Making The Grade

ScaleWise, Tom Glason

Less than 1 in 100 Startups manage to achieve funding beyond Series D or an exit. Investors typically expect 8 out of 10 of the businesses they invest in to fail. It’s time to make building a business less depressing and scale more wisely. Tune into Making The Grade to hear first-hand experiences of venture-backed software companies in their journeys from Seed to Series B funding. Every week, we’ll be joined by Founders, Investors and senior Go-To-Market Leaders to explore the factors driving the decline in graduation rates, misaligned go-to-market operations and ineffective sales and marketing strategies. All while making you leave every episode with actionable insights and expert advice to help you navigate these common Startup hurdles and thrive in a competitive market, showing that it can be done differently.

Episodes

  1. From CMO to CRO: Florence Broderick on balancing growth with efficiency and the metrics that actually matter

    2 OCT

    From CMO to CRO: Florence Broderick on balancing growth with efficiency and the metrics that actually matter

    What does it really take to make the leap from CMO to CRO and to build a revenue function that actually scales? In the final episode of Season 1, Tom is joined by Florence Broderick, CRO at General Index, to unpack what it actually takes to make the transition to CRO and what founders should know before hiring their first CRO.  Florence shares candid insights from her transition to CRO, why she believes marketing leaders can make exceptional CROs, and how she’s balancing growth with capital efficiency in 2025 and beyond.  If you’re a founder or GTM leader navigating growth right now, you won’t want to miss this episode.    Episode Chapters 02:30 - Flo’s career journey from dreams of big corporates to CRO  08:30 - Managing imposter syndrome in a new role  14:30 - Building her CRO playbook  22:10 - What every CRO should nail in their first 90 days  27:30 - Why ‘rockstar CVs’ often fail  31:45 - The CRO skills that matter most in 2025  38:10 - AI that uses the needle & metrics that matter  46:50 - Getting more women into sales Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    51 min
  2. From $60m Exit to Building an Era-Defining AI Company: Sean Williams on lessons from a start-up exit to building again with AutogenAI

    25 SEPT

    From $60m Exit to Building an Era-Defining AI Company: Sean Williams on lessons from a start-up exit to building again with AutogenAI

    What do you think of when you hear ‘exited Founder’?  Someone travelling the world or sitting on a remote island sipping cocktails?  Today’s Making The Grade guest may change your perspective…  We’re joined by Sean Williams, Co-Founder & CEO of AutogenAI, the AI bid writing software. Before AutogenAI, Sean co-founded Corndell Ltd, which he grew from scratch to 350 people and sold to THI Holdings for $60m.  In this episode, Sean discusses how to build with an exit in mind, why you need to keep control while fundraising and why US expansion isn’t as easy as some Founders might think.  Episode Chapters 02:18 - From bid writer to CEO - Sean’s career journey  08:40 - Post-exit reality & why Sean decided to jump back in the Founder seat 14:36 - Selling a business during Covid  18:57 - More about AutogenAI and the opportunity  23:12 - Fundraising without losing control  27:26 - US expansion do’s & don’ts   29:33 - GTM in the AI-era - what actually works  33:43 - Hiring GTM leaders  Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    43 min
  3. Scaling Lean in a $500B Market: Ed Bartlett on going from zero to one & transitioning out of the CEO seat

    18 SEPT

    Scaling Lean in a $500B Market: Ed Bartlett on going from zero to one & transitioning out of the CEO seat

    In the start-up ecosystem, there are a few truths that never change - scaling is harder than it looks, over-hiring can kill momentum, and knowing when to hand over the CEO reins might be the hardest call of all.  In this episode,Ed Barltett, Founder & CEO of Hicomply, unpacks how to successfully scale with a lean team and build a GTM engine that actually produces an intent-led pipeline.  Ed breaks down why stage-fit leadership beats vanity headcount and how to plan a smooth CEO transition when the time is right.  If you’re a founder starting to think about what might be next for you, then this is the perfect episode to listen to. Episode Chapters 02:02 - Ed’s path into Tech  10:40 - Finding your niche in a $500B market  12:44 - Comparing the UK and US markets  17:02 - Staying lean & focusing on speed of execution  19:10 - Building a realistic GTM stack in an AI-driven world  31:58 - Founder transition & handing over the CEO reins  36:47 - Exit prep 101 in 2025 and beyond Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    43 min
  4. Bootstrapping Agorapulse to over $20M ARR with Emeric Ernoult

