The Breakout CEO Podcast | Intellectual Strategies

The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs

The Breakout CEO podcast brings you candid conversations with scaling CEOs at leadership & strategic inflection points. Each episode is a curated interview that explores the mindset, strategy, and pivotal decisions driving breakthrough success for high-growth companies ($5MM-$50MM+).

Jeff Holman is the host of The Breakout CEO podcast and the founder of Intellectual Strategies, where he works closely with CEOs and leadership teams of scaling companies on strategy, governance, and risk during periods of rapid growth. Jeff has spent years inside the decision-making rooms of growth-stage companies, helping leaders navigate moments when complexity increases, tradeoffs become unavoidable, and the cost of misalignment rises. He brings a peer-level perspective shaped by that experience, focusing conversations on the inflection points that materially change a company’s trajectory. The Breakout CEO podcast reflects his approach with candid, operator-level discussions centered on real decisions rather than retrospective storytelling or promotion.

Guest Participation - We feature a limited number of CEOs leading scaling companies with meaningful, first-hand breakout moments. If you believe your story would add value for an audience of scaling CEOs, please apply.

APPLY TO BE A GUEST

Media & Event Partnerships - For press access, on-site recording, or event collaboration inquiries, please contact us. We record a limited number of on-site conversations at select events with CEOs and founders whose stories align with the podcast’s focus on leadership, strategy, and execution.

Subscribe & Listen

Episode 028

Building a Mission-Driven Hardware Company in a Disposable World

with Tom Biship, CEO of Paleblue

Blending mission-first thinking, sustainability, and product manufacturing discipline can transform a disposable hardware category into a scalable business.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 027

Scaling a Home Services Company to $30M: Pricing, Leadership, and the Path to Private Equity

with Dan James, Former CEO of Black Diamond Experts

Learn how a home services business scaled to $30M by repricing for EBITDA, building leadership systems, and preparing for a private equity exit strategy.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 026

Designing a Business Buyers Will Actually Acquire

with Andrew Gazdecki, Acquire.com

A practical look at how founders design businesses for acquisition, avoid stalled exits, and create a clear, buyer-ready sale process without operational drag.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 025

When the Cold Breaks: Nikky Kho on Building Businesses, Forgiveness, and Seeing the Peak

with Nikky Kho, Self Mastery Co.

What does trekking to Everest Base Camp have to do with building companies, pioneering AI, and surviving six-figure setbacks? For Nikky Kho, everything.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 024

How The Queen of Wraps Scaled to Success: Loss Leaders, Capacity, and Margin Control

with Heather Griffith Barber, Buy Scale Sell

Explore how "The Queen of Wraps" scaled an exit-ready business by using loss leaders, smart capacity bets, and vertical integration to protect margins.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 023

From Wall Street to White-Glove Moves: How Corinne Morahan Built a Business by Eliminating Friction

with Corinne Morahan, Grid + Glam

Corinne Morahan shares how organization, systems thinking, and calculated risk-taking helped her scale a multi-seven-figure business without burning out.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

CEO Leadership Insights from Season 1 (Episodes 001-022)

12 Leadership Insights for Scaling CEOs That Turn Breakdowns into Breakouts

with Jeff Holman, Host of The Breakout CEO

Growth-stage CEOs and advisers share 12 leadership insights that drive breakout success, while avoiding breakdowns, from Season 1 of The Breakout CEO podcast.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 022

Proactive Patience: The Leadership Skill Scaling CEOs Can’t Afford to Ignore

with David M. Sluss, ESSEC Business School

Exponential growth takes more than just hustle. David Sluss reveals why proactive patience is one of the most overlooked leadership skills in scaling companies.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 021

When Growth Outpaces Trust: How Scaling CEOs Can Navigate Team Conflict Before It Breaks the Business

with Leah Brown, The WayFinders Group

Corporate lawyer Leah Brown explains why unresolved team conflict quietly stalls momentum, and what CEOs can do about it before it becomes a breaking point.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode 020

Smart Scaling for CEOs: Lessons from 45 Years in Business with Steve Smith

with Steve Smith, Growth Source Coaching

Growth is exciting, but unmanaged growth can undermine everything you’ve built. Veteran coach Steve Smith breaks down what it really takes to scale smart.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs

Building a Mission-Driven Hardware Company in a Disposable World

with Tom Biship, CEO of Paleblue

Scaling a Home Services Company to $30M: Pricing, Leadership, and the Path to Private Equity

with Dan James, Former CEO of Black Diamond Experts

Designing a Business Buyers Will Actually Acquire

with Andrew Gazdecki, Acquire.com

When the Cold Breaks: Nikky Kho on Building Businesses, Forgiveness, and Seeing the Peak

with Nikky Kho, Self Mastery Co.

How The Queen of Wraps Scaled to Success: Loss Leaders, Capacity, and Margin Control

with Heather Griffith Barber, Buy Scale Sell

From Wall Street to White-Glove Moves: How Corinne Morahan Built a Business by Eliminating Friction

with Corinne Morahan, Grid + Glam

12 Leadership Insights for Scaling CEOs That Turn Breakdowns into Breakouts

with Jeff Holman, Host of The Breakout CEO

Proactive Patience: The Leadership Skill Scaling CEOs Can’t Afford to Ignore

with David M. Sluss, ESSEC Business School

When Growth Outpaces Trust: How Scaling CEOs Can Navigate Team Conflict Before It Breaks the Business

with Leah Brown, The WayFinders Group

Smart Scaling for CEOs: Lessons from 45 Years in Business with Steve Smith

with Steve Smith, Growth Source Coaching

GET SMART LEGAL INSIGHTS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX