episode will give you clarity fast. MentorBusiness.com exists for this exact reason, helping entrepreneurs worldwide understand the real timeline of business mentoring and business coaching success.
Dr. Lewis Haydon, a trusted global business coach, business mentor, and organisational behaviour expert, breaks down why becoming a millionaire takes a decade and why that long-game mindset is the foundation of sustainable business growth, leadership development, and CEO coaching excellence.
You’ll learn how high-performance founders navigate the cycles, including:
• The truth about the 10-year millionaire timeline
• Why “struggle periods” are not failure, they’re the normal entrepreneurial growth cycle
• Resilience behaviours every entrepreneur must master
• How leaders across the globe stay committed when progress slows
• The real relationship between vision, discipline, and compounding performance
Takeaways:
• Millionaire results take a decade, not 12 months; skill, leadership capacity, and systems need time to compound.
• Emotional turbulence is normal, and every successful entrepreneur has gone through the same cycles.
• Resilience beats talent, those who stay in the field longest win.
• Daily discipline builds credibility, especially when clients and teams watch how consistently you show up.
• Vision outperforms goals, because the long-game mission sustains behaviour when motivation fades.
• Entrepreneurs who win adapt, evolve, and keep moving through economic and strategic shifts.
• The breakthrough happens deep in the decade, not during the first few years.
Chapters:
00:01 – Why most founders misunderstand the millionaire timeline
04:10 – The decade-long reality behind business success and business coaching
06:45 – The emotional cycles, resilience, and staying in the long game
08:14 – The truth about setbacks and why they’re a sign of progress
09:00 – Showing up daily: discipline, consistency, and real founder behaviour
14:40 – Social media reality vs. the long-game performance model
18:55 – Why vision outperforms goals for long-term business growth
23:30 – The 10-year path to millionaire status and compounding success
27:10 – Final insight: the entrepreneurs who win are the ones who stay in the game
Keywords:
business coaching
business mentor
business mentoring
leadership development
international business coaching
CEO coaching
entrepreneurship coaching
scale your business
business growth strategy
organisational behaviour
global business mentoring platform
executive coaching
MentorBusiness.com
Lewis Haydon
founder coaching
entrepreneur mindset
millionaire timeline
long-game business strategy
resilience for entrepreneurs
global business coach
business mentoring for founders
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder trying to build a business that actually scales without burning you out, this episode is essential listening and the framework inside is also part of what we teach at MentorBusiness.com.
Dr. Lewis Haydon, a trusted business coach and mentor to growth-focused founders, breaks down how to build personal core values that actually drive your decisions, your leadership, and your business results.
This isn’t corporate fluff. This is raw truth, lived experience, and a practical framework any founder can apply today.
Inside, Lewis shows you how to look back at the key decisions, wins and painful moments, that shaped who you are, and how to turn those into a clear set of values you can actually use in the business.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re second-guessing everything, chasing shiny objects, or making decisions from pressure instead of clarity, this episode will hit hard.
You’ll learn how to identify the trigger points that shaped your behaviours, how to align your team with the right values, and how to build a business where actions match intentions.
Takeaways:
• Why most founders misunderstand core values and build corporate buzzword lists instead of real drivers
• How your proudest and most painful decisions reveal your true values
• The connection between decision-making, behaviour change, and long-term business outcomes
• How to align your company vision with your personal values without forcing a generic mission statement
• Why values stop shiny-object syndrome and help every team member stay in the right seat
• How self-awareness not frameworks, gurus, or templates, is the real unlock
Chapters:
00:00 – Why core values matter more than any business tactic
04:15 – Looking at your life like a film reel to find defining decisions
09:42 – Trigger points and the psychology behind behaviour change
16:20 – Pain, vision, and why they drive founders differently
21:55 – How personal values shape leadership and business direction
27:33 – Journaling and identifying recurring patterns
33:12 – Why corporate buzzwords kill real culture
38:05 – Aligning team, vision, and values without becoming “Silicon Valley”
45:40 – The hard truth about building values that actually guide decisions
Keywords (SEO):
core values for entrepreneurs, leadership development, CEO mindset, scaling a business, founder identity, business growth, decision making for CEOs, company culture, how to build core values, entrepreneur self-awareness, team alignment, business coaching, scaling without burnout
Share + Review:
If this hit home, share it with one founder who needs it today. Then leave a review and DM me once you have so I can shout you out on the show.
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder who keeps second-guessing decisions and stalling growth, this episode is essential listening. MentorBusiness.com is at the heart of this conversation because your values drive every high-stakes move you make.
Lewis Haydon breaks down why hesitation isn’t a strategy problem, it’s a values problem. He shares the four personal values that now anchor every hire, bet, and investment he makes and shows you how to define yours so decision-making stops feeling heavy and starts moving fast. This isn’t theory. It’s the raw, boardroom-level operating system top founders use to choose the right people, say no quicker, and scale with conviction.
You’ll hear exactly what a values-driven decision framework looks like in practice, from filtering investors and clients to protecting culture, pace, and standards. You’ll learn how to codify your values, test them under pressure, and use them to create speed without sacrificing integrity.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – Why you’re second-guessing: it’s not strategy, it’s values
03:18 – Personal vs. business values; culture built on purpose
06:42 – Hiring/investment through a values filter; dashboards vs. people
09:55 – Why MentorBusiness.com exists and how it aligns to the mission
12:10 – Core Value #1: Family (past, future, present)
14:45 – Mid-episode share + support break
15:31 – Core Value #3: Fun (energy as a decision criterion)
18:20 – Core Value #4: Prove It (walk the talk, current results > past stories)
24:12 – Habits and standards: 4 a.m. club, protecting the gate of your mind
29:08 – Coaching ethos, client fit, and making hard calls quickly
33:40 – Space-shot vision: using values to stretch the team’s imagination
37:15 – Urgency under pressure: assembling the right experts fast
41:02 – Final truth: anchor to values, then move, speed compounds
Keywords:
founder core values, entrepreneurial decision-making, leadership clarity, culture vs strategy, hiring for values, investment filter, founder burnout, scaling from operator to CEO, fast decisions, prove it mindset, personal values in business, building high-ownership teams, strategic focus, CEO operating system, MentorBusiness.com
Share + Review:
If this hit home, share it with one founder who needs it today. Then leave a review and DM me once you have so I can shout you out on the show.
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner wondering, why your bank account doesn’t reflect all the hard work you’re putting in, this episode is essential listening.
Dr. Lewis Haydon, entrepreneur mentor and founder of multiple businesses, breaks down the brutal truth behind why your business isn’t paying you what you want, and what to do about it. This isn’t about working harder or selling more; it’s about understanding the language of business and taking control of the numbers that determine your financial future.
You’ll learn exactly how to see the real story behind your cashflow, profits, and take-home pay and why “not knowing your numbers” is the fastest way to stay stuck, stressed, and broke.
Takeaways:
Spot when your business is actually sinking (and when to call it)
Use your P&L as your “crystal ball” for future profit and cashflow
Forecast your next 30, 60, and 90 days so you can sleep easier at night
Build a financial boardroom that includes the right accountant, tax director, and financial advisor
Identify the key levers that control how much you get paid from marketing and sales to operations and forecasting
Avoid the trap of treating your business like a personal bank account
This is raw, unfiltered truth for founders who are tired of spinning their wheels. If your business isn’t paying you what you deserve this episode will show you exactly why.
Chapters:
00:00 – The painful truth: why your business isn’t paying you03:15 – The first red flag: working harder but earning less06:40 – The language of business: knowing your numbers10:10 – The accountant trap and bad financial advice12:20 – Forecasting: the real “crystal ball” in business16:40 – Building your financial boardroom20:10 – The sales and marketing levers that change your profit24:30 – Treating your business like a real company (not a piggy bank)28:00 – Final truth: it’s not about working more, it’s about knowing more
Keywords:
entrepreneur finance, business profit, why my business isn’t making money, cashflow forecasting, P&L for business owners, scaling a small business, how to pay yourself, business coaching, MentorBusiness.com, Lewis Haydon podcast
Mentions:
Many of the experts and fractional CFOs mentioned in this episode can be found on MentorBusiness.com — the platform built to connect you with mentors, financial directors, and business experts who actually get it.
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
MentorBusiness.com helps business owners and entrepreneurs learn how to scale multiple companies without burning out. In this episode of The CEO’s Boardroom Table, Dr. Lewis Haydon reveals the exact framework he uses to run 10 successful businesses without chaos, stress, or 100-hour weeks.
This is a raw, no-fluff look at how to grow beyond being the operator and start leading like a true CEO. Lewis breaks down the proven structure behind his portfolio of companies and explains how founders can apply the same principles to multiply their income, impact, and freedom.
You’ll discover why most business owners stay stuck inside one company while Lewis uses an ecosystem approach to create stability, scalability, and leverage. He covers his Vision → Plan → Systems → People → Leadership model in detail, showing you exactly how to build businesses that run and grow without your constant involvement.
He also dismantles the myth of “work–life balance,” explains how to diversify your income through connected businesses, and shares the mindset that allows him to stay focused, disciplined, and calm—even when leading ten companies at once.
Takeaways:
The truth about how to run multiple businesses successfully
Why diversification protects your cash flow and mental health
How to build an ecosystem of companies that feed and support each other
The Vision → Plan → Systems → People → Leadership framework
How to create systems before scaling your team
The mindset shift every founder needs to move from operator to CEO
Why leadership and accountability are non-negotiable for long-term growth
The real reason “work–life balance” holds entrepreneurs back
Chapters:
00:00 – Why people doubt you can run 10 businesses
05:42 – Diversification vs. diluting your offer
12:10 – Building an ecosystem of connected companies
18:33 – Why MentorBusiness.com was created
23:55 – The billion-dollar vision mindset
31:20 – Plan × Execution: what actually drives success
36:48 – Building systems that scale beyond you
43:05 – Finding and growing great people
48:22 – Leadership, accountability, and showing up
53:40 – Why “work–life balance” keeps you small
58:05 – The challenge: who’s at your boardroom table?
Keywords (SEO):
how to run multiple businesses, running 10 businesses, how to scale as a CEO, business ecosystem strategy, scaling from operator to CEO, entrepreneur burnout prevention, business diversification, leadership and accountability, systems and processes for entrepreneurs, build a business that runs without you, MentorBusiness.com, business mentoring UK, founder leadership mindset, business growth strategy, CEO boardroom table podcast
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, founder, or coach trying to grow without burning cash, MentorBusiness.com is where we break it down without the fluff, today’s episode shows you how a clear ICP (Ideal Client Profile) turns scattered marketing into qualified pipeline fast.
Lewis Haydon sits down with James Willis (LinkedIn specialist) and Lalit Nag (video & content strategist) to hammer the one principle that makes every channel; content, DMs, ads, or cold calls actually work. This isn’t theory. It’s the operating system behind campaigns that convert and clients you actually want to keep.
You’ll hear hard won lessons on narrowing your buyer, grading clients, cutting toxic engagements, and building messages that trigger “that’s me” in seconds.
Takeaways:
ICP is the foundation: Without it, great content and outreach still miss. With it, everything compounds.
Depth over demographics: Go beyond industry/title. Map pain, language, and why-now to write copy that lands.
Mine your last 10 clients: Rank by profitability, ease of work, outcomes build your ICP from the winners.
Right door, right conversation: Cold calls don’t feel “pushy” when you’re speaking to the exact right person.
Two audiences, two messages: Don’t pitch 9–5 aspiring mentors and established coaches with the same hook.
Grade and prune clients: A/B/C/D tiers; move B/C up, refer Ds away. Protect margins and team morale.
Content that connects: Raw story + clear ICP beats generic polished content every time.
Process first, channels second: Systemise journey, objections, and messaging then pour into ads, DMs, or video.
Chapters:
00:01 – Lewis: resets, rejection, and the universal principle founders miss02:32 – James: ICP = the foundation (footings) of all lead gen03:57 – The “megaphone to a million” ad lesson (why generic dies)05:28 – Lalit: using ICP to plan content and pick a winning niche06:31 – Speaking to the 2%: a public speaking lesson applied to ICP08:00 – Where to start: James’ “last 10 clients” scoring exercise09:25 – Cold calling isn’t pushy, you’re just pushing the wrong door10:58 – Yes, it’s still a numbers game (with skills)11:56 – Lalit’s editor lens: raw footage, storytelling, and intent13:56 – Two ICPs for MentorBusiness.com (9–5 upskillers vs pro coaches)17:49 – Step one: joy + value alignment (doing work you want to do)18:53 – Lalit on toxic clients, boundaries, and trust23:04 – Grade your clients; protect margin and energy24:28 – Network > guessing: how the platform accelerates results28:33 – Coach vs specialists: build your boardroom of experts31:10 – Wrap: apply ICP now, then choose the channel
Keywords:
Ideal Client Profile, ICP, client grading, LinkedIn lead generation, content strategy, outbound vs inbound, sales objections, cold calling, social media video, storytelling, B2B marketing, client profitability, buyer pain points, messaging frameworks, founder burnout, niche selection, Meta ads, buyer persona, lead qualification, boardroom debate
Watch more episodes at: https://lewishaydon.com/podcasts/
If you’re a business owner trying to figure out where to invest your marketing budget—this episode is for you. Lewis Haydon founder of MentorBusiness.com sits down with mentors and LinkedIn Lead Gen Marketing Expert James Willis and Video Marketer Lalit Nag to dissect what’s actually working in 2025: inbound or outbound.