    4 SEPT

    Bootstrapping Agorapulse to over $20M ARR with Emeric Ernoult

    Start-up headlines are often dominated by fundraising announcements and the latest valuation.  But the Venture Capital route isn’t the only option or the best to take.  In this episode, we’re joined by Emeric Ernoult, Co-Founder & CEO of Agorapulse, one of Europe’s most successful bootstrapped SaaS Founders. Emeric is a serial entrepreneur and has seen Agorapulse through several pivots and international expansion, all while bootstrapping.  This often painful journey has come with its fair share of lessons - some of which Emeric shares with us in today’s conversation.  This is definitely not a highlights reel, so if you’re currently going through the trenches or facing a pivot, this episode is one you don’t want to miss.  Episode Chapters 03:37 - Building Agorapulse from the ashes of a previous business  07:20 - The signs to know when it’s time to pivot  13:31 - Bootstrapping vs VC funding - the hard truths 17:44 - Understanding VCs beyond the money  23:25 - The Do’s & Don’ts of international expansion 27:28 - Growth metrics that actually matter 34:07 - How AI is transforming data-driven growth Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    38 min
  5. The 5 Silent Killers of Go-To-Market with Keji Mustapha

    28 AUG

    The 5 Silent Killers of Go-To-Market with Keji Mustapha

    Every founder thinks they’re focused on growth. But too often, hidden mistakes in their go-to-market (GTM) strategy quietly erode their chances of success. In this Making The Grade episode, we’re joined by Keji Mustapha, CMO at Partech, to unpack the 5 Silent Killers of Go-To-Market.  From undefined ICPs and premature scaling, to misaligned leadership and ignoring the voice of the customer, Keji shares practical advice founders can use today to avoid costly mistakes and scale more wisely. If you’re a founder, operator, or investor looking to understand why so many companies fail to “make the grade” and why their GTM strategy has a lot to answer for, then this episode will be the one for you.  Episode Chapters 01:40 - Keji’s unconventional journey from law to tech and venture capital 05:10 - The day-to-day of a CMO in venture 07:30 - The biggest challenges founders face in 2025 09:15 - The 5 Silent Killers of GTM 15:40 - The misalignment trap 18:50 - Why hiring for shiny logos often backfires 23:45 - How to build customer obsession into your culture  28:00 - Keji’s predictions for GTM  32:40 - What really needs to change to improve startup graduation rates   Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    34 min
  6. Capital-Efficient Growth in 2025: James Bagan’s Playbook for GTM Success

    21 AUG

    Capital-Efficient Growth in 2025: James Bagan’s Playbook for GTM Success

    Too many startups hire ahead of demand, invest in the wrong leaders, or scale sales without a clear ICP - all mistakes that can cost millions and kill momentum. Today’s Making The Grade guest knows exactly how to avoid those pitfalls. We’re joined by James Bagan, Investor at Frog Capital, Chair and GTM advisor for investors.  James has been on both sides of the scaling journey. He’s built world-class sales functions, turned around broken go-to-market engines, and led multiple exits.  In this episode, James joins Tom to unpack what it really takes to build a GTM engine that lasts. From the shift to capital-efficient growth, to why RevOps is the unsung hero of scaling, to the leadership traits VCs should be hiring for, but so often overlook. Whether you’re a founder, CRO, or investor, you’ll walk away from this conversation with practical strategies to help you scale sustainably and avoid the most expensive mistakes.    Episode Chapters: 01:30 - James’ unconventional path to multiple exits 05:30 - How GTM has changed: the shift from growth at all costs to sustainable growth 08:40 -  The 3 biggest mistakes founders make when building GTM teams 14:30 - Why RevOps is the ultimate GTM alignment tool (and when to hire them) 19:40 - Finding the right fit: fractional vs full-time RevOps teams  22:30 - The underrated traits of top GTM leaders in 2025 29:30 - Leadership stage-fit: the danger of hiring for tomorrow’s problems instead of today’s 35:20 - The number 1 skill every commercial leader must have (hint: it’s not closing deals) Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    38 min
  7. When it’s time to step down: Robert Newry’s transition from CEO to Chief Explorer at Arctic Shores

    14 AUG

    When it’s time to step down: Robert Newry’s transition from CEO to Chief Explorer at Arctic Shores

    Too many founders stay in the CEO seat for too long. Often to the detriment of their company, their teams and themselves.  It’s not about giving up. It’s about knowing when you are no longer the best person to lead the business into its next chapter.  One example of a founder who knew the time was right and made that leap with clarity and intention is today’s Making The Grade guest, Robert Newry.  After 11 years as CEO of Arctic Shores, Robert chose to step aside and take on a brand new role as Chief Explorer, allowing him to focus on the things that energise him most: thought leadership, customer evangelism and rethinking how we assess human potential.  In this conversation, we explore what it really takes to scale a venture-backed company sustainably, and why sometimes the boldest thing a Founder can do is to let go.  Whether you’re a founder thinking about what’s next for you, or you’re currently going through the trenches, fundraising, this episode is packed with lessons on resilience, reinvention and scaling wisely.    Episode Chapters: 01:30 - Robert’s early failures and family roots in entrepreneurship 03:50 - Learning from failure: Hong Kong’s startup mindset 05:30 - The origin story behind Arctic Shores 08:10 - Rethinking psychometrics: uncovering potential beyond the CV 13:00 - Designing AI-resilient hiring tools in the age of ChatGPT 18:00 - Why stepping down as CEO wasn’t a failure — but a growth move 21:00 - Creating the role of Chief Explorer & transitioning out of CEO 36:00 - What founders need to stop doing when they raise capital Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    41 min
  8. Not a Unicorn? Not a problem. Eyal Malinger & Oren Peleg on building a VC alternative

    7 AUG

    Not a Unicorn? Not a problem. Eyal Malinger & Oren Peleg on building a VC alternative

    While VC news often dominates the headlines, more often than not, the VC route isn’t the best fit for a business.  So, what do you do if venture capital isn’t the right path for your start-up? In today’s Making The Grade episode, we’re unpacking the evolving world of start-up funding and why VC might not be the best fit for every founder or business.  To help us do that, we’re joined by Eyal Malinger and Oren Peleg, the co-founders of Resurge Growth Partners - a new kind of investment firm pioneering a model they call venture equity, blending the best of venture capital and private equity to better serve ambitious, capital-efficient founders.  From investor dynamics and growth expectations to exit strategies and go-to-market missteps, we’ll be challenging the traditional narrative and exploring what alternative paths to scale could look like in 2025 and beyond.  Episode Chapters:  01:30 - From PE & Consulting to building a new investment model 03:30 - The gap between VC expectations and real-world business performance   05:10 - Introducing Venture Equity & the huge opportunity it presents  10:30 - Funding beyond VC & the silent deal killers  18:10 - Lazy marketing, broken models & other founder mistakes  21:30 - The metrics that really matter  30:00 - What it takes to be a successful early-stage founder & what’s really at stake  34:15 - Where to start if you want a successful exit in 2025  Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    39 min
  9. Building for a Smart Exit - Scaling Lessons from Serial Entrepreneur Justin Fitzpatrick

    31 JUL

    Building for a Smart Exit - Scaling Lessons from Serial Entrepreneur Justin Fitzpatrick

    What does it really take to graduate from seed to exit in today’s start-up climate? In our first episode of our Making the Grade Podcast, we’re joined by serial founder and currently CEO of ESG Book, Justin Fitzpatrick, to unpack the real story behind startup growth.  From the messy pivots, M&A strategies, co-founder dynamics, and what it really looks like when you fall off the VC track, Justin shares his first-hand experience of growing and exiting multiple businesses, and leaves us with plenty of practical advice to help you scale more wisely. Episode Chapters:  02:04 - Justin’s career journey as a serial entrepreneur  04:55 - From scaling pains to pivoting and product-market-fit reality checks  09:42 -  Finding the right co-founder  15:15 - Why poor win rates aren’t always a sales problem  17:34 - Building resilience as a CEO  21:41 - M&A lessons from the trenches & what makes an acquisition work  28:40 - Falling off the VC Track & finding alternatives  31:42 -  What founders actually need to graduate to the next round  33:54 - Why sustainable growth is smarter growth Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    35 min
  10. Making The Grade Season Trailer

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Making The Grade Season Trailer

    Investors typically expect 8 out of 10 of the businesses they invest in to fail. Less than 1 in 100 start-ups manage to achieve funding beyond Series D or an exit. These humbling stats often leave founders less than optimistic. 😩 So, how can building a successful business feel less like an uphill battle? And how can you scale a business with actual options to exit in 2025, and beyond? 💥 To help us get answers to all of the above questions, and more, we’re excited to share the upcoming launch of our brand new podcast: Making The Grade. Every Thursday, you’ll be able to tune in and hear first-hand experiences from Founders, Investors and senior Go-To-Market Leaders as we explore the factors driving the decline in graduation rates. But we won’t just be discussing the obvious problems at hand. You’ll be leaving every episode with actionable insights, expert advice and hopefully, feeling a little bit more optimistic about thriving in a competitive market and scaling more wisely. Our first episode will launch next Thursday, July 31st. But until then, make sure you tune into our season trailer to get a preview of some of the fascinating conversations we had. Enjoyed today's episode of Making The Grade?  If you took something valuable from the episode, we'd love for you to...  ✔️ Leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. ✔️ Share your ideas or guest suggestions with us at podcast@scalewise.com✔️ Stay in the loop with the latest from Making The Grade and ScaleWise by following us on LinkedIn or YouTube.  See you again next week!

    6 min

Trailer

About

Less than 1 in 100 Startups manage to achieve funding beyond Series D or an exit. Investors typically expect 8 out of 10 of the businesses they invest in to fail. It’s time to make building a business less depressing and scale more wisely. Tune into Making The Grade to hear first-hand experiences of venture-backed software companies in their journeys from Seed to Series B funding. Every week, we’ll be joined by Founders, Investors and senior Go-To-Market Leaders to explore the factors driving the decline in graduation rates, misaligned go-to-market operations and ineffective sales and marketing strategies. All while making you leave every episode with actionable insights and expert advice to help you navigate these common Startup hurdles and thrive in a competitive market, showing that it can be done differently.

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