In this episode of The Scaling CEO Podcast, I speak with Levi King, CEO and Chairman of Nav, about a hard truth of leadership: many problems at scale start with the CEO. We talk about self-reflection, owning mistakes, people decisions, and how leaders lose alignment when they blame others instead of looking inward. Levi also shares lessons from building multiple companies, sitting on boards, and how CEOs should think about using AI to work better without losing accountability.

In this episode of The Scaling CEO Podcast, I speak with Carver Anderson, CEO of Suggestic and former co-founder of MindBodyGreen, about the real decisions that determine whether scaling works—or quietly fails. We talk about recognizing when a strategy is no longer right, scaling teams and leadership capacity, trusting others to take ownership, selling into large regulated enterprises, and how AI can accelerate both internal operations and customer-facing outcomes.

In this episode, I talk with Mark Wald about the financial blind spots that show up as companies scale. Mark explains why growth puts pressure on cashflow before it shows results, how CEOs should think about the right metrics, and why poor visibility hides real performance issues. We also talk about the shift from founder to CEO, building systems that scale, and where AI actually helps in finance and operations without replacing human judgment.

In this episode, I talk with Mehdi Daoudi about failure, leadership, and what really matters when you’re scaling a company that can’t afford downtime. Mehdi shares a mistake that took down 5,000 ad servers and explains how the response to that failure shaped how he leads teams today. We also talk about blind spots CEOs develop as they scale, why staying close to customers and hiring matters more than ever, how quality and resilience become company-wide responsibilities, and how AI is changing operations without replacing judgment.

In this episode, I talk with Lindsey Carnett about the competitive mindset every CEO needs to scale. Lindsey shares the tough-love lessons she learned as an athlete and how they shaped her approach to beating competitors, building a stronger team, and finding blind spots in your growth strategy. We also talk about financing, data-driven marketing, and how AI is changing the way agencies operate.

In this episode, I talk with Damon Lembi about imposter syndrome and why every CEO feels it at some point. Damon walks through his four-step process for beating it, built from his years as an athlete and CEO. We also discuss delegation, building a learning culture, developing leaders at every level, and how AI is reshaping what it means to lead today.

In this episode, I talk with Jim Schleckser about one hard truth: most CEOs are the bottleneck in their own companies. Jim breaks down how to find the real constraint, why great CEOs delegate early, and how to shrink your to-do list so you can focus on what actually drives growth. We also talk about hiring, replacing yourself in key roles, and how AI is changing the work of every leader.

In this episode, I talk with Simon Goodall about why your team sees problems long before you do. Simon shares how frontline insight can transform a company, how leaders create clarity during change, and why every person in an organization is a leader. We also discuss scaling yourself as a CEO and how AI is reshaping operations and customer experience.

In this episode, I talk with Sam Hodges about what founders get wrong as they try to scale. Sam shares why many CEOs fail to grow with the company, how to shift from doing the work to building a machine that can scale, and why honest feedback is so critical. We also talk about the real impact investors have on a business and how AI is reshaping insurance and startup risk.

In this episode, I sit down with Karl Hughes to talk about what it really takes to scale a business when the playbook stops working. Karl shares why Draft.dev grew fast, why it slowed down, and the lessons he learned by going back to the basics. We talk about niching down, staying close to your customers, removing yourself from day-to-day work, and the new pressure AI is putting on every service company.

In this episode, I talk with James Hotson about why most CEOs are stuck at “automation” instead of fixing the real issue—their process. We break down the difference between logic and reasoning in AI, how agentic workflows are changing operations, why customer insight matters more than ever, and what it really takes to scale with speed, clarity, and smarter systems.

In this episode, I sit down with Davide Viola to unpack why CEOs are only as good as the information and insight they get. We dig into value stream mapping, how leaders misunderstand value creation, why discipline and calendar control matter, and how AI is changing what CEOs must see, measure, and fix to scale with clarity.

In this episode, I sit down with Omar Sahyoun, a proven operator who has scaled companies in e-commerce, retail, and technology. Omar explains why short-term thinking kills scale, and why CEOs must treat their business like real operators — focused on revenue, fundamentals, and long-term stability. We also talk about white space opportunities, building teams that follow you for years, and how to grow without burning cash.

In this episode, I sit down with Adam Lieb, a CEO who has been building companies since he was 11 years old. Adam talks about one of the hardest parts of scaling — letting people go sooner. He explains why waiting too long hurts the company, why roles that work at 15 employees don’t work at 50, and how CEOs must keep evolving as the business grows.

In this episode, I sit down with Christophe Zoghbi, the founder and CEO of ZAKA. Chris explains why scaling too fast can destroy a company, and why building the right foundation matters more than speed. We also talk about sustainable growth, the power of community, and how CEOs can use AI to stop being the bottleneck.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Philippe Bousso, CEO of Blue Dots Partners and author of Aligning the Dots. Philippe explains why alignment is the real driver of growth and why most companies slow down when they lose that alignment. He breaks down how to match what you offer with what customers truly want, how to create real delight, and why CEOs must fix internal and board alignment if they want to scale from 10 million to 100 million and beyond. This is a clear and practical conversation about understanding your market, removing confusion inside the company, and leading with more clarity and focus.

In this episode, I talk with Kiran Mann, CEO of Brar’s and founder of M2M Business Solutions. Kiran explains why burnout has little to do with long hours and everything to do with ignoring your own signals. She talks about the power of pausing, the importance of clarity at the top of an organization, and how her Harmonic System helps leaders create fulfillment and growth at the same time. We also talk about workplace culture, handling pressure across the company, and how AI can support humans rather than replace them. This is a calm and honest conversation about leading with balance, clarity, and self awareness.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Karla Johnson, CEO of the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School. Karla shares how her view of leadership changed completely over 30 years — from trying to do everything herself to realizing that true leadership is about what you get done through your team. We also talk about building trust, scaling education with technology, and preparing the next generation of leaders to think differently.

In this episode, I talk with Fran Brzyski, the CEO and co-founder of Hark, a feedback intelligence platform that turns customer stories into business insight. Fran shares why believing in yourself (even when it feels a little crazy) is what it really takes to build something great. We also talk about scaling empathy with AI, trusting your gut as a founder, and learning how to scale yourself before scaling your company.

In this episode, I sit down with Alex Shevelenko, CEO and co-founder of Relayto AI, to explore how AI is redefining the way we share ideas. Alex explains why information alone doesn’t move people — and how static documents like PDFs and slides are holding companies back. He shares his lessons from scaling SuccessFactors to a $3.4B exit and why every business must design intelligent, interactive content that drives real action.