This isn’t about theory or hype. It’s about what drives real engagement, qualified leads, and long-term growth for your business. From AI automation and storytelling to social media and client profiling—you’ll learn what’s changing and how to adapt before you get left behind.
They unpack how to leverage content creation and relationship-building to outperform outdated lead generation tactics—and why understanding your ideal client profile is the most powerful marketing move you can make this year.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – Navigating Marketing Strategies in 2025
01:28 – The Power of Social Media Engagement
04:42 – Balancing Old School and New School Techniques
08:23 – Inbound vs. Outbound Lead Generation
10:13 – The Importance of Authentic Content
15:31 – Creating Engaging and Thought-Provoking Content
19:07 – Defining Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP)
Keywords:
marketing strategies, social media, content creation, lead generation, inbound marketing, outbound marketing, ideal client profile, AI automation, storytelling, engagement
Watch more episodes at: https://lewishaydon.com/podcasts/
If you’re a business owner or creative founder stuck at $5K months and ready to scale MentorBusiness.com is where clarity meets execution. In this episode, Lewis Haydon mentors a fast-growing entrepreneur through the exact mindset and pricing shifts needed to jump from $5K to $20K/month without adding chaos.
A raw, founder-to-founder mentoring session that dismantles the “more clients, bigger team” myth and reframes growth around value, reputation, and leverage. No hype. Just real business truth from the boardroom.
Lewis Haydon sits down with Lalit Kumar Nag (Nag Lakshmi Productions Pvt. Ltd.) to turn his freelance operation into a high-ticket creative agency by focusing on pricing, positioning, and time ownership.
We get specific on:
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:01 – What’s the real difference between coaching and mentoring?
00:37 – Lalit’s current reality: 4-person creative team at ~$5K/month
01:14 – Setting the target: $20K/month (12–24 month window)
02:41 – What a $20K business actually looks like (and what it doesn’t)
03:35 – “Why not now?” Removing excuses and resource myths
04:12 – Learning vs scaling: the trade-off founders must face
04:41 – More clients = more time? Only if you stay in low-value delivery
05:53 – Talent, trust, and the startup comp challenge
06:01 – The blunt question: why not charge 4x?
07:08 – Two $10K retainers vs twenty $1K clients
07:41 – Reputation and referrals: the real currency
08:40 – Pricing to ROI: the 10x rule of thumb
09:27 – Guidance over guessing: finding high-value clients on purpose
10:14 – When you actually do need a bigger team (and when you don’t)
11:04 – Beware advice from people selling courses, not results
12:06 – Laser focus: high-profile clients as the only goal
13:42 – Your calendar is your strategy: time audit and reallocation
15:23 – Ladder on the right wall: plan your week, protect the blocks
16:47 – Why $20K? Freedom, energy, and doing the hard things now
18:16 – Final reset: you’re doing the work, point it at the right target
Keywords:
coaching vs mentoring, high-ticket clients, creative agency scaling, retainer pricing strategy, service business growth, founder time management, personal brand for founders, ROI-driven marketing, client acquisition strategy, entrepreneur mentorship
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner or founder trying to break out of the freelancer trap and scale with confidence, this episode is essential listening. MentorBusiness.com features in this real coaching session as Lewis Haydon works with Lalit Kumar Nag, a 23-year-old creative founder turning a solo editing hustle into a scalable marketing brand.
Lewis Haydon, a trusted business coach and mentor to growth-focused founders, is joined by Lalit to unpack what actually moves a service business forward. This is not theory, this is boardroom-level coaching you can apply today.
They get crystal clear on the root constraint (time), identify the keystone metric (income), and map the fastest path to win hire reliable talent to free founder hours for sales, relationships, and systems, so client retention, new client acquisition, and team expansion all accelerate.
You’ll hear exactly how to convert vague goals into SMART targets, reposition from “editor” to “marketing outcomes,” and build the communication cadence high-ticket clients actually pay for.
Takeaways:
The root goal that unlocks everything: income, because income funds talent, systems, and scale.
Turn broad aims into SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) so progress is undeniable.
Hiring isn’t optional: reliable talent gives the founder back time for selling, networking, and building process.
Client retention = daily communication, clear expectations, and consistent delivery, especially at higher price points.
Replace “more work” with “more value”: move from editing tasks to marketing outcomes clients can measure.
Networking beats platforms: get in the right rooms to find both A-players and high-value clients.
Passive income myths: in service businesses, “passive” means leveraged—via team, systems, and packages.
One step forward: build a clear, detailed roadmap, then follow it relentlessly.
Chapters:
00:01 – Why coaching vs mentoring? What this episode covers
00:32 – Lalit’s story: from student to freelancer to founder
04:27 – Finding the real drivers: money, mastery, and client growth
08:34 – 5-year vision and the 30-age milestone
11:20 – Turning goals into SMART goals (and why it matters)
13:50 – The “one big goal” that makes other goals happen
15:47 – Mid-episode note: supporting the show & why it matters
16:34 – High-ticket clients, margins, and the systems you need
20:01 – Self-score reality check (7/10) and the constraint
20:21 – The bottleneck: hiring reliable, professional talent
24:26 – Freeing founder time to pursue higher-value work
25:52 – The networking gap: finding clients and A-players
29:55 – If time was solved: what to do first
32:08 – Final question: your next step today
34:49 – The answer: build the roadmap that saves time and scales results
Keywords:
coaching vs mentoring, SME growth, creative agency scaling, video editing business, marketing outcomes, SMART goals for founders, hire reliable talent, building a team in India, client retention strategies, high-ticket clients, founder time management, communication cadence, networking for service businesses, passive income myths, roadmap to scale, freelancer to CEO, systems and processes, boardroom coaching, Lewis Haydon podcast
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you're a founder who keeps “meaning to look at the numbers,” MentorBusiness.com and this episode will snap you out of it fast. You’ll hear a blunt, in the trench's conversation with accountant entrepreneur John Charman where we pressure test the classic excuses, expose why statutory accounts are useless for day-to-day decisions, and lay out the few metrics that actually move profit.
Lewis Haydon, a trusted business coach and mentor to growth focused founders, sits down with John to break down the difference between real-time management accounts and year end compliance, how to build a simple finance dashboard that guides action, and why ownership not your accountant determines whether you scale or stall. This is raw truth and proven strategy you can use today.
They cover exactly what building financial clarity looks like in practice, from setting breakeven, to choosing accounting software the right way (without annoying your accountant), to knowing when to add a financial controller or fractional CFO.
Takeaways:
Stop waiting for year end: monthly/quarterly management accounts are your operating system.
Know your breakeven: cover fixed overheads first, then scale with intention.
Build a simple dashboard: revenue, gross margin, overheads, net profit, cash, WIP/stock, AR aging.
Use software to gain speed: real-time reporting and automated credit control beat spreadsheets.
Roles that scale with you: accountant (compliance), FC (controls), fractional CFO (forward-looking decisions).
Accountability is the moat: the owner sets pricing, cost controls, hiring cadence and the culture of clarity.
Chapters:
00:00 – Cold open: Accountant vs. entrepreneur mindset
01:23 – Why founders bury their heads in the finances
04:20 – “I’m working harder, why isn’t profit up?”
05:45 – Statutory vs. management accounts (and why one is too late)
09:39 – Break-even explained (and how to calculate it simply)
15:48 – When to bring in a Financial Controller or fractional CFO
20:01 – Quick wins: ditching spreadsheets, choosing software (without upsetting your accountant)
22:55 – Efficiency = more dividends: automations that free cash
24:05 – Valuation, lending, and why clean accounts = options
27:50 – Work in progress & stock: the silent profit killers
31:30 – Using a coach like a “logic-only” business partner
33:31 – Why coaching continues even when you’re winning
34:06 – Closing thoughts
Keywords:
management accounts, breakeven, financial dashboard, work in progress, WIP, accounting software, QuickBooks vs Xero, financial controller, fractional CFO, cash flow, AR aging, profit margin, scaling a service business, founder mindset, SME finance, entrepreneurship
Find out more or enquire about working with John Charman
or lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder who’s scaling but still “flying blind” with your finances, this episode is essential listening. MentorBusiness.com features heavily in this conversation because we get practical about knowing your numbers, not just filing them.
Lewis Haydon sits down with John Charman, an accountant turned entrepreneur, to expose the financial blind spots that stall good companies: cash flow crunches during growth, VAT shocks, thin margins masked by rising revenue, and the “rear-view mirror” problem of waiting on annual or quarterly accounts. This is not theory, it’s from the trenches, with simple explanations (like what a balance sheet actually tells you) and a CEO-level dashboard you can implement now.
