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.

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Episode 009

Leadership Curiosity or Curiophobia: Unlocking Innovation with Spencer Harrison

with Spencer Harrison, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD

Curiosity drives innovation and resilience. Learn Spencer Harrison’s insights on fostering curiosity as a habit for CEOs and leaders of scaling organizations.

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Episode 008

The Pillowcase Moment: How Steven Selikoff Built a Profit-First Mindset

with Steven Selikoff, Product 1

Before teaching how to profit from product innovation, Steven Selikoff had his own “pillowcase moment.” It changed how he built—and taught—business forever.

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Episode 007

From Trade Wars to Triumph: How Alex Burdge Scaled Shyft Global Through Global Disruption

with Alex Burdge, Shyft Global

Alex Burdge, CEO of Shyft Global, shares how resilience, purpose, and strong teams helped him navigate trade wars, COVID-19, and major global disruption.

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Episode 006

Private, Secure, Embedded: ASA's Story + Lessons in Grit and Growth

with Landon Glenn, ASA

Landon Glenn’s ASA blends privacy, empowerment, and fintech innovation. Discover his breakout lessons and how ASA is preparing for a bold NASDAQ listing.

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Episode 005

Build, Break, Break Out: Managing Up, Surviving Hypergrowth, and Using AI for CEO Leverage

with Dr. Darren Pulsipher, Paidar Productions

Dr. Darren Pulsipher shares how managing up (not just down) turned chaos into hypergrowth—and how CEOs can hand the grunt work to AI and get back to strategy.

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Episode 004

Scaling a Service-Based SaaS: How Phil Alves Built DevSquad to 100+ People Without Investors

with Phil Alves, DevSquad

What does it take to scale a service-based SaaS business without outside investors? Phil Alves, CEO of DevSquad, uses squads, systems, and a focus on culture.

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Episode 003

Nail It, Build It, Then Scale It: Mentorship Lessons from One of Utah’s Startup Leaders

with John Richards, Startup Ignition

Veteran entrepreneur and mentor John Richards joins host Jeff Holman to unpack the breakout decisions that turn scrappy founders into durable, scalable CEOs.

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Episode 002

From Freemium to “Value-First”: The Pricing Pivot That Fueled SubcontractorHub’s Breakout Growth

with Justin Brach, SubcontractorHub

SubcontractorHub CEO Justin Brach breaks down the asset-light model, AI systems, and pricing pivots behind his breakout moment and his company’s rapid growth.

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Episode 001

Launching The Breakout CEO Podcast

with Jeff Holman, Intellectual Strategies

The Breakout CEO podcast shares pivotal stories from scaling leaders. Hosted by Jeff Holman, uncover insights to innovate, grow, and lead with confidence.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

The Breakout CEO: Inside the Strategic Moves of Scaling CEOs

Leadership Curiosity or Curiophobia: Unlocking Innovation with Spencer Harrison

with Spencer Harrison, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD

The Pillowcase Moment: How Steven Selikoff Built a Profit-First Mindset

with Steven Selikoff, Product 1

From Trade Wars to Triumph: How Alex Burdge Scaled Shyft Global Through Global Disruption

with Alex Burdge, Shyft Global

Private, Secure, Embedded: ASA's Story + Lessons in Grit and Growth

with Landon Glenn, ASA

Build, Break, Break Out: Managing Up, Surviving Hypergrowth, and Using AI for CEO Leverage

with Dr. Darren Pulsipher, Paidar Productions

Scaling a Service-Based SaaS: How Phil Alves Built DevSquad to 100+ People Without Investors

with Phil Alves, DevSquad

Nail It, Build It, Then Scale It: Mentorship Lessons from One of Utah’s Startup Leaders

with John Richards, Startup Ignition

From Freemium to “Value-First”: The Pricing Pivot That Fueled SubcontractorHub’s Breakout Growth

with Justin Brach, SubcontractorHub

Launching The Breakout CEO Podcast

with Jeff Holman, Intellectual Strategies

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