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

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