The Growth Diary

Scailr
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Entrepreneurship

Keith Atkinson is an entrepreneur and growth partner, working across business strategy, technology, and automation. He is the founder of Scailr, an AI and automation agency helping growth-focused businesses remove bottlenecks, improve marketing performance, and scale more efficiently. Before business, Keith was an international athlete in windsurfing and a BBC award winner, (15x British Champion / 4th World Ranking/ 2x Vice World Champion) ... experiences that shaped his approach to discipline, resilience, and performance under pressure. He created The Growth Diary to share the unfiltered pages of real growth journeys, conversations with founders, operators, and business owners navigating ambition, uncertainty, pressure, and progress in real time. Each episode explores what it actually takes to grow a business: the decisions behind the scenes, the mistakes, the lessons learned the hard way, and the thinking that shapes long-term success. The Growth Diary is not about polished success stories. It’s about clarity, perspective, and learning in public. This is your corner of the internet to think openly, build intentionally, and understand growth from the inside out. Follow Scailr: Website: https://scailr.agency YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=591fcedda2934743 Connect with Keith: Keith's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atkinsonkeith

  1. 4d ago

    30 Years Selling Vending Machines — Then He Quit and Started Again From Scratch

    Jason Boull spent three decades in a family business. He was first in the office, last out, working evenings, weekends, constantly. When he finally found a gap in the diary to book a family holiday, the travel agent never called him back. He never rebooked. He never went. That one missed phone call stayed with him. Years later, when he finally walked away from the family business, it became the seed of everything that followed. Today Jason runs Boullies Travel, a bespoke concierge travel service specialising in the kind of experiences most booking platforms couldn't design if they tried. Lapland, Disney, Caribbean, Japan, multi-generational family adventures and everything in between, all handled from first conversation to welcome home call. In this episode, Jason shares: Why he walked away from 30 years in one industry and started completely overThe moment a missed phone call quietly shaped an entire business philosophyWhat the online booking industry has stripped out of travel and why it mattersWhy AI will never replace a human who actually understands what you want from a holidayHow January became his biggest ever sales month and what happened nextHis vision for a high street presence and what that means for the people he serves This is a conversation about starting over with purpose, building a business around the service you always wished existed, and why in travel, the human touch is not a nice to have, it is everything. If you are planning a trip and want it to actually mean something, or you are building a service business on genuine care and expertise, this one is for you. 🔗 Connect with Jason Boull: 🌐 www.boulliestravel.com 📞 UK: 029 2166 1507 🎙️ The Jason Boull Travel Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jason-boull-travel-podcast/id1820713572 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7jjfy069tjkGww-KpWVw-fx7nzmvPh72 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-boulliestravel 📘 https://www.facebook.com/BoulliesTravel About The Growth Diary After a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, I've spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Through The Growth Diary, I'm on a mission to spotlight the real stories behind successful business growth, what works, what doesn't, and how leaders stay sharp while building something remarkable. 🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

    40 min

  2. May 17

    Don't Be Fooled By the Numbers — What You Can't See Will Hurt You - with Lee Driscoll at Rougemont

    Lee Driscoll didn't take the conventional route. He studied surveying, spent a decade trading futures in London and corporate bonds in Milan, then came back to the UK in his thirties with a very deliberate plan, and eventually co-founded a practice that punches well above its weight. Rougemont Property Consultants is an intentionally lean, director-led firm advising some of the biggest names in commercial property, Royal London Asset Management, Derwent London, and high-profile private estates, without the red tape, the hierarchy, or the armies of inexperienced juniors that come with the big firms. In this episode, Lee shares: Why he walked away from the city and came back to construction with a completely different mindsetThe real reason experienced professionals should never be stuck in boardroomsWhy gut feel and honest advice matters more than data when serious money is on the lineHow the RICS global AI standard is already reshaping the property industryWhy being small is actually a competitive advantage when it comes to innovation and agilityThe construction trades he believes are genuinely AI-proof, and why young people should be paying attention This is a conversation about doing less, doing it better, and having the confidence to tell a client what they don't want to hear. If you work in property, construction, or are building a lean professional services firm on reputation and expertise, this one is for you. Connect with Lee Driscoll: 🌐 www.rouge-mont.com 📧 lee.driscoll@rouge-mont.com 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-driscoll-77896a20 About The Growth Diary After a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, I've spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Through The Growth Diary, I'm on a mission to spotlight the real stories behind successful business growth, what works, what doesn't, and how leaders stay sharp while building something remarkable. 🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

    27 min

  3. May 13

    She Went on a Gap Year, Got on a Sailing Yacht, and Never Came Back - Lucy Jackson

    Lucy Jackson went on a gap year after graduating from Imperial College with a first class degree. She got on a racing yacht. That was 2009. What followed was 100,000 miles at sea, a life built entirely on the water, and eventually the world's leading racing yacht charter company. LV Yachting matches private yacht owners with individuals and teams who want to race at the world's most prestigious regattas, from Cowes Week and Antigua Sailing Week and the Caribbean circuit, without the logistical headache. It's a niche nobody else has properly cracked, and Lucy built it by simply being the most experienced person in the room. In this episode, Lucy shares: Why a gap year sailing trip became a 16 year career and a global businessThe freedom of being completely disconnected at sea and why so few of us ever find itHow she spotted a gap in the racing charter market that nobody else wanted to touchWhy AI generated content is an immediate turn off in a high trust lifestyle industryThe crew berth model that lets solo sailors race world class regattas and meet lifelong friendsWhere LV Yachting is heading next, from luxury cruising charter to brokerage This is a conversation about following something you love so completely that it quietly becomes a business, and about building something genuinely world class by staying true to the experience that made you. If you love the water, dream of racing offshore, or are building a lifestyle business on expertise and reputation, this one is for you. 🔗 Connect with Lucy Jackson: 🌐 www.lvyachting.com 📧 lucy@lvyachting.com 📞 +44 (0) 20 3920 6261 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jackson-bb24a920

    16 min

  4. May 5

    The Dirty Secret Nobody in Property Will Say Out Loud — Until Now - with Patsy Irwin-Brown

    Every buyer thinks their estate agent is on their side. They're not. Patsy Irwin-Brown spent 15 years on the inside of London's property industry, overseeing thousands of transactions, and watched buyers get left out in the cold time and time again. The agent is contracted by the seller. The solicitors are overwhelmed. Nobody is in your corner. And nobody was willing to say it out loud until Patsy decided to do something about it. In 2022 she founded MyPIPS, a buyer representation service that works exclusively for the person buying the property, handling everything from offer negotiation to chain management to solicitor chasing, so buyers can focus on finding the home they love and leaving the rest to someone who genuinely has their back. In this episode, Patsy shares: The conflict of interest baked into every property transaction that nobody talks aboutWhy buyers are the only party in the process with no professional in their cornerHow she negotiates thousands off purchase prices and takes a percentage of what she savesThe growing Hong Kong relocator community that found her through word of mouth aloneWhy social media has failed her and referrals have been her entire growth engineHer vision for a national network of buyer consultants and what needs to happen to get thereThis is a conversation about a broken system, a bold fix, and one woman determined to level the playing field for every buyer in the UK. If you are buying a property, have ever bought a property, or just want to understand why the process feels so stacked against you, this one is essential listening. Connect with Patsy Irwin-Brown: 🌐 www.mypips.co.uk 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/patsy-irwin-brown-13a850255 Tel: 0203 916 5916 E-Mail: Patsy@MyPIPS.co.uk About The Growth Diary After a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, I've spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Through The Growth Diary, I'm on a mission to spotlight the real stories behind successful business growth, what works, what doesn't, and how leaders stay sharp while building something remarkable. 🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

    16 min

  5. Apr 23

    The Woman the Ultra-Wealthy Call When No One Else Can Be Trusted

    Sonia Felfli spotted the same problem everywhere she looked: people were being treated like a booking number. That frustration became the foundation for Savoir Vivre Lifestyle, a boutique luxury villa rental, private events, and lifestyle management company operating across Mykonos and Ibiza. Her clientele are ultra-high-net-worth individuals who expect total discretion, bespoke service, and someone who genuinely cares. Sonia built the business to deliver exactly that. In this episode, Sonia shares: Why being treated as a number in luxury hospitality inspired her to build something completely differentHow she earns the trust of ultra-high-net-worth clients before they even arriveThe real meaning of privacy, discretion, and personal service at the highest levelWhy human connection is her greatest competitive advantageThe challenges of managing high expectations, complex logistics, and demanding seasonsWhat she believes the luxury hospitality industry is still getting wrong This is a conversation about building a business where the product is trust, the standard is perfection, and the person behind it all does it because she genuinely loves it. If you work in hospitality, luxury services, or simply want to understand what world-class client experience really looks like, this one is for you. 🔗 Connect with Sonia Felfli: 🌐 www.savoirvivrelifestyle.com The Growth Diary - Host: Keith Atkinson After a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, I've spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Through The Growth Diary, I'm on a mission to spotlight the real stories behind successful business growth, what works, what doesn't, and how leaders stay sharp while building something remarkable. 🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

    29 min

  6. Apr 16

    How Jack Dawson Turned a Trowel Into the UK's Biggest Bricklaying Event

    Jack Dawson didn't come from a boardroom. He came from a building site. Starting work alongside his dad at age four, competing as a natural bodybuilder, and eventually landing in a teaching role at the same FE college where he trained, Jack's path has always been shaped by craft, discipline, and a deep love for the trade. Then in 2022, an idea sparked that would change the construction industry's relationship with competition, community, and pride. SuperTrowel is now the UK's largest bricklaying competition, drawing hundreds of spectators, dozens of exhibitors, and competitors from across the country to watch skilled tradespeople go head-to-head in a one-hour bricklaying race. The 2026 series spans seven regional heats, from Northern Ireland to Cornwall, before culminating at Hertfordshire Showground on 31st July. In this episode, Jack shares: How a post-lockdown conversation between three mates became a national eventWhy the construction industry desperately needs something to celebrate its peopleThe organic growth story behind SuperTrowel, from 500 attendees to a full national seriesWhat it really takes to run a major event with a team of threeHis vision for turning construction into a career aspiration, not a plan BWhere SuperTrowel goes next, and why more trades are on the horizonThis is a conversation about passion, purpose, and proving that the most underrated industries can produce the most electric events. If you work in construction, care about the trades, or just love watching people who are the best at what they do compete, this one is for you. Guest: Jack Dawson Company: SuperTrowel Website: https://www.supertrowel.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-dawson-62a744153

    19 min

  7. Apr 15

    How Matt Hughes Helps Hotel Owners Make Better Decisions

    How Matt Hughes Helps Hotel Owners Make Better Decisions In this episode, Keith is joined by Matt Hughes, CEO and Founder of Accommodate Consulting. After more than 20 years at Marriott International, most recently as Vice President of Owner Strategy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Matt stepped away from one of the world's biggest hospitality brands to build something entirely his own. They get into the real reasons major hotel decisions go wrong, why owners don't need more data, they need better decisions, and how Matt's registered framework, The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. System®, brings structure and alignment to the full lifecycle of a hotel asset. The conversation also covers Matt's refreshingly grounded take on AI, why most people start with the tool instead of the problem, what the European hotel market opportunity really looks like, and how he's built a founder-led consultancy where inbound work finds him rather than the other way around. A genuinely insightful episode for anyone in hospitality, property investment, or building a business on the back of deep industry expertise. 🔗 Connect with Matt Hughes: 🌐 www.accommodateconsulting.com 📧 matt@accommodateconsulting.com About The Growth Diary Hosted by Keith Atkinson, The Growth Diary is a podcast exploring the real stories behind successful business growth. After a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, Keith has spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Each episode features candid conversations with founders and business leaders on what works, what doesn't, and how to stay sharp while building something remarkable. 🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

    23 min

  8. Apr 13

    People Over Property: How Charley Hall Is Rebuilding What a Letting Agent Should Be

    Charley Hall didn't set out to run a property agency. She set out to fix one. After years in corporate customer service, working with clients like Shell and Co-op, and then experiencing first-hand what poor agency management actually costs a landlord, she and her husband decided to build something better. Mocha Property Management launched in Liverpool three years ago with a simple but non-negotiable standard: treat landlords like partners, not portfolios. In this episode, Charley shares: The Section 21 disaster that became the catalyst for starting MochaWhy proactive communication is the foundation of everything they doHow she's navigating the Renters' Rights Bill and what it really means for landlords and agentsThe Amazon hiring principle she uses to build a high-performing teamWhy she'll never let AI replace the human touch, and where she thinks it actually belongsThe one thing she'd fix with a magic wand if she couldThis is a conversation about building a business that genuinely gives a damn, and why that's harder and rarer than it sounds. If you manage property, own property, or are building a service business on reputation, this one is for you. Guest: Charley Hall Company: Mocha Property Management Website: https://mochaproperty.co.uk Email: hello@mochaproperty.co.uk

    21 min
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About

Keith Atkinson is an entrepreneur and growth partner, working across business strategy, technology, and automation. He is the founder of Scailr, an AI and automation agency helping growth-focused businesses remove bottlenecks, improve marketing performance, and scale more efficiently. Before business, Keith was an international athlete in windsurfing and a BBC award winner, (15x British Champion / 4th World Ranking/ 2x Vice World Champion) ... experiences that shaped his approach to discipline, resilience, and performance under pressure. He created The Growth Diary to share the unfiltered pages of real growth journeys, conversations with founders, operators, and business owners navigating ambition, uncertainty, pressure, and progress in real time. Each episode explores what it actually takes to grow a business: the decisions behind the scenes, the mistakes, the lessons learned the hard way, and the thinking that shapes long-term success. The Growth Diary is not about polished success stories. It’s about clarity, perspective, and learning in public. This is your corner of the internet to think openly, build intentionally, and understand growth from the inside out. Follow Scailr: Website: https://scailr.agency YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=591fcedda2934743 Connect with Keith: Keith's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atkinsonkeith

Information

  • Creator
    Scailr
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Scailr
  • Show Website
    The Growth Diary