A vital component of scaling a business successfully is getting the right people on board – and making sure they love coming to work. Performance is intrinsically linked with how well your team gels and communicates as problems are dealt with and new ideas are brought to life.

So join us for another insight-rich discussion with Eric Stone, veteran exec of Enterprise Holdings as he and host Phil Rose dig deeper into the five factors of employee engagement. (Find episode 1 here).

As Eric lifts each one off the page, we get some invaluable and practical tips on implementation for maximum impact.

Listen to the five tried-and-tested elements behind his success:

• Ensure everyone has a strong relationship with their manager.
• Be crystal clear about what’s expected of each individual and the goals they need to hit.
• To do this, they have the right outcome-focused materials, equipment and information.
• Personal goals are given the room they deserve alongside professional ones.
• Recognition and reward fuel passion and commitment when they’re relevant and meaningful. What you offer will strike differently with different people.

Bonus takeaways from the conversation:

• How do you become wealthy? ‘Slowly’ says Eric. ‘Consistency beats intensity’.
• Tips on how to check in with your team to make sure everyone stays in shape.
• How one bright initiative can hit all five factors of employee engagement.
• Why we should be on the lookout for bore-out as well as burnout and how to protect our people against it.
• Why culture takes you beyond jumpstart into sustainable growth.

Another episode crammed with tangible advice and instantly implementable micro-strategies, we hope you found it as useful and inspiring as we did.

Learn More:

• Visit the Ignium website
• Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
• Listen to the show here
• Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com/
• Sign Up to Tiny Sparks, our Bi-Monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe
• Connect on LinkedIn with Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/

Connect with Eric Stone:

• Eric Stone’s book: Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture: A Road Map For Igniting High Performance
• Website: Clear Path Ventures
• LinkedIn: Eric Stone

In the first of two episodes with author and speaker Eric Stone, our host Phil Rose discovers practical answers to the issues many businesses struggle with while scaling up. They draw on Eric’s 26 years with Enterprise Holdings which led him from its infancy to being one of the most decorated Regional VPs in the company’s history.

It’s a value-packed conversation covering:

• The five factors of employee engagement – and the vital role of coaching in this.

• How do you duplicate yourself and embed culture as you grow? Eric introduces us to the ABC of communication and where Cultural Carriers come in.

• Eric takes us through his simple but effective approach to training and development so scaling business owners can let go and trust.

• The three things you need to look for when hiring.

• Why kindness and weakness are not the same thing.

• The wider impact of living your values – for your employees, your family and your community.

• What do you do when an employee who has been with you forever no longer fits with your evolved company culture?

• Why you should take your leadership skills home with you.

‘You don’t have to be the smartest guy in the room, you just have to be able to use the room’ Eric says. This sums it up well. Handing over the reins is probably the most harrowing part of taking a business to the next level but Eric’s quiet confidence and human-focused mindset is as reassuring as it is inspiring.

We hope you enjoy listening to this idea-a-minute podcast as much as we enjoyed recording it.

As always, please feel free to get in touch or comment if you have something to add and share – you never know who will benefit from listening too.

Learn More: ye

• Visit the Ignium website
• Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
• Listen to the show here
• Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com/
• Sign Up to our Ignium Bi Monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe
• Connect on LinkedIn with Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/

Connect with Eric Stone:

• Eric Stone’s book: Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture: A Road Map For Igniting High Performance
• Website: Clear Path Ventures
• LinkedIn: Eric Stone

In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose sits down with Chantal Cornelius, founder of Appletree Marketing, to dive deep into marketing strategies that help businesses stand out. With over two decades of experience, Chantal is known for guiding clients with her unique "standout strategies" designed to ensure authentic and effective marketing. From sharing her journey to explaining how purpose and emotional connection fuel client engagement, Chantal provides insights for businesses to connect with customers in ways that make a lasting impact. Get ready to discover actionable advice on making your brand resonate.

Main Points for Listeners:

1. [13:02] The Story Behind Appletree Marketing – Chantal shares how she founded Appletree Marketing and why a blue apple became her brand’s signature.
2. [17:59] Difference Between Coaching and Mentoring in Marketing – Chantal explains her role as a marketing mentor, focusing on giving clear directions rather than just guidance.
3. [31:45] Five Standout Strategies to Differentiate Your Business – Discover Chantal's framework: Certainty, Connection, Contribution, Growth, and Significance.
4. [39:37] Understanding Your Client’s Emotional Needs – Why businesses should use client feedback to choose their standout strategy effectively.
5. [44:50] Consistency Across Marketing, Sales, and Delivery – The importance of congruent messaging for building trust and enhancing brand loyalty.

Quotes and Highlights:

• “We buy on emotion, and we justify with logic. Your brand should resonate emotionally first.”
• “Certainty isn’t boring; it’s about being a safe pair of hands that clients know they can trust.”
• “A purpose doesn’t have to be grand. Sometimes, it’s just about helping people feel seen and supported.”