They break down how to build a weekly financial rhythm, which numbers must live on your dashboard, and how to forecast so you sleep at night, because most businesses don’t fail for lack of sales; they fail for lack of cash.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:02 – Cold open: “Most founders are flying blind”
01:46 – Meet John Charman: from chartered accountant to entrepreneur
03:11 – The moment you realise “I can do this better”
04:09 – Leaping with a newborn on the way: pressure and commitment
05:33 – What really drives a founder (beyond money)
07:20 – Redefining success: happiness, team, and culture
10:47 – Why culture amplifies client results
11:23 – The biggest financial blind spots John sees
12:47 – Software shift: Xero/QuickBooks vs. rear-view accounting
14:20 – Two extremes: bank-balance CEOs vs. obsessive detailers
16:11 – VAT shocks and why “busy” can still be broke
19:26 – The help gap: advice, bookkeeping, and accountability
20:11 – Balance sheet explained in human language
22:23 – Dashboards and leading indicators (from marketing to LTV/CAC)
24:48 – Cash flow is king: why growth starves your bank account
26:19 – The scaling cash gap + 60-day terms reality (construction example)
27:40 – Case study: the agency owner who can see 8 weeks ahead
Keywords:
knowing your numbers, cash flow forecast, profit margin, break-even analysis, client profitability, CAC vs LTV, scaling cash gap, working capital, balance sheet explained, Xero, QuickBooks, VAT planning, SME finance, founder metrics, entrepreneur accounting, CEO dashboard, financial discipline, small business finance UK, John Charman, Lewis Haydon podcast
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder looking to scale smarter, MentorBusiness.com is where growth-focused leaders go for clarity. And in this episode, we’re breaking down one of the most powerful tools you need to stop guessing and start leading with confidence, how to build a KPI dashboard that actually drives performance.
Lewis Haydon, trusted business coach and mentor to overwhelmed founders, reveals why most business owners track the wrong numbers and how to fix it. This isn’t about waiting on accountants to tell you what happened last quarter, it’s about building a KPI dashboard that shows you where your business is heading, so you can make better decisions today.
You’ll learn why most business owners get lost in the wrong numbers, and the simple process to strip it back to the KPIs that actually move the needle. No theory, just a practical breakdown you can implement immediately.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – The real problem with how most business owners tracks numbers
02:00 – Why accountants can’t give you the clarity you need
04:00 – Defining the “needle” and what really matters
06:30 – Outputs vs. inputs and how to track the right ones
09:00 – Why fewer KPIs = more clarity
12:00 – Making KPIs measurable and time-bound
15:00 – Building a visual dashboard that works
17:00 – Reviewing, accountability, and keeping it simple
Keywords (SEO):
KPI dashboard, how to build a KPI dashboard, business KPIs, performance dashboard, business metrics, scaling a business, entrepreneur KPIs, financial dashboard, business growth tools, leadership KPIs, small business tracking, business performance measurement
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a founder or business owner frustrated that your team isn’t delivering at the level you need, MentorBusiness.com is where many leaders turn for guidance. But before you blame your team, you need to hear this episode.
Lewis Haydon breaks down why your team’s performance isn’t just about them, it’s about you as the leader. Most entrepreneurs think they’re hiring “A-players only,” but the truth is A, B, C, and even D players exist in every company. The key is knowing how to structure clarity, accountability, and coaching so that your people can actually perform at their best.
This is not HR theory or fluffy leadership talk. This is the raw truth of how to build a team that steps up, delivers results, and grows with your business.
You’ll learn exactly how to define what “great” looks like, set win-win agreements with your people, and create an environment where A-players thrive and where B and C players either level up or move out.
Takeaways:
Why “just hiring A-players” is a myth (and what to do instead)
How to use clarity and accountability as performance multipliers
The role of environment and state in influencing your team’s output
Why dashboards and simple KPIs matter more than flashy tools
The difference between being a mentor vs being a coach to your team
How to have candid, feed-forward conversations that unlock growth
Chapters:
00:00 – Why your team isn’t performing (and why it’s on you)06:45 – A, B, C, D players explained (and what to do with them)13:10 – The power of clarity and defining what “great” looks like18:32 – Accountability, dashboards, and back-to-basics systems24:55 – Becoming a coach, not just a manager or mentor30:41 – Honest conversations and the emotional side of leadership37:20 – The hard truth: performance starts with you
Keywords:
team performance, leadership coaching, A players vs B players, accountability in business, scaling teams, entrepreneur leadership, founder struggles, managing people, improving team results, business growth strategy
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder trapped in time for money MentorBusiness.com is in this episode from the first sentence because this is exactly where experts get stuck. Most founders don’t realise they’re building a glass prison: clients only want you, your team never becomes the product, and scale stalls.
Lewis Haydon, a trusted business coach and mentor to growth focused founders, breaks down the Expert Trap and shows how to replace “you as the product” with systems, assets, and team-owned outcomes. This isn’t about hype or theory; it’s raw truth and practical moves you can deploy immediately.
You’ll learn exactly how the trap forms, why referrals can become a ceiling, how to price and structure leverage, and how to transition from operator to architect without blowing up cash flow or your calendar.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – What is the Expert Trap (and why “being needed” becomes a ceiling)
05:12 – How it forms: reputation, referrals, and clients demanding you
11:08 – The glass prison symptoms: burnout, capacity limits, fragile revenue
16:45 – Pricing tiers and the risk of key-person dependency
22:30 – Using earned income to buy leverage (systems, assets, recurring)
28:40 – People, culture, and retention: keeping A-players without handcuffs
34:10 – Check the wall: designing a sellable, scalable model
39:26 – Hard truth: if clients only value you, you own a job, not a business
Keywords:
expert trap, time for money, founder bottleneck, scaling a service business, leverage vs hours, recurring revenue model, delegation and ownership, building systems and IP, key person risk, selling a business multiplier, entrepreneur burnout, business coach for founders, team-owned delivery
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re chasing “multiple streams of income,” mentorbusiness.com is where we show founders the smarter path—build one high-value stream from the skill you already get paid for, before gambling on random side hustles.
Lewis Haydon breaks down why most side hustles fail (no leverage, no advantage, too many variables) and how to turn your current craft into a second income, without quitting your day job. This isn’t theory or guru fluff. It’s trench tested steps: master your skill at work (your dojo), package the value, then monetize by mentoring, coaching, or project work, so you control the variables and the upside.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – Cold open: Why side hustles keep most people broke
01:10 – Shoutout & example: real operators vs. great marketers
03:30 – The YouTube/Instagram trap: attention ≠ expertise
06:30 – Skill-first path: use your day job as the dojo
09:30 – The marketing gap: why real experts stay unseen
12:30 – Evidence over hype: crypto/house-flip/course caveats
16:30 – What “expert” really means: lived experience now
20:40 – Mid-roll: why we share the show
21:27 – Your skill is your edge + the vehicle to monetize it
24:00 – Packaging knowledge: offers, curriculum, confidence
27:30 – “Brown noise” story: bespoke tweaks beat generic systems
30:00 – Fractional finance example: margins, accountability, dividends
34:00 – The 3-phase bridge to a second income
37:00 – Final takeaway: one great stream > ten weak ones
Keywords:
multiple streams of income myth, side hustle vs career leverage, monetize your skills, mentoring for professionals, evidence-based business growth, control the variables, packaging expertise, curriculum design for experts, founder time leverage, mentoring vs courses, fractional CFO example, ROI of development, entrepreneur career strategy, MentorBusiness.com
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner debating your next hire, mentorbusiness.com is where we help founders choose the right path without burning cash on the wrong one. This episode breaks down when to employ, when to outsource, when to use freelancers, and where AI actually fits, so you can scale with margins intact, not hope.
Lewis Haydon, a trusted business coach and mentor to growth-focused founders, sits down with Ketan Gajjar (Founder & Director, RPO Arena) to expose the true costs, hidden risks, and smarter alternatives to hiring too early. This is not theory; just straight talk, real numbers, and a practical decision framework you can use today.
They dig into the trade-offs between in-house vs offshore, how to protect quality and control, why most owners misread “cheap talent,” and how to combine people + AI to unlock capacity without bloating payroll.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – Cold open: why hiring too early slows you down
00:51 – Guest intro: who is Ketan Gajjar (RPO Arena)
03:05 – The real cost of employment & a decision framework
06:26 – Solo to small team: scenarios across growth stages
09:25 – Owner leverage: free your calendar, increase output
12:11 – From “I must do it” to scalable capacity
15:10 – Consistency, capacity, and the 40-hour reality
18:12 – UK rules, margins, and hiring risk
19:56 – Three reasons UK firms outsource now
22:30 – Management matters: KPIs, huddles, accountability
25:34 – The dedicated model vs “just a VA”
26:21 – Why Ketan built a managed outsourcing operation
27:43 – Case study: 12x ROI in four months
30:22 – Flexibility in feast-or-famine markets
33:06 – Where AI helps (and where it doesn’t)
35:31 – Human + AI: real workflows that work
37:57 – Objections to India outsourcing, what’s really broken
40:29 – It wasn’t the people; it was the script
42:34 – Rethinking “sales” and outdated mental models
44:26 – Wrap-up and next steps
Keywords:
small business hiring, outsource vs employ, freelancer's vs employees, virtual teams UK, offshore talent India, RPO Arena, managed outsourcing, cost of hiring UK, AI in operations, content operations, lead generation systems, CRM cleanup, process and KPIs, scaling a service business, founder time leverage
Connect with Ketan Gajjar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ketangajjar/
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with skills that actually move the needle, this launch episode is essential listening.
Lewis Haydon unveils MentorBusiness.com: a “Netflix for business mentoring” and an “Uber for coaches,” built to connect founders and teams with proven mentors on demand. You’ll hear why this platform exists, how it helps real operators monetize their experience, and how the affiliate system lets ambassadors earn genuine passive income by spreading access to world class mentoring. This is about unlocking wealth by unlocking knowledge, faster results for businesses, real income for mentors, and a fairer marketplace for everyone.
Quick ask: If this episode helps you, share it with a founder and leave a review. DM Lewis after you do for a personal shoutout on the show.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – Cold open: the untapped wealth most people ignore
01:45 – Why MentorBusiness.com: fixing the broken coaching/education market
05:20 – The problem: noise, gurus, and overpaying for generic training
08:30 – The solution: Netflix for mentoring + Uber for coaches
10:11 – Vision break: helping more businesses and teams win
10:57 – How it works: direct connections, fast outcomes, fair pricing
14:30 – The affiliate advantage: sharing profits, real passive income
19:10 – Who should mentor: operators, managers, sales pros, finance, admin, more
24:40 – Use cases for SMEs and growing teams
29:30 – Getting started and early traction (first 50 mentors offer)
33:30 – Final challenge: unlock wealth by sharing what you know
Keywords:
business mentoring, business coaching, mentor marketplace, online business mentor, executive coaching, leadership mentoring, sales coaching, startup coaching, SME growth, on-demand mentoring, Netflix for mentoring, Uber for coaches, monetize your skills, passive income affiliate program, ambassador program, entrepreneurship, founder support, team training, professional mentoring platform
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or founder wrestling with the promise of a “business that runs without you,” this episode is essential listening.
Lewis Haydon, owner of eight businesses (with nine and ten in motion) busts the myth from the trenches. Yes, you can systemise. Yes, you can hire. But once people enter the mix; employees, customers, partners, you’re dealing with variables you cannot fully systemise drive, accountability, decision-making speed, resilience, emotional regulation, and the contagious effect of leadership energy.
This is not theory. Lewis breaks down what actually happens when you step back, why some businesses flatline without founder leadership, and how to build an organisation that can operate without you day-to-day while still requiring your leadership to grow. You’ll learn how to use leverage (people + systems) without abdicating leadership, how to spot and fix the real constraint in your company, and how to create a culture that doesn’t collapse when the next wave hits.
Whether you’re aiming for optionality, preparing for an exit, or just tired of guru promises, this episode gives you the unvarnished playbook for building a business that works, without confusing “self-operating” with “self-growing.”
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 – Can a business actually run without you?
00:02 – Credibility check: 8 businesses (9 and 10 incoming) & the real question behind “passive” companies
08:00 – Leverage: turning 24 hours into 48 via people and systems; the ecosystem effect
12:00 – Operate vs grow; why self-operating often becomes self-stagnating
18:04 – Why we share this free (and why sharing helps the mission)
18:50 – Myth summary + client stories: boredom, drift, and the cost of stepping off
24:00 – Variables you can’t systemise drive, accountability, decisions, resilience, emotional contagion
30:00 – Leadership vs absence: speed, judgment, and culture under pressure
35:00 – Practical playbook: find the constraint, fix it, then scale systems and hires
38:00 – Final hard truth: step up, don’t step off
Keywords:
business that runs without me, self-operating business, scaling a company, founder leadership, accountability in teams, systems and processes, business leverage, emotional contagion leadership, resilience at work, decision-making speed, Theory of Constraints, preparing a business for exit, culture under pressure, scaling without burnout, entrepreneur mindset, small business growth, UK entrepreneurs, managing directors, CEO leadership
Find out more at lewishaydon.com | Instagram | LinkedIn