The Impact Multiplier CEO

Richard Medcalf
The Impact Multiplier CEO

As a CEO, you’ve demonstrated your ability to solve complex problems and achieve extraordinary results. You've skills, resources and experience. But you have the potential for even greater impact and a more satisfying legacy. What will it take to multiply your positive impact - in the business, for your people, and in the world at large? Join Richard Medcalf, Founder of Xquadrant, and high-impact CEOs from some of the world’s most exciting firms - for a perspective-shifting conversation at the intersection of strategy, leadership and purpose. Welcome to the Impact Multiplier CEO podcast.

  1. 19 JUIN

    Creating 100,000 change-makers (Etienne Salborn, SINA)

    What if the solution to global poverty wasn’t more aid, but more entrepreneurs?   In this episode, Richard Medcalf speaks with Etienne Salborn, founder of the Social Innovation Academy (SINA), a transformative movement turning refugees, orphans, and disadvantaged youth into social entrepreneurs. From a single project in Uganda to 19 communities across Africa, Etienne’s work is redefining education, leadership, and impact—by creating “change-maker makers.”   In this conversation, you’ll learn:   Why the traditional aid model often fails—and how SINA’s “free responsibility” philosophy rewrites the rulesHow a traumatised youth can transform into a powerful leader of a thriving enterpriseThe radical initiation that helps people shed limiting beliefs and reclaim their agencyHow to scale leadership without centralised control—so movements grow like forests, not factoriesWhat most leaders miss about building others who can lead without you   For anyone who wants to multiply leaders and leave a legacy that lasts, this one’s essential listening.   Resources/sources mentioned: SINA: GoogleHome - SINA (Social Innovation Academy) Home - SINA (Social Innovation Academy) google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjo7qH00faNAxWXRf8BHVboMpEYABAAGgJtZA&co=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgb_CBhBMEiwA0p3oOPPTiUQV9AtdvwLnZ_CR1y4sD7HM4Q1JGYlybTmD3bzxiY9fvj3eMhoCW9IQAvD_BwE&category=acrcp_v1_48&sig=AOD64_3YDXqDRXHqkY_1juM6RVVIu7jAFw&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiGipz00faNAxUrhIkEHVbIM60Q0Qx6BAgLEAE The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/) Join the Crucible (https://xquadrant.com/crucible), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world. Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/   For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/etienne-salborn

    44 min
  2. 12 JUIN

    Hard-won truths on leading transformation (Mike Ettling, former CEO of Unit4)

    What if your biggest leadership challenge wasn’t strategy, but self-doubt?  In this episode, Richard Medcalf speaks with Mike Ettling, who recently stepped down as CEO of Unit4 after a transformative six-year tenure. Mike led the company through a complete business model overhaul—from a fragmented, on-premise software provider to a unified, cloud-first organisation. Along the way, he navigated culture shifts, private equity pressures, and the internal doubts that come with playing at the highest level. Now in his new role as a chairman and mentor to CEOs, Mike reflects on what it really takes to lead and multiply impact. In this conversation, you’ll learn:  Why hiring for hardship and failure stories beats CV credentialsHow to manage self-doubt when you're surrounded by brilliant peopleWhat really breaks a transformation (hint: it's not your product)The overlooked power of cadence, culture, and purpose in a private equity environmentWhy moving from CEO to chairman demands a radical shift in how you add value A must-listen for any leader navigating complexity—or preparing to let go and lead in a new way.   Resources/sources mentioned: Unit 4 (https://www.unit4.com/ )Mike Ettling Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeettling/ Join the Crucible (XquadrantTHE CRUCIBLE (Private Invitation, our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: Xquadrant‘Making Time For Strategy’ book, by Richard Medcalf - Xquadrant‘Making Time For Strategy’ book, by Richard Medcalf - Xquadrantxquadrant.com/time For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/mike-ettling

    42 min
  3. 5 JUIN

    Building paradigm-shifting ventures from the margins with Benjamin Rubin

    What if your boldest vision is years ahead of its time—so far ahead that the world laughs you out of the room? In this deeply personal and provocative conversation, Richard Medcalf speaks with Benjamin Rubin, serial entrepreneur and founder of both Sirenum and Insectika. Benjamin has a rare gift: creating businesses that challenge entrenched paradigms—from transforming the invisible workforce to reinventing how we feed the world. His journey is one of relentless vision, deep humanity, and surprising leadership insights. In this conversation, you’ll learn: How to lead when your vision is misunderstood—and still get your team onboardWhy a deep understanding of the problem beats brilliant solutionsA simple but radical way to create true belonging and loyalty in your teamThe hidden cost of relying on money to motivate people—and what to do insteadHow Benjamin plans to scale impact without losing himself in the process   This one’s for the visionary leaders who’ve ever felt alone with a world-changing idea. Resources/sources mentioned: The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/) Sirenum ( SirenumSirenum Staff Management Software for Agencies and Hourly Workers Sirenum Staff Management Software for Agencies and Hourly Workers sirenum.com  ) Insectika Biotech ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/insectika-biotechnologies-israel/) Join the Crucible (https://xquadrant.com/crucible), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world. Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/   For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/benjamin-rubin Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:01 Welcome to the Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast 01:44 Benjamin Rubin's Early Ventures and Challenges 02:25 The Mission and Vision of Insecta 03:22 Revolutionizing the Food System with Insect Meal 04:33 Challenges and Innovations in the Insect Meal Industry 05:36 The Importance of Understanding the Problem 06:42 Building and Leading a Visionary Team 15:05 Navigating Rejection and Persevering Through Challenges 21:16 Building High-Performing Teams with Meaning and Belonging 23:51 Questioning the Purpose of Life 24:45 Building a Team with Meaning and Belonging 25:33 Innovative Bonus Schemes and Interdependence 26:44 Finding Deep Meaning in Business 28:28 Understanding Employee Aspirations 38:05 Balancing Leadership and Personal Life 41:47 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

    44 min
  4. 28/11/2024

    Do CEOs really have (or need) a super power? with Rebecca Harrison (African Management Institute)

    Do you need to have a super power to be an effective CEO? What happens if you don't? How can you build a pan-continental business with zero experience? And how can you empower your managers to lead effectively? In this episode Richard speaks with Rebecca Harrison, who has spent the last decade building the African Management Institute (AMI), Africa’s leading provider of business and management learning, supporting 37,000 businesses in 39 African countries, impacting 1.5 million livelihoods and contributing more than $130M to the continent’s economies. In this conversation, you’ll learn: What caused Rebecca to pursue a impact business in a sector and market she had almost no experience of, and what she had to learn the hard way.Why Rebecca doesn't think she has a particular super power - what she says is important instead -- and a helpful reframe of the topic by RichardRebecca's three hard-won tips on building an effective middle management, even in a hierarchical culture sometimes where often the assumption is that "obedience" than "ownership" is required. Resources/sources mentioned: African Management Institute - https://africanmanagers.comThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/rebecca-harrison Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 05:36 How to make an impact in Africa 13:05 Align business vision with impactful purpose 16:33 How to enjoy the entrepreneurial journey 18:13 Founder CEO: Care drives progress, not brilliance 26:40 Define management expectations for cultural clarity 34:44 Monthly cash flow and team meetings checklist 38:03 Facing fear, accepting leadership to innovate forward.

    45 min
  5. 14/11/2024

    Building a global business from day 1, with Fred Plais (CEO, platform.sh) (S14E14)

    How can you build a business that is genuinely global on day one? How do you set up marketing, sales, delivery, recruitment and operations when your local market is not going to be your largest market, and where you want customers to come from anywhere? Today Richard speaks with Fred Plais, co-founder and CEO of Platform.sh, a leading, VC funded Platform-as-a-service for building, running, scaling web applications. In this conversation, you’ll learn: The critical early decisions that enabled the business to go global from day 1 Why Platform.sh limits employment to only 12 countries, despite being 100% remote The process innovations that have allowed Platform.sh to successfully operate a remote-first culture The big mistake Fred made when needing to accelerate profitability... and what happened Resources/sources mentioned: The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/) Platform.sh (https://platform.sh/) Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world. Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/fred-plais Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 06:01 Building global businesses 10:14 Finding great talents outside major hubs 13:56 The new remote work paradigm 21:58 Distributed global teams ensure 24/7 customer support. 26:52 Ensuring cultural fit, clear goals, and remote work. 31:24 In-person meetings enhance problem-solving and collaboration. 36:09 Reducing cloud app carbon emissions, efficiently. 41:29 Focus on future strategy, not micromanage tasks.

    44 min
  6. 31/10/2024

    Staying lean and agile for world-leading growth | Toms Jurjevs, CEO, Sun Finance (S14E13)

    How can you keep lean and efficient despite hyper growth? Welcome to The Impact Multiplier CEO, helping you to 10X your financials, 10X your positive impact and 10X the fun you have along the way! Today Richard Medcalf is speaking with Toms Jurjevs, Founder and CEO of Sun Finance, a 1200-person strong business that was recently recognised as the No.1 fastest-growing fintech in Europe by The Financial Times. Toms shares the story of Sun Finance's incredible growth, expanding into 12 international markets and delivering billions in loans. In this conversation, you’ll learn: How Toms minimises bureaucracy and keeps the business agileThe three interrelated elements that Tom keeps a permanent focus on, in order to manage hyper growth without bloatThe "Eagle Strategy" for avoiding micromanagement whilst staying on top of the detailsHow Toms expanded to 12 International Markets Resources/sources mentioned: Sun Finance https://sunfinance.groupThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/toms-jurjevs Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 06:30 Why you should focus on efficiency. 07:25 Spend wisely; avoid comfort and bureaucracy. 16:17 Success leads to comfort 18:34 Fear of mistakes leads to avoiding action. 20:55 Use calls and WhatsApp instead of emails. 24:59 Maximize growth potential without comfort zone complacency. 31:43 Balancing oversight and action in SunFinance operations.

    35 min
  7. 17/10/2024

    Avoiding CEOs mistakes when scaling from £0M to £15M+, with Peter Busby (Founder, Grayce) (S14E12)

    How can you avoid the common mistakes CEOs make as they scale from £0M to £15M? Today we find out. Richard speaks to Peter Busby, founder of professional services company Grayce that he scaled scaled to £15M in 7 years with 240 people. Peter shares his insights on building a successful business. We’ll explore everything from the lean startup approach and scaling challenges to maintaining growth and the critical need for self-awareness as a leader. We'll also delve into the collaborative mindset that fueled Grace’s success and the pragmatic approach Peter took in hiring, often trusting gut instincts over polished interviews. In this conversation, you’ll learn: The specific mindset you need for success as a founderThe two foundational elements - often skipped over - that are key to building a successful business.The different phases of business growth, how to succeed and what to avoid at each stage.Recruitment during scalingLeadership changes during steady growth phasesImportance of mentors and support systemsOvercoming self-doubt and comfort zonesThinking big and recognizing growth opportunities Resources/sources mentioned: The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Grayce (https://www.grayce.co.uk/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/peter-busby

    42 min
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À propos

As a CEO, you’ve demonstrated your ability to solve complex problems and achieve extraordinary results. You've skills, resources and experience. But you have the potential for even greater impact and a more satisfying legacy. What will it take to multiply your positive impact - in the business, for your people, and in the world at large? Join Richard Medcalf, Founder of Xquadrant, and high-impact CEOs from some of the world’s most exciting firms - for a perspective-shifting conversation at the intersection of strategy, leadership and purpose. Welcome to the Impact Multiplier CEO podcast.

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