Tired of being the only one making decisions?
Many business owners don’t realise how much their own personality is either driving or holding back growth. This week on ScaleUp Radio, I spoke with two inspiring business owners whose contrasting stories highlight just how much your leadership style can shape your ability to scale.
Meet Chris Carter, founder of EventWise, who built a finance driven software company for the events industry by diving in headfirst. Then meet Claire Loftus, founder of Evolve, an HR consultancy shaped by empathy, resilience, and a commitment to people.
Their journeys reflect a powerful truth I’ve seen time and again working with hundreds of business owners: how you lead determines how far you can scale.
Scaling Strategies for SMEs: What Chris and Claire Teach Us About Leadership Development
Chris Carter: The Relentless Risk Taker
Chris founded EventWise with a clear purpose: to move the events industry beyond spreadsheets. But his approach? All in. He ignored typical advice and poured years into building a fully functional MVP with five core features before getting market feedback.
Lessons from Chris:
Be ready to educate your market, especially if you're disrupting habits
Conferences and persistence can be more effective than paid ads
Full scale product development is a high stakes gamble
Self funding + scaling = burnout risk
"I did the opposite of what every book says. I just jumped in and built it."
Chris is a classic Falcon: decisive, driven, and fast moving. But as we found in the ScaleUp Challenge Report, Falcons often struggle with delegation and team building.
Claire Loftus: The Empathetic Builder
Claire's journey with Evolve is rooted in lived experience, health challenges, and a desire for balance. Her growth has been measured, relational, and grounded in values. She takes pride in being pragmatic, flexible, and people first.
Lessons from Claire:
Growth doesn’t have to be flashy to be sustainable
Small gestures (like corporate taxis for staff) build lasting culture
Trust and empathy drive long term success
Iteration beats perfection for early stage development
"People are miserable at work. I want to change that."
Claire reflects a Dove personality: collaborative, steady, and loyal. But as the ScaleUp Challenge Report shows, Doves often struggle with strategic vision and decision making confidence.
Why Most SMEs Get Stuck at 9 Employees
According to the ScaleUp Challenge Report:
96% of UK businesses never grow beyond 9 staff
Only 7% have a truly scalable model (recurring revenue, low founder reliance, ability to 5x output)
50% struggle to get staff thinking and acting like owners
47% cite lead generation as a key challenge
Yet the real reason most businesses plateau? The founder's trap.
"Too many owners build the business around themselves, then wonder why they can’t scale."
Leadership development isn't just a nice to have. It's the lever that turns hard work into scalable success.
Prefer a Quick Breakdown?
Catch the latest ScaleUp Shorts where Granger Forson and I break down this week’s interviews:
My take on Chris Carter: "A classic Falcon. Relentless drive. But it came at a cost."
Granger on Claire Loftus: "She leads with heart and head. A great model for values led scaling."
Watch the Shorts episode on YouTube
Stop Being the Bottleneck. Start Scaling with Confidence
If you're stuck in day to day operations, or unsure how to get your team thinking like owners, you're not alone.
That’s why we run SmartBoards® Sneak Peek Sessions: a chance to experience peer to peer support and see what happens when you get the right people around you.
Whether you're a fast moving Falcon or a steady Dove, SmartBoards gives you the clarity, accountability, and challenge to grow your business without burning out.
If any of this sounds familiar, you're not alone. I’ve worked with hundreds of business owners facing these exact challenges. That’s why we created SmartBoards®: to help business leaders build high performing teams, make better decisions, and stop being the only one holding it all together.
Share this post: