Free To Lead

Will Steel
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Free to Lead is dedicated to showcasing not just the journeys of business owners and executives from various industries who are making significant impacts in their fields, but also some of what each of them dealt with along the way, and what they are dealing with now. Hosted by Will Steel, one of the world’s most highly regarded transformational leaders, the podcast delves into the stories of visionary business owners and leaders who are not only driven by their passion but also inspired by their purpose.

  1. 3d ago

    The 80% Rule: Letting Go of Control to Empower Your Team Austin Davis

    What if the biggest bottleneck in your business isn’t your marketing, your finance, or your team—but a promise you made to yourself when you were ten years old? Austin Davis, founder of Clearfork Academy, built a phenomenal mental health and addiction treatment enterprise for teenagers from the ground up, scaling from just eight beds to over eighty. But behind the incredible growth lies a classic founder’s trap: the absolute compulsion to do every single task yourself. In this incredibly raw and reflective coaching session, we trace that need for extreme self-reliance back to a pivotal childhood moment on a wooden porch swing. We dive into why letting go of perfectionism is the only way to truly scale, how to embrace the 80% rule of delegation, and the practical steps you can take today to stop abdicating and start empowering. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Adult Rehab Revelation: Treating adult patients often reveals that the root trauma occurred during their teenage years, highlighting the urgent need for early-intervention care. The Founder's Paradox: Balances are hard to strike when a leader is caught between a clinical desire for perfection and an entrepreneurial drive to scale. The 80% Victory: Scaling requires accepting that if a team member can complete a task 80% as well as you, it is a massive win for the business. Tracing the Handbrake: Subconscious, self-protective rules formed in childhood often manifest as operational bottlenecks in adult leadership. Active Interruption: Breaking the habit of micromanagement requires actively noticing the urge to take over, pausing, and intentionally redirecting the task. QUOTES "All of these grown men are processing childhood wounds 20, 30 years later with me." "We literally jumped out of the plane without a parachute... we just kind of knew that's what we were supposed to do." "If I need something or want something, I got to go do it myself... this internal self-reliance, for sure." "If they can do it 80% as good as you, that's a win." "Probably half of my to-do list right now could be assigned to other people." Austin Davis Links https://clearforkacademy.com/about-us/our-team/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/austindaledavis/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW9obDBg7ElpdXichEyOS9Q https://www.instagram.com/clearforkacademy/ WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  2. Jul 13

    Overcoming the Burnout Plateau: Strategic Growth for Tired CEOs

    When business owners hit an unbreakable revenue plateau, they often arrive at the end of their rope—physically drained and deeply exhausted. Business strategist and certified mindset coach Celie Arias joins the show to share her 25-year entrepreneurial journey, spanning from a childhood babysitting business to running a global fashion line. She dives deep into the realities of navigating failed product launches, surviving a period of homelessness, and overcoming a deep-seated aversion to financial spreadsheets. This conversation uncovers why overworking in your strengths is actually a symptom of overcompensating for hidden business gaps. It is rarely a lead generation or a strategy problem holding a company back; rather, it is the psychological blockages sitting directly between the business owner's ears. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Overcompensation Cycle: Burnt-out business owners often subconsciously overwork in their area of strength to avoid dealing with key operational departments they fear or lack skill in. The Lead Gen Myth: Demanding more leads is rarely the true fix; revenue plateaus are usually caused by underlying gaps in pricing, messaging, product suites, or offer structures. Perfectionism Destroys Launches: Founders frequently obsess over perfecting a digital or physical product, completely forgetting to market and talk about it until it is too late. The Limits of Corporate Theory: Traditional academic structures, like an MBA, focus heavily on corporate theory and are largely unapplicable to the nimble realities of small business entrepreneurship. Mindset Dictates Strategy: No growth system or strategy will magically execute itself if a founder lacks the psychological willingness to get uncomfortable and put skin in the game QUOTES "What's the limit on the business? It's not those structures... It's the business owner. It's what's going on between your ears." "When you don't have a clear strategy and a clear understanding of how business works, you're going to overcompensate for that by overworking." "Let's be real about that... I hope you've had failed launches. If you've had failed launches, you were learning something." "No strategy is going to magically work if you don't believe it, if you don't put your action into it, if you don't put some skin in the game." "The symptom is just a part of a greater problem or it's an effect of a greater cause. And it's the same in business." Celia Arias Links https://celiarias.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/celiarias/ https://www.instagram.com/celigrowsbusiness/ WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  3. Jul 6

    10,000 Ways That Won't Work: Building a Seven-Figure Global Mobility Platform

    Moving to a new country shouldn't feel like a logistical nightmare, but for anyone who has tried it, you know exactly how painful sorting housing, bank accounts, and visas can be. After experiencing this first-hand when moving from Spain to the UK, Óscar Rubio Martin decided to build the exact solution he wished he'd had. Today, that idea has evolved into Luxury Lodging, a digital ecosystem managing over 90,000 rental units globally. Driven by the philosophy that mistakes are merely data points on the road to success, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to scale a business. From losing $100,000 on a failed coworking venture to shifting from top-down management to empowering a world-class team, discover the operational grit required to break through the seven-figure glass ceiling and eye a future Nasdaq listing. KEY TAKEAWAYS Solve Personal Pain Points: The business was born directly from the immense frustration of navigating housing and administrative hurdles during an international relocation. Target the Mid-Term Gap: Success lies in bridging the 1-to-11-month gap that holiday platforms miss, integrating rental agreements, visa access, and local banking setup. Failures Give Knowledge: Mistakes shouldn't be feared; they provide the direct operational experience and knowledge needed to iteratively improve the business model. Evolve Your Leadership: Scaling past seven figures requires transitioning from a top-down director to a motivator who hires experts smarter than themselves. Prioritise Financial Health: Long-term global expansion requires robust financial discipline rather than continuously burning cash without a stable structure. QUOTES "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." "For me, the success come from the mistakes because the mistakes give you the experience..." "To be successful, you need to have the best team that you can afford. If not, it's impossible." "I always say you hit the ball when the ball comes." "The vision is good, execution is better." Óscar Rubio Martin Links https://www.lodgerin.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-rubio-martin/ WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  4. Jun 29

    From Top Gear to Tech Disruptor: Dan Gable on Creative Evolution

    What happens when you spend four decades at the absolute top of the television and video industry, picking up a BAFTA nomination and working on everything from Top Gear to Big Brother? You realise that the most powerful thing you can create isn’t a heavily polished, multi-million-pound production—it’s a raw, immediate piece of human communication. Dan Gable dives deep into the incredible evolution of media, from the days of rigid TV unions and tape editing to the digital revolution and the rise of AI. It’s a look at what happens when a lifelong overachiever decides to stop chasing the next financial milestone and shifts focus toward finding genuine life balance. Expect a fascinating look at technology, the democratisation of content, and the timeless power of staying completely authentic. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Power of Raw Authenticity: Filming content on a mobile phone often captures a far more genuine, relatable human story than big-budget, heavily polished studio setups. Disruption Requires Education: Introducing a tool that changes how an industry works naturally meets resistance, making the education of your market a massive, ongoing hurdle. Democratisation of Creation: The rise of online platforms acted like the "punk rock" of content, tearing down strict gatekeepers and allowing anyone to become a creator. AI is Not Hyped Enough: Artificial intelligence is a foundational shift akin to climate change in its scale, completely redefining how humans interact with software interfaces. Redefining Success Over Time: After decades of driving hard to overachieve, true leadership eventually means stepping back to prioritise life balance over financial growth. QUOTES "It's taken me maybe like 40 years to figure out why they're great." " It's like punk rock of content was happening." "It's better to have mistakes and it be real than all polished." "I just like the rawness that you can achieve by doing something immediate." "I spent my whole career kind of trying to overachieve... now I'm sort of seeing the benefits of balance." Dan Gable Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangable/ https://www.shoutout.social/ https://sprat.tv/ WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  5. Jun 24

    Beyond the Money: Beyond the Money: Mastering Consciousness and True Wealth Mastering Consciousness and True Wealth

    Imagine hitting every financial milestone you ever dreamed of, stepping onto a beach halfway across the world, and suddenly asking yourself: Is this all there is? That’s the exact wall Scott Royal Smith hit after building a massive legal and real estate empire. True freedom isn't just an automated asset protection structure or a bulletproof tax strategy; it’s an inside job. When you learn to quiet the internal chaos, you eliminate the mental static that distorts your everyday reality. True self-leadership means organising your entire life around joyful creation instead of fear-driven hustle. By aligning your financial, social, and personal structures from within, you stop reacting to the world and start commanding it. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Dual Engine: Everything you experience boils down to your thoughts and your emotions. True self-leadership is mastering both to dictate your actions. Clear the Screen: Mental distortion acts like static on a television. Removing it makes complex business decisions instantly simple. The Joy Multiplier: Choosing to only pursue revenue streams that bring genuine alignment can yield results 10 to 100 times greater than fear-driven chasing. The Retirement Trap: Stripping away a 9-to-5 often causes a quiet identity crisis because modern self-worth is deeply entangled with external work structures. Systemising Fulfilment: Ultimate life optimisation requires taking internal clarity and scaling it across your life's buckets using predictable systems, processes, and teams. QUOTES All you really have to do to be able to optimise and change everything in your life... is learn how to control your thoughts and emotions." "The results of that were ten times or 100 times better than I ever would have achieved had I constantly been chasing a bunch of things driven from the fear." "It's like eliminating the static from the television, and once you can see the picture clearly, everything becomes really simple." "Once you become free [of] money, life can actually become super crippling." "Imagine if you didn't have to work for money anymore and you thought you were going to go on perpetual vacation. This is what happens to people in retirement. They come to present and they die." SCOTT ROYAL SMITH LINKS https://royallegalsolutions.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottroyalsmith https://www.instagram.com/scottroyalsmith/ WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  6. Jun 15

    Truly Passive Income: The Secret to Freedom & Impact

    Imagine climbing the ladder of financial success for a decade, only to look down and realise it was leaning against the completely wrong wall. Too many entrepreneurs pour their blood, sweat, and tears into building massive wealth, yet hesitate to exit because the taxman wants up to 50% of the proceeds. It is time to change the playbook. Discover how Brett Swarts took the painful lessons of the 2008 economic crash & birthed a flexible, dynamic exit strategy designed to shield your hard-earned wealth from brutal capital gains. Whether you are looking to sell a business, high-value real estate, or Bitcoin, this conversation breaks down how to unlock cash flow, protect your legacy, and step into true time freedom. It is not just about compounding your financial capital; it is about stewarding your family capital and focusing on what is genuinely priceless. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Danger of Tax Hesitation: Real estate and business owners often know the perfect time to sell but get trapped holding onto crashing assets simply to avoid massive capital gains taxes. The Freedom Metric: Truly passive income should effortlessly cover both your basic living costs and your lifestyle choices, allowing you to sleep soundly at night. Dynamic Wealth Planning: A robust financial strategy must be flexible enough to change alongside your family dynamics over five, ten, or twenty years. The 85% Rule: Families spend roughly 85% of their total time with their children before they turn 18, making intentional presence more urgent than pure profit. The Mechanics of the DST: Using IRS tax codes allows you to sell an asset to a business trust on an instalment method, deferring tax obligations until you actually withdraw the funds. QUOTES "Truly passive income is to your freedom and impact as compounding interest is to your money." "It's really tough when you build a ladder on a wall and you climb it for 10 years knowing that it's the wrong wall." "Is it worth it to pay 20, 30, or 50% of my proceeds to the government? No, I don't think so." "What's priceless versus what's profitable? Well, clearly what's priceless is the time that we get to intentionally love on, coach, nurture..." "You only pay tax as you receive payment... It's kind of like a water faucet. It can be turned on and turned off." Brett Swarts Links https://brettswarts.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@BuildItToBillions https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-swarts/ https://capitalgainstaxsolutions.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brett_swarts/?hl=en-gb https://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-Capital-Gains-Exit-Plan-ebook/dp/B0C155RHWP WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  7. Jun 8

    Beyond Mutual Funds Why Diversification is a Wealth-Building Myth

    What if your investment portfolio could reflect your deepest personal values while simultaneously crushing market averages? Jaden Sterling, founder of Sterling Stock Picker, joins the show to share how he transitioned from a high-stakes career at Merrill Lynch and Citigroup to building an award-winning platform that empowers everyday investors. This episode isn't just about the numbers; it's about a lifelong mission that began with a childhood epiphany. Jaden breaks down why traditional diversification often leads to mediocre returns and introduces his "North Star" system—a value-based approach that helps you find winning stocks in just two clicks. From the importance of "For-Benefit" corporations to the power of concentrated investing, Jaden offers a masterclass in making your money work for you, not against you. Whether you're a seasoned trader or just starting with $1,000, learn how to align your capital with your conscience for true financial freedom. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Epiphany of Purpose: Real leadership stems from a deep, internal understanding of your mission—for Jaden, this was a clear calling at age 14 to teach financial empowerment through personal experience. Concentration Over Diversification: Building significant wealth requires a focused approach rather than spreading capital thin across hundreds of average-performing stocks. Value-Based Selection: Investing shouldn't be soul-less; aligning stock picks with personal values like health, freedom, or environmental impact ensures your money supports the world you want to see. The "For-Benefit" Standard: Look for companies with specific tax classifications (B-Corps) that prioritise employee care, customer service, and high-level purpose. The Power of Listening: Successful software and business growth come from beta testing and constantly iterating based on direct user feedback. QUOTES "Diversification is a myth. The true way to build real wealth is having a concentrated focused approach." "When you make a positive difference in other people's lives, you simply cannot go wrong." "I’d be teaching from personal experience, not from a book I read or a course that I took." "It takes eight years to become an overnight success." "If you help enough other people get what they want, you will get what you want." Jaden Sterling Links https://www.instagram.com/jadensterling/ https://jadensterling.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadensterling/ https://sterlingstockpicker.com/jaden_sterling WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

  8. Jun 1

    Conscious Design: Building Brands for People and the Planet

    Can you create a product that’s both high-performance and planet-friendly without breaking the bank? Ian Peterman, founder of Peterman Design Firm, joins the show to prove that conscious design isn't just a trend—it's a massive business advantage. With over two decades of experience working with giants like HP and Nike, Ian now focuses on helping missions-driven brands develop, commercialize, and launch innovative products. We explore the cutting edge of materials—from mushroom roots to cactus leather—and dive into the unexpected world of space exploration and the growing problem of "space junk." Ian breaks down the "trial by fire" journey of leading an international team and explains why your brand's mission is your most valuable asset. Whether you're an entrepreneur with a new product idea or a leader looking to integrate sustainability into your legacy, this episode offers a masterclass in human-centered, future-proof design. KEY TAKEAWAYS The "Stealth" Sustainability Strategy: Instead of trying to convince every client to go green, lead with efficiency and performance; sustainability often becomes a natural, high-value byproduct that marketing teams love. The ROI of Conscious Materials: Current consumer data consistently shows that people are willing to pay a premium for products that are environmentally friendly. Validating Before Investing: A successful launch begins in the R&D phase by proving there is a legitimate market before committing millions to production. The Value of an International Core Team: Leading a business "on the fly" requires a dynamic, diverse team of both core staff and specialised contractors to remain industry-agnostic. Long-Term Brand Value: Investing in your brand identity is just as critical as the product itself; a globally recognised brand can eventually be worth billions in intangible assets. QUOTES "The people that we help the most... is companies that are wanting to launch new product line." "I would say SEO was probably our best investment that we've ever made." "We found that a lot of people think that it's super expensive to make a more sustainable product... most of the time that turns into a more sustainable product with better selling features." "Space junk is a problem... there's tons of gold and platinum and all these other expensive materials just floating up there." "Richard Branson said the most important thing to invest in is your brand. It’s always been." Ian Peterman Links https://www.ianpeterman.com/ https://www.instagram.com/peterman_ian/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianpeterman/ WILL STEEL LINKS 🔥 Connect with Will Steel – Business Coach & High Performance Transformation Expert If you're ready to level up your mindset, scale your business, and unlock peak performance, check out Will Steel’s coaching and content below: 🌐 Official Website https://willsteel.com/ 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/ 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willsteelcoaching/ 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transform

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About

Free to Lead is dedicated to showcasing not just the journeys of business owners and executives from various industries who are making significant impacts in their fields, but also some of what each of them dealt with along the way, and what they are dealing with now. Hosted by Will Steel, one of the world’s most highly regarded transformational leaders, the podcast delves into the stories of visionary business owners and leaders who are not only driven by their passion but also inspired by their purpose.

Information

  • Creator
    Will Steel
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Will Steel