In this game-changing episode of That Moment, host Helga Saraiva dives into the harsh reality that haunts every business leader: doubling revenue while profit barely budges. Meet Jeremy Williams, founder of Stratus Coach and exited agency owner who built and sold his B2B marketing services business for £11m, as he reveals why "turnover is vanity, profit is sanity" - and how his revolutionary Five Levers model can deliver 50% greater profitability without hiring a single new person.
When Jeremy decided to conquer his presenting fears through stand-up comedy, he discovered something unexpected: the art of being authentic under pressure translates directly to boardroom leadership. But his real breakthrough came from years of watching business owners make the same fatal mistake - throwing money at sales teams hoping to fix profitability problems, only to watch their margins shrink further.
This episode tackles the uncomfortable truth facing scaling businesses: when owners focus solely on revenue growth, they often build themselves into a corner where working twice as hard yields diminishing returns.
The Five Levers Revealed:
In an illuminating segment called "CEO Roast: Margin Madness," Helga plays the revenue-obsessed rookie CEO while Jeremy systematically dismantles every excuse with surgical precision. The result? A masterclass in why chasing bigger numbers often leads to smaller profits.
Key Insights Uncovered:
Jeremy shares his core philosophy: "Don't fight the feedback. Take the medicine and talk to someone else because it is lonely at the top." Drawing from his successful exit and years of coaching agency leaders, he reveals how embracing feedback and systematic thinking transformed his approach to business growth.
About Supo:
Supo provides people-first intelligence software for professional services firms, helping businesses maximize profit and motivate their people through powerful, AI-enabled business intelligence dashboards. By connecting over 500+ platforms and providing real-time data analysis, Supo helps firms make better data-driven decisions about their profit, projects, and people.
For more information about Supo: www.supo.co.uk
About Our Guest Jeremy Williams:
Jeremy Williams is the founder of Stratus Coach, a marketing agency coach, executive coach, and Non-Executive Director. As an exited agency owner who built and sold his B2B marketing services business for £11m, Jeremy now helps agencies with turnaround, profitability, and rapid growth. He's a faculty speaker for the FT Board Director Programme and works with leaders in business and elite football. When he's not analysing profit margins, you might find him perfecting his stand-up comedy routine.
Ready to discover why your revenue growth isn't translating to profit? This episode isn't just about business metrics - it's about the leadership transformation required to build a business that works for you, not against you.