Biography: Since founding Appletree Marketing in 2000, Chantal Cornelius has spent the last two decades helping hundreds of coaches, consultants, and speakers grow their businesses and achieve their goals through making strong emotional connections with their clients. Her mission is to help business owners realize that the path to success doesn’t have to involve churning out endless social media content. Chantal knows that the key to standing out from competitors is to build long-lasting client relationships, and she has developed several Stand Out Strategies that businesses can use to incorporate more empathy into their work, stand out from the crowd, and form the best possible emotional connection with their clients.

Learn More:

• Visit Ignium
• Subscribe for exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank
• Listen to more episodes of Sparks by Ignium: Episode Link

Connect with Chantal Cornelius:

• Website: Appletree Marketing
• LinkedIn: Chantal Cornelius

Books and Articles Referenced:

1. The Art of Choosing the Right Strategy – Chantal Cornelius (forthcoming, 2025)

Keywords in this episode: Marketing mentor, purpose-driven business, emotional engagement, standout strategies, customer experience, brand loyalty

Download Links:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• Google Podcasts

This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs looking to create meaningful connections with their audience. Listen in to uncover the secrets to standing out and driving sustainable growth!

Internationally renowned speaker, author, peacekeeper and coach Urs Koenig introduced us to the phrase in his first conversation with Phil Rose.

In his second round on the Sparks by Ignium Podcast, Urs uses stories and experiences to show what this principle looks like in real life and how you can embed it into your leadership development.

We learn about:

1. His secret to getting the ear of decision-makers within an organisation regardless of their position relative to you.
2. The element that’s even more important than strategy and flow charts in crisis management (here’s a hint: the work starts before the proverbial hits the fan).
3. Why the most effective leaders work to make themselves obsolete.
4. The best predictor for a team's performance (and it’s not the size of the team, its talents or its tenure) – and how to cultivate this.
5. How failures can strengthen a team and raise standards through the positive influence of vulnerability.
6. The three levels of listening and how to be more intentional.
7. How Urs chooses to give back to the world and how this fits in so well with his approach to leadership and radical humility.

Full of storytelling: from his peacekeeping missions to his life as a coach and father, this upbeat conversation is full of ‘pause and grab a notepad’ ideas for leadership development sure to inspire anyone.

We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

Texts mentioned:

Radical Humility – Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human – Urs Koenig.

Shackleton’s Way – Lessons in Leadership from the Great Antarctic Explorer – Stephanie Capparell and Margot Morrell.

JA Africa

Does humility belong in leadership?

In this episode, Phil Rose talks to author, international speaker, UN peacekeeper and performance athlete Urs Koenig who presents a compelling argument for staying humble while driving results.

A tricky line to walk but thankfully Urs has plenty of practical information on how to do it taken from his life journey so far and his book Radical Humility. He takes Phil through his experiences as a UN peacekeeping commander, coach, leader, and family man to highlight his points of learning and how he’s used each one to impact the course of his life and that of countless others.

Things we loved:

• What humble leadership is (and what it isn’t).
• Through his intriguing journey in the military, business, family life and international work, how he learned it’s possible to be both a good human and a badass leader.
• The importance of living in your client’s shoes.
• We’re all a work in progress.
• Leadership isn’t a popularity contest. Asking for feedback has to be active and ongoing but we get to choose what we want to work on.
• The three steps to reframing failure, even when it’s very public – drawn from his own very painful experiences and triumphant comeback.
• Vulnerability – when to use it in leadership and when not to. Also, how to acknowledge your blind spots because marginalised groups may not have the same freedoms.
• Humility is not a replacement for competence and what you might have to earn first.

Phil wraps this first conversation by asking Urs about the best feedback he’s been given recently and how he dealt with it. His answers will resonate with everyone.

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did and as you listen, make time to jot down the points you found useful, you never know when they might come in handy. Share and like too, it helps to get our message out there to those who also want to scale their business, life and impact

Learn More: visit the Ignium https://www.igniumconsult.com
Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank https://www.igniumconsult.com/the-spark-tank
Listen to the show: https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/episodes
Connect with today’s guest

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urs-koenig-ab3828/
• Website: https://www.urskoenig.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koenigurs/
• Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human.

Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com/

Sign Up to our Ignium Bi Monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe
Connect on LinkedIn with Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/

In the first of a 2-part episode, Founder of DNA Behaviour International Hugh Massie and podcast host Phil Rose explore where the spheres of money and human behaviour meet. In particular, they look at human behaviour and how it drives business outcomes, particularly in financial contexts.

Hugh shares his insights as a Behavioural Solutions Architect and explains how understanding, measuring and then adapting behaviours removes stubborn barriers to personal and business growth.

