Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast

Hosted by Growth Elevated

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Episodes

Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-US

About the show

The Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast is designed to help you become a better leader. Each week we interview C-Level leaders of SaaS and other technology companies and explore their lessons from their growth journey.

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60 recent

May 25, 2026Episode 536 min

John Peebles On Building AI Automation Inside Administrate

What does practical AI adoption actually look like inside a growing enterprise software company?In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, Julian Castelli sits down with John Peebles, CEO of Administrate, to explore how a former AI skeptic found real business value in Claude Code, agentic coding, and internal workflow automation.John shares how Administrate’s enterprise onboarding process became increasingly complex as the company moved toward larger customers. With project managers, solution consultants, legacy systems, manual configuration, and “wild spreadsheets” all part of the process, implementation work had become slow, repetitive, and difficult to scale.Rather than starting with a flashy AI product feature, John focused on a painful internal bottleneck. Using AI, his team helped turn complex configuration decisions into a structured, reviewable workflow that could import setup data in about 30 seconds.This is a grounded conversation about where AI can create real operational leverage: not by chasing trends, but by solving the manual work teams already know is holding them back.🔑Key takeaways:Why John was initially skeptical of AIHow Claude Code changed his perspectiveWhy coding is powerful because it can be testedHow internal AI automation can improve speed, quality, and customer experienceWhy CEOs should start with practical workflows before chasing AI hype👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates

April 30, 2026Episode 638 min

Michael Guymon on Why Fixing Weaknesses Is a Leadership Trap

Have you been told that great leaders need to constantly fix their weaknesses?In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, Julian Castelli sits down with Michael Guymon, CEO of SQA Services and former leader at SpaceX and Rocket Lab, to challenge that idea.Michael shares why trying to turn every weakness into a strength is not just inefficient, it is a leadership trap. As companies scale, the role of a CEO shifts dramatically. You cannot do everything yourself, and trying to will slow your growth and burn you out.Instead, Michael explains why the best leaders build around their gaps by hiring people with complementary strengths. From navigating imposter syndrome to creating a culture that encourages real debate over artificial harmony, this conversation dives into what it actually takes to lead at the next level.🔑 Key Takeaways:Why fixing weaknesses is an uphill battleHiring for strengths and building balanced teamsThe difference between right person and right seatWhy conflict driven cultures outperform passive teamsHow first time CEOs evolve their leadership style👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates

April 20, 2026Episode 533 min

The $500/hr CEO: Mastering the Art of Executive Leverage with Jamie Shanks

Are you a $500/hour executive stuck doing $5/hour work? Most founders who scale past the $5M mark eventually hit a growth ceiling, not because of product or market, but because they’re still buried in the day-to-day noise of the business.In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, Julian Castelli sits down with GetLevrg CEO Jamie Shanks to unpack what he calls the “founder’s trap”.Jamie is a serial entrepreneur who has trained over 250,000 sellers and built three seven-figure agencies. In this podcast, he shares the framework he uses to help leaders shift from low-value execution to high-impact decision-making by trading $5 tasks for $500 outcomes.We explore his “Three Ps” framework: Principle, Process, and Platform, and how offshore talent and AI can be combined to remove operational friction and accelerate growth.Jamie also breaks down his “DSO Zero” strategy, which allowed him to scale a 115-person global team starting with nothing more than a credit card and a disciplined approach to cash flow.If you’re navigating the messy middle of scaling, or trying to step out of execution and into real leadership, this episode offers a clear, practical blueprint.👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

April 6, 2026Episode 425 min

Jay McEntire on Fixing Farming with AI and Regenerative Practices

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, Julian Castelli sits down with Jay McEntire, founder and CEO of ARVA Intelligence, to unpack a hard truth: modern farming is under serious pressure, and many farmers are struggling to survive.For decades, agriculture has been optimized for one thing: producing cheap calories at scale. But that model is breaking down under rising input costs, volatile markets, and unsustainable practices.Jay shares how AI is transforming key decisions in farming, from fertilizer use to soil management. By leveraging data at the field level, farmers can optimize inputs more precisely, reducing costs while improving yields and resilience.The conversation also explores how regenerative practices are turning farms into carbon assets, creating new revenue streams through environmental impact and carbon markets.If you are interested in how AI is reshaping agriculture and unlocking new economic opportunities, this episode offers a clear perspective on the future of farming, sustainability, and long-term profitability.Ready to take your leadership to the next level? 👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com 📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates 🎧

March 23, 2026Episode 335 min

Is Predictable Revenue Still Possible in 2026? Aaron Ross Explains

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli sits down with Aaron Ross, bestselling author of Predictable Revenue, to discuss how sales and go-to-market strategies are evolving in the age of AI.Aaron reflects on the original ideas behind his book predictable revenue and explores whether those principles still apply in today’s rapidly changing business environment. While AI and automation are transforming sales tactics, Aaron explains why the core principles behind building a pipeline and driving growth remain relevant.The conversation also explores a broader shift toward nonlinear growth. As technology accelerates change, companies and individuals are moving beyond rigid, spreadsheet-driven models toward more adaptive strategies built on relationships, trust, publishing, and referrals.If you’re a founder, sales leader, or operator navigating the future of go-to-market, this episode offers practical insights on building sustainable growth in the AI era.👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for leadership insights and updates.Let’s grow together!

March 9, 2026Episode 231 min

The Recruiting Playbook for Scaling from 40 to 200+ Employees

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli sits down with Laura Frances Merin, a talent leader who helped scale a company from 43 employees to more than 200 during a period of hypergrowth.Laura shares lessons from over a decade of building recruiting systems at fast-growing startups and explains why great hiring isn’t about chasing resumes from big-name companies. Instead, it’s about recognizing entrepreneurial traits, building structured hiring processes, and trusting conviction when you see exceptional potential.She also discusses how authenticity and transparency with candidates can improve recruiting outcomes, including how her approach helped her achieve an extraordinary close rate when hiring top talent.If you’re a founder or leader responsible for building a team, this episode offers practical insights on identifying exceptional talent and building a hiring strategy that scales.👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates.Let’s grow together!

February 27, 2026Episode 118 min

The AI Monetization Shift: Insights from Bessemer’s Pricing Playbook

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli explores how AI is reshaping SaaS pricing and monetization. Drawing on insights from Bessemer Venture Partners’ AI Pricing and Monetization Playbook, Julian examines why traditional seat-based subscription models are increasingly under pressure.For years, SaaS thrived on predictable per-seat pricing with high margins and minimal variable costs. AI changes that equation. With compute costs tied to tokens, inference, and GPU usage, margins can compress if pricing isn’t aligned with value creation.Julian breaks down the shift from selling access to aligning pricing more closely with outcomes. He explores copilots, AI agents, and AI-enabled services, and discusses the implications of the coming 2026 renewal cycle for founders and buyers alike.If you’re building or investing in AI-powered software, this episode offers a practical lens on pricing strategy, margins, and long-term sustainability.👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates.Let’s grow together!

January 5, 2026Episode 2338 min

Sean Behr on Scaling a Multi-Product Tech Company

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain AI. Sean shares his journey from Fountain’s first angel investor to CEO, leading the company through a 10x revenue increase in just five years.Fountain AI automates hiring and management for high-volume frontline teams. Sean highlights the distinction between traditional desk-based employees and the frontline workforce, which represents 70% to 80% of people globally. He points out that most frontline workers lack resumes or LinkedIn profiles, making mobile-first communication essential for a population often overlooked by standard technology.The conversation explores Sean’s Zero-Based Leadership framework, which challenges leaders to evaluate every meeting and tactic from scratch to ensure they drive the business forward. Sean also discusses growing a suite of 12 successful products and the importance of intentional communication during rapid scaling.Together, they break down what makes a leadership transition work, from maintaining historical context to evolving personal styles as a business expands. Sean explains how mobile-first automation and rigorous internal product hurdles helped Fountain strengthen its execution while serving millions of workers worldwide. If you are interested in how zero-based thinking can turn operational complexity into scalable growth, this episode offers a practical look at evolving as a tech leader.Ready to take your leadership to the next level? 👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

December 22, 2025Episode 2226 min

Sarah Lehman and Gord Boyce on Scaling a Fast-Growing Company with EOS

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli sits down with Sarah Lehman, CEO of Zartico, and Gord Boyce, professional EOS Implementer. Together, they explore how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helps fast-growing companies bring structure, clarity, and discipline to rapid growth.Sarah shares Zartico’s journey from explosive early growth to what she calls a company refounding. After scaling quickly during COVID and launching a powerful new visitor intelligence platform, Zartico reached a point where growth was amplifying chaos. Sarah explains why she revisited EOS, how working with an experienced implementer changed the outcome, and what it looks like to build scalable systems without slowing momentumGord brings the operator’s perspective, drawing on decades of experience as a tech CEO who scaled companies through high-growth phases. He explains why EOS works for entrepreneurial teams, why leadership cadence and accountability matter, and how an external facilitator accelerates results by keeping teams focused on executionTogether, they discuss leadership alignment, accountability charts, Level 10 meetings, KPIs, and why CEOs benefit from participating in the process rather than trying to run it alone. If you are leading a growing company and looking for a proven framework to support your next phase of growth, this episode offers practical insight from leaders who have lived it.👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates.Let’s grow together!

December 8, 2025Episode 2127 min

Yeshwanth Pulijala on Scaling HealthTech in the U.S.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Rick Lindquist sits down with Yeshwanth Pulijala, co-founder and CEO of Scalpel AI, and Julian Castelli, operating partner at Mercia Ventures. Scalpel AI is transforming the surgical supply chain using computer vision to ensure every operating room has the right instruments at the right time.Yeshwanth shares how Scalpel is tackling inefficiencies that have existed for decades in surgical logistics, saving hospitals time and money while improving patient outcomes. Julian discusses how he supports founders like Yeshwanth as an operating partner, helping them navigate U.S. expansion, build stronger teams, and scale operations with structure and speed.Together, they break down what makes the partnership between investors and founders work, from trust and transparency to clear priorities and shared accountability. Yeshwanth explains how working with Julian helped Scalpel strengthen hiring, finance, and go-to-market execution as the company accelerates growth in the U.S.If you are interested in how AI, partnership, and operational expertise can turn complex challenges into scalable solutions, this episode offers a practical look at the power of collaboration between founders and operating partners.Ready to take your leadership to the next level? 👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.