The Breakout CEO

Jeff Holman
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Breakout CEO podcast brings you candid conversations with scaling CEOs at leadership & strategic inflection points. Each episode is a curated interview that explores the mindset, strategy, and pivotal decisions driving breakthrough success for high-growth companies ($5MM-$50MM+). Jeff Holman is the host of The Breakout CEO podcast and the founder of Intellectual Strategies, where he works closely with CEOs and leadership teams of scaling companies on strategy, governance, and risk during periods of rapid growth. Jeff has spent years inside the decision-making rooms of growth-stage companies, helping leaders navigate moments when complexity increases, tradeoffs become unavoidable, and the cost of misalignment rises. He brings a peer-level perspective shaped by that experience, focusing conversations on the inflection points that materially change a company’s trajectory. The Breakout CEO podcast reflects his approach with candid, operator-level discussions centered on real decisions rather than retrospective storytelling or promotion. Guest Participation - We feature a limited number of CEOs leading scaling companies with meaningful, first-hand breakout moments. If you believe your story would add value for an audience of scaling CEOs, please apply here: https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/ Media & Event Partnerships - For press access, on-site recording, or event collaboration inquiries, please contact us. We record a limited number of on-site conversations at select events with CEOs and founders whose stories align with the podcast’s focus on leadership, strategy, and execution.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    23 - Why CEOs Need to Choose Calculated Risk Over Playing It Safe

    Scaling a business does not usually break because of strategy. It breaks because the CEO is carrying too much. In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Corinne Morahan, founder and CEO of Grid + Glam, to talk about burnout, boundaries, and the leadership shift that changed how she built her business. Corinne shares her journey from Wall Street to entrepreneurship, why she burned out more than once, and how getting her home organized unexpectedly reshaped the way she led. What started as a local home organization business grew into a luxury concierge move service and a multi-million dollar company serving high performing clients. They also dig into one of the most pivotal moments in Corinne’s growth as a CEO. Hiring a full-time operator, stepping out of the day to day, and learning to take calculated risks instead of trying to do everything herself. In this episode, you will hear about: Burnout and why it keeps showing up for founders Organization as a leadership skill, not a personality trait Building and pricing a high-end service business The risk and relief of stepping out of daily operations Why calculated risks matter more than bold ones If you are a CEO, founder, or business owner feeling stretched thin, this episode will help you rethink where your time, energy, and attention are actually going. Check out Corinne's work at https://www.gridandglam.com/ Say hello to Corinne! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gridandglam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gridandglam/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gridandglam/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/corinneam/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corinnemorahan/

    40 min

  2. 30/12/2025

    22 - Scaling Exposes This Leadership Weakness Every Founder Has

    Scaling doesn’t fail because of strategy, capital, or product. It fails because of a leadership weakness almost every founder carries into growth. Impatience. In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with David Sluss, Professor at ESSEC Business School and advisor to scaling CEOs, to unpack how impatience quietly undermines leadership as companies grow. David explains why the habits that help founders win early start to work against them at scale. Speed becomes pressured. Intensity becomes reactivity. And impatience erodes trust long before leaders realize it’s happening. They explore: Why growth is rarely linear and why expecting it to be creates panic How impatience blocks performance, collaboration, and creativity Why patience is not softness but a leadership multiplier The shift from transactional leadership to belonging-based relationships What it really means to “build the plane while flying it” David introduces the concept of proactive patience and shows how leaders who master it scale people, not just products. If you are leading a growing company and feel stretched between urgency and sustainability, this conversation will help you identify the leadership weakness holding scale back and how to turn it into strength. Check out David's work HERE. Say hello to David! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-m-sluss-phd/ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

    42 min

  3. 23/12/2025

    21 - The Leadership Blind Spots That Create Avoidable Problems

    In this episode of The Breakout CEO podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Leah Brown, former corporate lawyer turned mediator and founder of The WayFinders Group, to explore what really breaks inside fast-growing companies and how CEOs can address it before it slows everything down. Leah shares what she’s seen firsthand inside boardrooms and leadership teams when growth outpaces relationships; communication breaks down, and conflict goes unaddressed. Rather than focusing on legal risk or surface-level fixes, she explains why curiosity, empathy, and early intervention are some of the most underutilized leadership tools available to scaling CEOs. If you’re scaling fast and feeling friction beneath the surface, this episode will help you think differently about leadership, communication, and what it really takes to build a resilient organization. 🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear real examples, practical frameworks, and insights you can apply immediately as a scaling CEO. Check out Leah's work at https://www.thewayfindersgroup.com/. Say hello to Leah! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahtalks_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahbrown-frsa/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewayfindersgroup/

    37 min

  4. 18/12/2025

    20 - When CEOs Stop Listening: Early Warning Signs Your Business Is Scaling the Wrong Way

    In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, I sit down with Steve Smith, a veteran business coach with more than 45 years of experience in manufacturing, corporate leadership, and executive coaching. Steve breaks down what he’s learned from big companies and small companies, and why scaling smart always comes down to the same three factors: capacity, funding, and alignment. If you’ve ever felt the tension between growing fast and keeping your team, systems, and strategy intact, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Steve shares why big companies often make the same mistakes small CEOs make, what really happens when leaders stop listening to frontline employees, and how shiny-object decisions derail even the most successful founders. We also dig into Steve’s personal story, from decades in consumer manufacturing (including a stint in the casket industry), to buying into a coaching franchise during the 2008 recession, to rebuilding from scratch when that franchise collapsed. His journey is a masterclass in resilience, clarity, and long-game thinking for entrepreneurs and growth-minded CEOs. If you're a CEO navigating growth, experiencing capacity strain, or trying to decide whether your business is truly ready for its next stage, this episode will give you the strategic clarity and operational reality check you’ve been looking for. Check out Steve's work at https://www.growthsourcecoaching.com/. Say hello to Steve!  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gsccoach/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachstevejsmith/

    43 min

  5. 16/12/2025

    19 - The Unconscious CEO Habits That Are Holding Back Your Growth

    In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Dr. Noah St. John, bestselling author of Power Habits and the creator behind the Zero Friction Framework. Together, they unpack why so many CEOs hit income ceilings, stall out after early wins, and unknowingly sabotage their own growth. They discuss the concept of 'Power Habits' and how understanding the unconscious habits of successful individuals can lead to significant breakthroughs in business. Dr. St. John shares his personal journey from struggling with poverty to helping clients collectively add over $3 billion in revenue. He breaks down the mindset shifts and unconscious habits behind those breakthroughs. If you’re a scaling CEO or founder navigating pressure, growth bottlenecks, or the loneliness at the top, this episode gives you a map to your next breakout moment. Check out Dr. Noah's work at https://noahstjohn.com/. Say hello to Dr. Noah! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drnoahstjohn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noahstjohn/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahstjohn/ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/

    41 min

  6. 11/12/2025

    18 - When Survival Turns into Strategy: The Breakout Shift Every CEO Needs

    In this episode of the Breakout CEO podcast, host Jeff Holman interviews Jerry Brazie, an entrepreneur with a remarkable journey from poverty to success. Jerry shares his experiences growing up in a challenging environment, the lessons learned from his family, and the importance of accountability and responsibility in business. He emphasizes the value of community and mentorship, discussing how his involvement in peer-to-peer groups has shaped his perspective and helped him navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. Jerry also highlights the significance of cash flow, profitability, and the need to view the government as a potential obstacle for business owners. Throughout the conversation, he offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, encouraging them to focus on their strengths and seek support from others in their journey. Check out Jerry's work at https://thekronosgroup.org/. Say hello to Jerry!  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerry.brazie.2025/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrybrazie/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrybrazie/ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/podcast-guest

    1h 9m

  7. 09/12/2025

    17 - The Hidden Spiral Pattern Behind Fast-Growth Companies

    In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with Dr. Natasha Todorovic-Cowan, author of Making Change Work and expert in Spiral Dynamics, to unpack the real challenges CEOs face when leading through rapid change. Natasha shares her own story of navigating unexpected disruption early in her career and explains why adaptability, human behavior, and cognitive bias awareness are mission-critical for modern leadership. Natasha breaks down the mechanics of spiraling, how teams up-spiral into resilience or down-spiral into burnout and how CEOs can build cultures that respond faster, align better, and perform at higher levels. The conversation highlights lessons from companies like Kodak and the importance of fostering a culture that encourages growth and adaptability. If you’re a CEO leading a fast-growth SaaS, ecommerce, tech, or B2B company, this conversation gives you practical frameworks to navigate complexity with clarity, courage, and congruence. Check out Natasha's work at https://spiraldynamics.org/. Say hello to Natasha! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natasha.todorovic.92/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiraldynamics/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-natasha-todorovic-cowan-mba-a5470719/ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/podcast-guest

    40 min

  8. 04/12/2025

    16 - The CEO Advantage No One Tracks: Understanding Your People Better Than Your Competitors Do

    In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, host Jeff Holman sits down with leadership coach and former competitive chess player John Whitt to explore the powerful parallels between chess strategy and modern business leadership. John shares how his early experience competing in the U.S. Chess Championships shaped his approach to clarity, planning, and decision-making, skills he later applied throughout a successful corporate career and now teaches to scaling CEOs.  The conversation dives deep into why clarity is the “queen of business,” how to build and lead A-player teams, and why hiring mistakes are one of the biggest barriers to growth. John explains the necessity of testing ideas, evaluating risk, and implementing continuous course correction, especially for CEOs navigating rapid growth and constant change. Whether you’re a CEO, founder, or emerging leader, this episode delivers actionable insights on strategic thinking, coaching, hiring, and resilience in the face of inevitable adversity.  Check out John's work at https://businesswhitt.com/. Say hello to John!  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnwhitt1959/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businesswhitt/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjohnwhitt/  Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/podcast-guest

    41 min
See All (23)

About

The Breakout CEO podcast brings you candid conversations with scaling CEOs at leadership & strategic inflection points. Each episode is a curated interview that explores the mindset, strategy, and pivotal decisions driving breakthrough success for high-growth companies ($5MM-$50MM+). Jeff Holman is the host of The Breakout CEO podcast and the founder of Intellectual Strategies, where he works closely with CEOs and leadership teams of scaling companies on strategy, governance, and risk during periods of rapid growth. Jeff has spent years inside the decision-making rooms of growth-stage companies, helping leaders navigate moments when complexity increases, tradeoffs become unavoidable, and the cost of misalignment rises. He brings a peer-level perspective shaped by that experience, focusing conversations on the inflection points that materially change a company’s trajectory. The Breakout CEO podcast reflects his approach with candid, operator-level discussions centered on real decisions rather than retrospective storytelling or promotion. Guest Participation - We feature a limited number of CEOs leading scaling companies with meaningful, first-hand breakout moments. If you believe your story would add value for an audience of scaling CEOs, please apply here: https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/ Media & Event Partnerships - For press access, on-site recording, or event collaboration inquiries, please contact us. We record a limited number of on-site conversations at select events with CEOs and founders whose stories align with the podcast’s focus on leadership, strategy, and execution.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Holman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Intellectual Strategies
  • Show Website
    The Breakout CEO