Electrifying Growth

Edison Partners
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

There are moments in a company's growth journey that are undeniably electric. We're here to celebrate those moments and the visionaries behind them. This is Electrifying Growth–an original show from Edison Partners sharing stories to spark inspiration and accelerate growth.

  1. 22/12/2025

    Leading With Purpose When the Pressure's On with Tom Flick, Tom Flick Communications

    Leading a team through change demands the same instincts as an NFL quarterback: read the field, set direction, and earn the trust needed to move as one. On this episode of Electrifying Growth, Chris Sugden talks with Tom Flick, former NFL quarterback and President of Tom Flick Communications. Tom shares how his experience on the field shaped his views on leadership, especially the importance of clarity when people feel uncertain. He explains why resistance to change is emotional, not logical, how urgency is created through shared purpose, and why influence becomes a leader's most reliable tool in complex environments. In this episode, you'll learn: Why emotional buy-in matters more than logic when leading change How trust shapes team behavior in high-pressure environments Why influence keeps teams aligned as conditions shift Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (03:10) From NFL quarterback to leadership advisor (07:59) Talent is not enough, culture wins (09:42) Leadership vs management (14:32) Complacency and the illusion of urgency (20:30) When someone doesn't want to be on the team (25:55) The quarterback job and winning the day (28:06) Three ways to build real urgency (32:03) The leader's voice and why words matter (37:53) Culture means care and safety drives performance (42:48) A simple way to measure safety and run better meetings (46:20) What Tom would tell his younger self

    51 min

  2. 10/12/2025

    The Sales Wake-Up Call

    Are you measuring the right metrics to supercharge your sales growth in 2026? In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, breaks down the critical metrics every sales leader needs to track to fuel durable growth, whether you're raising capital, planning for an exit, or gearing up for 2026. From raising quotas without losing top talent to understanding the magic of revenue per FTE, Sugden offers actionable insights that can supercharge your sales efficiency. Learn how to fine-tune your sales and marketing spend, optimize your CAC payback period, and rethink your pricing strategy to drive real results. This episode is packed with data-driven strategies for building a high-growth, capital-efficient sales engine that can thrive in the age of AI. In this episode, you'll learn: How raising quotas can drive better results, with 26% of top performers surpassing their targets. Why a customer acquisition cost (CAC) payback period under 15 months is critical for sustainable growth. The importance of revenue per FTE, with top companies achieving 2x the revenue compared to their peers. Aligning sales and marketing budgets and fostering collaboration is key to optimizing growth. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (00:24) Why sales productivity feels chaotic at year-end (02:20) Higher quotas and what they reveal (03:55) CAC payback as a wake-up call (05:20) Pipeline coverage and go-to-market alignment (06:50) Revenue per FTE in an AI-heavy environment (08:40) What durable growth companies do differently (10:15) The problem with sales and marketing planning in silos (11:50) Pricing, experiments, and avoiding "set it and forget it." (13:40) Final guidance for 2026 planning and key metrics to watch Edison Partners 2025 Growth Index https://www.edisonpartners.com/download-2025-growth-index-0?hsCtaAttrib=190418574900

    16 min

  3. 26/11/2025

    Growth Without Shortcuts with Barry Conlon, Overhaul

    What happens when your former company becomes your biggest competitor? On this episode of Electrifying Growth, Ryan Ziegler sits down with Barry Conlon, CEO of Overhaul, for a conversation about building one of the most advanced logistics risk management platforms in the world. Barry shares his journey from founding FreightWatch to acquiring it a decade later, all while navigating the challenges of product-market fit, scaling a capital-efficient team, and earning the trust of the world's most demanding enterprise customers. From bootstrapping and board-building to executing two significant acquisitions, Barry shares the decisions that helped Overhaul move from a startup to a category leader. In this episode, you'll learn: Why control and not visibility is the true challenge in supply chain risk How to build a board that pushes you to make better decisions The role of managed services in turning tech into real customer outcomes What it takes to integrate acquisitions without breaking what works Why acting like a startup still matters at scale Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction from Chris Sugden and handoff to Ryan Ziegler (04:25) Lessons from building and selling FreightWatch (07:10) Why Overhaul took a data-agnostic approach (10:45) Building trust with enterprise customers through managed services (13:50) Why high-value, high-risk industries were the beachhead (20:30) The power of knowledge-sharing during a crisis (23:00) Inviting investors into customer conversations (25:45) The role of debt in acquiring Barry's former company (28:20) Global expansion, tech integration, and defensive strategy (31:15) Managing headcount and customer trust post-acquisition (34:00) Using M&A to expand into new adjacencies like auto (43:20) Why vulnerability is a strength for founders (48:15) Sustainable growth, healthy urgency, and blocking distractions (51:30) Final reflections on what made Overhaul's journey work

    55 min

  4. 12/11/2025

    Healthy Urgency Can't Be Rushed

    Healthy urgency can't be rushed. Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners, discusses what it really means to lead with healthy urgency - the balance between moving fast and staying focused. In this episode, he explores why constant pivots and chasing the "next big thing" often do more harm than good, how to separate meaningful feedback from noise, and why sustainable growth starts with discipline, not speed. Chris shares practical ways to build urgency that's grounded in purpose, avoid the trap of shiny objects, and make confident decisions even when pressure mounts from customers, investors, or your board. If you've ever felt torn between acting quickly and staying the course, this conversation lays out a clear, grounded framework for growing with intention, without creating chaos for your team. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "healthy urgency" is about clarity, not speed How to tell the difference between valuable feedback and distraction The hidden cost of chasing every "if only" customer request Why doing something isn't always better than doing nothing How to build focus and credibility through consistent execution Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (00:16) What healthy urgency really means (01:34) Balancing ambition, speed, and focus (03:15) The bright shiny object syndrome (04:30) How customer feedback can create confusion (06:00) When to act and when to pause (08:16) Navigating board and investor pressure (10:07) Avoiding reactionary decisions (12:13) Slowing down to go fast (14:10) Building frameworks for healthy urgency (17:29) Finding mentors and sounding boards for better decision-making

    19 min

  5. 29/10/2025

    Build Before You Raise with Krish Chopra, NPHub

    What happens when an entrepreneur leaves corporate America to tackle a critical healthcare gap? On this episode of Electrifying Growth, Chris Sugden connects with Krish Chopra, founder and CEO of NPHub, to discuss his 10-year journey from bootstrapping the company to securing a $20 million growth investment.  Krish shares how his unique path from corporate America to healthcare entrepreneur led to NPHub's success, solving one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare: clinical placements for nurse practitioners. He talks about how the company scaled by staying capital-efficient, focusing on customer experience, and building a culture of innovation. In this episode, you'll learn: The value of bootstrapping and building a business with capital efficiency The role of technology in solving clinical placement challenges Why a $20M investment is accelerating growth while staying true to core values Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (01:10) Krish's journey from corporate America to healthcare entrepreneur (04:23) The challenge of solving clinical placement gaps (07:30) Bootstrapping the business for 10 years (11:10) Building a company culture focused on customer outcomes (14:05) The impact of NPHub's $20M growth investment (17:40) How NPHub is addressing the nurse practitioner shortage (20:30) The role of technology in transforming healthcare education (24:00) Overcoming challenges in B2B and B2C models (28:15) How fast time to value is key to customer success (32:30) Lessons learned from building NPHub and advice for entrepreneurs (37:00) What's next for NPHub's growth and impact

