Electrifying Growth

Edison Partners
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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. MAR 4

    Habits of Great Leaders

    What separates reliable leaders from the rest? In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, discusses the habits of great leaders in high-growth businesses and why the busiest CEOs are often the most effective. Chris breaks leadership into practical daily habits: staying organized, keeping a to-do list, following through on commitments, and responding quickly. He also covers inbox discipline, the importance of unsubscribing, and how small habits like letting newsletters pile up or living in notifications steal focus. If you've ever felt stretched between being present at work and being present at home, this conversation reframes "work-life balance" and argues for something simpler: being all-in on whatever you're doing at the moment. In this episode, you'll learn: How to build trust by keeping commitments and staying organized How inbox clutter and subscriptions quietly drain your time Why "balance" matters less than being fully present Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (01:02) Habits of great leaders in high-growth businesses (02:14) To-do lists and delivering on commitments (04:10) Inbox discipline and unsubscribing (06:10) Social media and distraction (09:20) Reframing balance as being present (12:41) The value of checking things off and cumulative to-do lists (13:21) Leading by example and why actions need words (14:36) Building a foundation of presence and follow-through (14:55) Closing thoughts on doing what you want your team to do

    15 min

  2. FEB 18

    Innovating Payments for Blue-Collar Businesses with Riley Lovingood and Thomas Cecil, PAYRA

    Adapting to market needs and staying focused on the mission is crucial for success in FinTech. In this episode of Electrifying Growth, Chris Sugden sits down with Riley Lovingood and Thomas Cecil, the co-founders of PAYRA, a FinTech company revolutionizing payment solutions for blue-collar businesses. They discuss their journey from exploring different markets to finding their niche in the B2B space, the challenges of integrating legacy systems with modern technology, and the importance of building strong partnerships. In this episode, you'll learn: How staying disciplined to your original mission and staying resilient is crucial to scaling a business successfully Why choosing a co-founder and partners who are aligned in vision, work ethic, and commitment to the mission can make all the difference How identifying and solving real customer pain points (especially in legacy systems) while staying capital-efficient and focused, can drive long-term growth Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction to Riley Lovingood and Thomas Cecil (01:27) Overview of PAYRA and its founders' backgrounds (03:40) Thomas Cecil's journey into payments (05:03) Riley Lovingood's journey from football to the payment industry (06:39) Riley and Thomas discuss their initial ventures into various business verticals (08:08) Identifying the pain point in legacy ERP systems for blue-collar businesses (09:56) The technical challenges and innovation in integrating with legacy systems (11:23) Addressing the challenges of underwriting high-ticket transactions (13:30) The technological innovation of validating large invoices through ERP integration (14:28) First customer experience: Troubleshooting and learning from mistakes (16:53) The importance of understanding client environments (17:34) The challenge of staying focused on the original mission while scaling (20:02) Navigating the challenges of growth and staying disciplined (21:06) Thomas and Riley's approach to staying focused on execution (22:18) Riley shares his focus on product-market fit and not forcing business fits (23:28) The transition from a bootstrapped startup to a systemized organization (24:13) Discussing the growth equity vs. venture capital decision (25:48) The importance of finding a true partnership in growth equity (27:01) Riley talks about how Edison Partners understood their market from the start (28:57) The value of ongoing advice from potential investors before partnerships (30:52) Riley discusses how Edison Partners supported them with connections (32:02) Thomas shares advice on choosing a business partner (33:46) Riley talks about the importance of staying focused on high-potential opportunities (37:08) Closing thoughts on the future of PAYRA and the journey ahead

    38 min

  3. FEB 4

    The Scoreboard Test: Measuring Effort vs Results

    Everyone is busy, yet results still fall short. Many leaders mistake motion for progress and only see the gap when numbers miss. In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, shares why effort-based goals mislead teams. Through years of working closely with operators and executives, he explains how leaders should measure what truly drives the P&L. He outlines how to reset goals so effort consistently translates into measurable business results. In this episode, you'll learn: How to set goals that connect daily work to revenue growth Why every department should be measured on margin impact What signals reveal effort result gaps before numbers miss Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction (02:11) When performance gets confused with effort (04:58) Goals that reward activity instead of outcomes (06:48) How every department can drive revenue (09:30) Bookings success can still miss the P&L (11:10) What leaders should measure instead of hours

    13 min

  4. JAN 21

    Re-release: Growing Without Losing Sight of Your People with Shane Kim, Baleon Capital

    Can you drive growth without losing sight of the human side of business? This replay episode brings back a standout conversation with Shane Kim, founder of Baleon Capital, who says yes. With over 20 years in growth equity, Shane has built his investment approach around empathy and connection, putting people first. From his early days as an analyst to founding Baleon, he's focused on fintech and healthcare, navigating market cycles and building strong partnerships. Shane and host Chris Sugden revisit the realities of founding a private equity firm, from building resilient teams to handling high-stakes investments in unpredictable markets. In this episode, you'll learn: Using empathy as an investment strategy to build trust and strong partnerships Adapting to market cycles, from the dot-com bubble to today's AI-driven economy Creating long-term value by focusing on collaboration and the people around you Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Meet Shane Kim, founder of Baleon Capital   (01:25) Shane Kim's background and founding Baleon Capital (03:44) From analyst to managing partner at Camden (04:50) Leaving stability to become an entrepreneur (07:18) Building a fund from scratch and why execution matters (09:58) What makes an investment journey truly rewarding (11:04) Starting in 2007 and surviving the financial crisis (12:39) Why bootstrapped founders think differently (13:13) FingerCheck and building founder–board trust (23:06) What makes boards effective (and what breaks them) (30:52) Advice Shane would give his 25-year-old self

    36 min

  5. JAN 7

    The CFO Guide to Smarter Board Prep

    How often does your board meeting force you to look back instead of ahead? In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, discusses why CEOs and CFOs lose entire weeks to board prep that does not help them plan the future. Drawing from decades on more than 50 boards, he explains how to shift reviews out of the boardroom, streamline materials, and make every meeting more useful for the business. In this episode, you'll learn: How the 80/20 rule sharpens board materials and saves valuable prep time Why moving financial reviews outside the boardroom leads to better strategic discussions How twice-yearly reviews of board prep improve alignment and overall efficiency Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction (01:28) How board prep, budgets, and planning collide (02:19) The 80/20 test for every board deck (03:11) Rear view mirror data vs forward-looking insight (04:46) Monthly or quarterly calls to reduce boardroom noise (05:30) How audit committees streamline financial reviews (06:55) Why reviewing prep time improves every meeting (08:46) What the 20 percent of new material should cover (10:29) How to grade your own board meetings (11:19) A simple question every CEO should ask (12:10) Giving CFOs room to reset expectations

    13 min

  6. 12/22/2025

    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

  7. 12/10/2025

    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

  8. 11/26/2025

    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
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4.2
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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 - 2026
  • Episodes
    68
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Edison Partners 2022
  • Show Website
    Electrifying Growth

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