Podcast
Peer Effect
Hosted by James Johnson · EN
Best way to scale? Your peers have the answers.
This is the podcast for scaleup founders looking for insightful, actionable wisdom from some of the best operators around. Each week we’ll explore one secret that other founders and experts are using right now and how to implement it.
It’s practical wisdom to build the company AND life you want. Hosted by renowned founder coach and advisor James Johnson.
You’ve survived to £1m, now let’s scale to £10m+.
38episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Why Co-CEOs Can Be a Superpower
2d ago00:43:20Tap to summarizeWhat actually makes a co-founder relationship work?In this episode of Peer Effect, James Johnson sits down with Verna co-founders and co-CEOs Rafi Cohen and Dr. Matthew Brown.They unpack why they chose a co-CEO structure, how they built deep trust before scaling, and the systems they use to maintain radical honesty while leading a fast-growing climate tech company.The conversation covers productive tension, founder communication, remote-first leadership, handling disagreements, and why most co-founder relationships fail long before the business does.A masterclass in building companies and relationships that last.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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Founder Depression: What Nobody Talks About
4d ago00:14:04Tap to summarizeFounder life isn’t just pressure - it’s pressure plus isolation.In this Peer Effect Post bag, James Johnson and Freddie Birley respond to a raw listener question: “I’m managing depression while being a founder - what do I do?”What follows isn’t advice from a textbook. It’s a grounded, honest conversation about shame, identity, and what it really means to build while not being “fully okay.”They explore why founders often mistake discipline for worth, how mental health can quietly reshape leadership, and why some of the traits you think are weaknesses might actually be advantages in disguise.This episode is about learning to stop fighting yourself long enough to actually see what’s going on - and deciding what to change, and what to carry differently.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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Capital Discipline, Debt & The 10-Year Founder Mindset | Dr. Serge Santos
1w ago00:22:42Tap to summarizeMost founders think growth is a funding problem.Dr Serge Santos sees it differently.As CEO of Bedrock Enterprises and founder of a UK SME lending platform, Serge has deployed capital at scale and worked across both equity and debt markets. His perspective is simple but uncomfortable: the way founders think about money is often what limits their long-term success.In this conversation we explore why capital discipline matters more than access to capital, how debt and equity are misunderstood by most entrepreneurs, and why chasing exit can quietly distort the way you build.We also dig into what it means to think in 10-year horizons instead of short-term wins, and why the strongest businesses are often the ones designed to outlast their founders entirely.This is a conversation about patience, structure, and building something that lasts longer than you do.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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Running Out of Runway? What Founders Should Do Next
2w ago00:10:11Tap to summarizeMost founders don’t talk about this moment.When you realise you’re running out of runway…and the clock is ticking.In this Peer Effect Postbag, James Johnson and Freddie Birley break down what actually matters when you're in that position: The 3 real options you have (cut costs, grow, or fundraise) Why running out of runway can force clarity and focus How pressure can increase performance (until it breaks you) Whether you should tell your team or not And how to avoid the mental spiral that kills executionThis isn’t theory. It’s the reality founders deal with at 2 AM.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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How to Validate a Startup Idea (Before You Waste Time & Money) | Aaron Solomon, Ambl
2w ago00:42:04Tap to summarizeWhat if you could validate your startup idea before wasting months (or years) building the wrong thing?Aaron Solomon, founder of Ambl, shares the real story behind building a startup from the ground up - including failure, lost savings, and the hard lessons that led to raising £4.3M and scaling internationally.In this episode: • How to test a business idea in the real world • Why most founders overbuild (and how to avoid it) • The power of customer conversations • Turning a “feature” into a scalable product • Expanding into new markets like DubaiA must-listen for founders, operators, and anyone building something from scratch.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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Stop Comparing Yourself to Other Founders
3w ago00:14:26Tap to summarizeComparison is one of the fastest ways to lose momentum as a founder.In this Post Bag episode, we unpack why it happens, why it’s misleading, and how to stay focused on your own path.From the “swimming” analogy to the reality behind LinkedIn success, this is a practical conversation on cutting through noise and building with clarity.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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How Integrity Became This Founder's Business Strategy (400 Weddings a Year)
3w ago00:36:05Tap to summarizeJenna Ackerley, founder of Events Under Canvas, built a business delivering 400 weddings a year - without cutting corners.In this episode, she breaks down how integrity and authenticity shaped her decisions, from early growth to navigating COVID, and eventually stepping back from the day-to-day.We cover: Building trust as a growth engine Making harder (but better) decisions Founder identity beyond the business Why doing the “right thing” actually compounds A grounded conversation on building something that works, on paper and in real life.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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Post-Exit: What No One Tells You After You Sell Your Company
4w ago00:15:56Tap to summarize“I’ve exited… what now?”It sounds simple. It’s not.In this Post Bag episode, James Johnson and Freddie Birley unpack what really happens after the deal is done - and why many founders feel something they didn’t expect.This isn’t about tactics. It’s about what comes after the thing you thought you wanted.Inside:👉 Why the post-exit phase can feel strangely unclear👉 The trap founders fall into next👉 A different way to approach what’s comingThere’s one idea in this episode that changes how you think about the entire journey.Submit your questions: hello@peer-effect.comMore from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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When to Be Hands-On and When to Build Systems as You Scale
Apr 1500:35:56Tap to summarizeAgata Krawiec‑Rokita, co-founder and CEO of sun.store, scaled from a €12M GMV forecast to €100M in just 12 months.Now she’s facing the next challenge: shifting from doing everything herself to building systems that scale.In this episode, James Johnson and Agata chat about how she decides when to stay hands-on, when to step back, and why scaling is often harder than starting.We cover: • The framework she uses to choose where to stay involved • Why startup planning breaks down during rapid growth • The mindset shift from year one to scale-up • The line between being hands-on and micromanaging • The one question she asks before major initiativesThe hardest part of scaling isn’t hiring great people. It’s letting go while the stakes keep rising.Listen now to hear how she’s navigating the transition.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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What Should You Actually Use a Coach For?
Apr 1300:18:29Tap to summarizeMost founders misunderstand what coaching is for.And it costs them.In this Post Bag episode, James Johnson and Freddie Birley unpack what coaching actually does - and why the best founders use it differently.This isn’t about frameworks. It’s about decision-making, pressure, and telling the truth when it matters.Listen to the end if you’ve ever asked: “Is coaching actually worth it?”More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
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