    40 min

  6. 15/10/2025

    Investing in AI-Powered Automation with Kevin Herr, KnowledgeLake

    What shifts when a CFO becomes CEO of an enterprise SaaS company focused on automation and AI? On this episode of Electrifying Growth, Chris Sugden sits down with Kevin Herr, CEO of KnowledgeLake, following Edison Partners' recent $65 million investment. Kevin shares how his journey from founder to financial leader to chief executive is shaping the company's strategy as it scales. With a focus on value creation, Kevin discusses how KnowledgeLake is delivering measurable ROI through AI-powered document processing and what it takes to build durable growth from the inside out. He also breaks down the leadership bets he's making, how the team is aligning around customer outcomes, and why a fast time to value remains core to the company's mission. In this episode, you'll learn: Why pricing strategy needs to evolve past cost-plus How AI is unlocking new use cases for document automation What drives a 10x return on automation in enterprise environments   Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (02:20) From CFO and COO to CEO (04:14) Lessons from starting a business with family (05:23) Financial skills that strengthen a CEO's playbook (06:38) Rethinking pricing to capture customer value (09:28) KnowledgeLake's journey from services to software (11:59) What smart document processing means (14:07) How cloud and AI reshape automation (17:43) Customer expectations for AI in enterprise deals (20:38) Proving ROI with fast time to value (27:06) Leading with urgency while scaling teams

    34 min

  7. 01/10/2025

    Healthy Urgency Starts with the CEO

    Is your company scaling or just sprinting? Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners, explains the concept of "healthy urgency" and why it's a defining trait in high-growth leadership. In this episode, he reflects on lessons from Edison's recent CEO Summit and outlines how urgency can either drive disciplined execution or spiral into chaos when left unchecked. He shares the patterns he sees as companies move from startup pace to scale-up maturity, and the key distinctions between founder energy and operational excellence. If you're a CEO wondering whether your team is following your lead or just chasing chaos, Chris offers a clear lens into what sustainable leadership looks like as you grow your company. In this episode, you'll learn: Why urgency without clarity erodes culture How to recognize when pace is outpacing impact The leadership behaviors that build trust across teams Why every CEO needs to know when to speed up and when to back off Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (00:51) What defines healthy vs. unhealthy urgency (01:45) Why urgency peaks at $20M revenue (02:29) The danger of being "double-parked" (03:11) How chaos spreads across your org (03:59) Founder pace vs. professional CEO structure (05:37) Trusting the process when growth slows (06:24) Planning cycles and the power of consistency

    8 min

  8. 17/09/2025

    Re-release: Even Tiger Had a Coach with Steve Schloss

    This re-release of Electrifying Growth features host Chris Sugden from Edison Partners in a conversation with Steve Schloss, Founder of ListenForward & Edison Operating Partner. Steve's unique career path spans Fortune 500s, startups, and nonprofits, all unified by a core focus: how leaders show up and build teams that scale. With experience at Citibank, Time Inc., LivePerson, and USGA, Steve brings a rare blend of left-brain operations and right-brain people strategy. He shares what separates functional teams from transformational ones, the real value of listening as a leadership skill, and why CEOs must evolve from experts to system-level thinkers if they want to grow.  In this episode, you'll learn: What most leaders miss when designing executive teams for scale Why listening is the most underleveraged leadership capability How values, mission, and culture need to evolve as your business does What effective coaching really looks like and why it isn't therapy Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Meet Steve Schloss and his career across industries (02:16) From HR at LivePerson to transformation at USGA (10:08) What "you get the team you deserve" really means (13:58) How leaders can relaunch culture with real alignment (20:22) Coaching vs. therapy and the mindset required for growth (24:56) What leaders get wrong about development and accountability Resources: Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: Steve

    28 min
See All (63)

Trailer

About

There are moments in a company's growth journey that are undeniably electric. We're here to celebrate those moments and the visionaries behind them. This is Electrifying Growth–an original show from Edison Partners sharing stories to spark inspiration and accelerate growth.

Information

  • Creator
    Edison Partners
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Edison Partners 2022
  • Show Website
    Electrifying Growth

You Might Also Like