Key points:

· If money drives business but the results come about through the actions of people, how do you actively create an environment where people can express their unique talents and do their best work?

· ‘Behind every business problem is a human behaviour – problems don’t just happen.’ Find the behavioural issues and you’ve likely found your solution.

· What are the Engager and Initiator types, what are their advantages and how does DNA Behavior sit apart from other profiling tools?

· Ensuring all bases are covered with different leadership styles can cause friction but it can also give birth to a robust and profitable culture.

· Strengths if overplayed become a struggle but by gaining clarity, adapting or learning how to delegate we save our energy to create first-class outcomes.

· Where financial behaviour fits into the mix. If two people can look at the same transaction differently what implications does this have for your business growth?

This conversation is an intersection of so many themes: personal and business; behaviour and financial; and leadership and cultural. Where each meets is a place for pause, consideration, clarity and possibly redirection – but always at the heart, there is purpose.

Main Recording Points for Listeners:

1. Behavioural Solutions Architect Defined [9:18]
   Hugh explains his role as a Behavioural Solutions Architect and how he helps businesses design solutions driven by human behaviour.
2. The Importance of Financial Behaviour [17:11]
   Discover why measuring financial behaviours is crucial and how it differentiates DNA Behaviour from other profiling tools.
3. Identity and Purpose in Business [25:16]
   Phil and Hugh discuss the impact of identity and purpose on business decisions and leadership effectiveness.
4. The Strengths and Struggles of Leadership Styles [32:47]
   Learn about the different leadership styles, such as initiators and engagers, and how their strengths can also be their struggles.
5. Linking Behaviour to Financial Decisions [41:04]
   Hugh connects the dots between behavioural strengths and financial outcomes, emphasizing the importance of understanding how leaders make financial decisions.

Quotes and Highlights:

• "Behind every business problem, life problem, and financial problem is human behaviour. Problems don’t just happen—they're driven by people."
• "Money drives a business, but the results come from the actions of people."
• "Your strengths overplayed can become a struggle; awareness of this is key to effective leadership."

Learn More:

• Visit the Ignium website
• Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
• Listen to the show here

Connect with Hugh Massie:

• Website: DNA Behaviour
• LinkedIn: Hugh Massie

Books and Articles Referenced:

1. The Power of Identity: The Information Age by Manuel Castells
2. StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath

Keywords in this episode: Behavioural solutions, financial behaviour, leadership styles, identity, purpose, DNA Behaviour, business success

Download Links:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• Google Podcasts

‘When someone is working for a greater mission, it fuels all of our work.’ In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose talks to strategic speaking expert Blair Bryant Nichols about ensuring our message is heard loud and clear.

It’s not just what we say that makes the magic, it’s how we purposefully connect it to our audience. We’re not all public speakers but we are all business owners so we need to get our message out there in a way that makes sense. How else are we going to achieve our aims or drive growth?

Whether speaking is part of your business model, a sideline or not even on your radar, this podcast is full of takeaways about authenticity, story and the uplifting power of communication.

Key points:

· Why speaking isn’t just a vocation, it’s an advocation. Purpose fuels success.

· Get over the butterflies by remembering you’re there to give your unique gift to the audience.

· The expansive nature of diverse voices – and not just when discussing diversity.

· The pitfalls of not rehearsing enough – and being over-scripted.

· Why speaking is an effective business tool you might not have thought of.

· How to convert from the spoken word to personal connections (and sales).

· Be aspirational but seek to close the gap between you and your audience.

· Authentic, personal, relatable stories build the strongest connections.

· Tips on how to use slides. Hint: don’t read them to your audience.

There are times when the pressure is on to speak to everyone in the room – and it doesn’t matter if we’re a keynote speaker at a conference or delivering a pitch to our peers. Then there are the times when we’re reaching out to our ideal clients and feel less than confident about it.

So there’s something for everyone here.

The Sparks by Ignium podcast is all about you, the listener. That’s why we love it when you get involved. So if there’s something you’d like us to cover, please get in touch – and remember to comment, like and subscribe so that we can help as many people as possible. Thank you.

About Blair

Strategic speaking expert Blair Bryant Nichols advocates for diverse and purposeful success in the speaking industry. He’s the founder of BBN Creative Management, developing speakers for corporate events, conferences and other opportunities so they can stand up and build engagement with their voices.

At the heart of his work is the strategy behind speaking events – in particular, how we leverage stories to engage the minds and hearts of the audience to transform them into clients. He loves new and distant places, reading, creating and being at home with his husband and Shepherd-mix Aspen.

Learn more: visit the Ignium https://www.igniumconsult.com

Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank https://www.igniumconsult.com/the-spark-tank

Connect with today’s guest: https://www.bbncreativemanagement.com/about

Learn more about Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com

Sign up to our Ignium bi-monthly Newsletter https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/subscribe

Connect on LinkedIn Phil Rose https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachphilrose/