GrowthReady Podcast with Steve Mellor

Latest Episodes:

Episode 311: Build a High-Trust Team - Even If Growth Is Testing Your Culture w/ Meghan Popoleo Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

About the guest: Meghan Popoleo is the President of The O’Connor Group, where she has spent the last decade helping organizations grow through strong people strategy, culture, and leadership. She came into the business from the nonprofit world, openly admits she did not start out loving HR, and has grown into a values-driven leader known for vulnerability, execution, collaboration, and people-first leadership.

About the episode: In this conversation, Steve sits down with Meghan to unpack what it really means to be “growth ready.” Megan shares why vulnerability is not weakness, but a leadership advantage, especially when you’re scaling a company, building culture, navigating succession, leading hard conversations, and raising a family at the same time. For founders, executives, and high-performers, this episode is a practical reminder that sustainable growth starts with values, trust, and the courage to ask for help.

Key Takeaways:

Why vulnerability is essential for personal and professional growth
Megan’s journey from nonprofit leadership into HR and people operations
The partnership between Megan and founder Marsha O’Connor
How hard conversations strengthen leadership tandems
Protecting company culture during growth
Why “teammate” matters more than “employee”
Women in leadership, motherhood, and asking for help
The tension between saying yes, learning fast, and avoiding overwhelm
Building new service lines without losing core values
Why relationships are a true growth lever
Creating communities that support female leaders and entrepreneurs

Links and resources mentioned:

The O’Connor Group: www.tocgrp.com
The O’Connor Group on LinkedIn
57th Street Partners
Shadow Her

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Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

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Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 310: Lead With Yes - Authenticity, Reinvention, and Doing Work That Actually Fits w/ Raymond Lee Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

About the Guest: Raymond Lee is the founder of CareerMinds, a virtual outplacement and leadership development company he started in 2008. After years of building the business, Raymond went through a deep season of self-reflection in late 2021 that reshaped how he saw leadership, identity, and growth. He later sold CareerMinds and stepped into a new chapter with even greater clarity around impact, authenticity, and helping people find work that truly aligns with who they are. He’s also the host of the Clocking Out podcast and author of the book Clocking Out.

About the Episode: In this conversation, Steve Mellor sits down with Raymond Lee for a powerful discussion on what it really means to be growth ready. Raymond shares why authenticity became the turning point in his life, how curiosity helped him move through fear, and why so many high-performers stay stuck in careers that look successful on the outside but feel misaligned on the inside.

Key Takeaways:

What “growth ready” means through the lens of authenticity
Why authenticity builds trust, connection, and leadership impact
Raymond’s identity shift in December 2021
Curiosity as a companion to authentic growth
Fear of change vs. the pain of staying the same
The story behind the Clocking Out podcast
Raymond’s mother’s career change into archaeology at age 50
Why meaningful change starts with small steps
“Lead with yes” as a practical mindset for reinvention
Asking better questions: What excites me? What brings value?
Using your story to help others find their true path

Resources:

CareerMinds
Clocking Out podcast
Clocking Out book by Raymond Lee
Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler
Raymond Lee on LinkedIn

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Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

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Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 309: Live With More Clarity Even When Life Gets Hard w/ Alison Hadden Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

This special archive episode takes us back to summer 2020, when Steve Mellor interviewed Alison Hadden for his Women Changing the World series. What he only learned afterward was that Alison had found out just one day earlier that her cancer had returned and was terminal. She never mentioned it during the conversation. Instead, she spoke with clarity, strength, and intention about leadership, resilience, and living like there is no time to waste.

Alison passed away in January 2022, but her message continues to inspire anyone seeking to live with more purpose, courage, and gratitude.

About the Guest: Alison Hadden was a sales and marketing leader, athlete, and founder of the No Time to Waste Project. She built her career at high-growth companies including Active, Glassdoor, and Mindbody, and became known for her energy, leadership, and purpose-driven approach to life. After facing cancer, she turned her experience into a mission to help others live with greater gratitude, joy, and urgency.

About the Episode

Steve revisits a conversation first released when the podcast was still called Career Competitor. Part of the Women Changing the World series, this interview stands out for Alison’s remarkable presence and perspective in the face of devastating news.

Rather than focusing on her diagnosis, Alison shared a message that still resonates: live with intention, lead with courage, and don’t waste time on what doesn’t matter.

Key Takeaways:

Leadership through adversity
The athlete mindset in business and life
Grit, resilience, and perspective
Cancer, identity, and transformation
Gratitude, joy, and human connection
Living with urgency and intention

Links and Resources

No Time to Waste Project
notimetowasteproject.com

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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
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Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
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Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 308: COACHES CORNER: Raise Your Floor, Not Just Your Goals w/ Steve Mellor Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

Most high performers chase ceilings: bigger goals, more revenue, bigger stages. Steve argues that what actually determines whether you feel steady in the moments that matter is your floor, your daily standards, mindset, and behaviors when no one is watching. He breaks down how “growth resistance” shows up subtly (protecting identity, reputation, competence), and why the path forward isn’t hype or intensity… it’s alignment.

Key takeaways:

Goals as “ceilings” vs. standards as your “floor”
Why pressure exposes weak foundations (even when you look prepared)
Effort vs. standards: the difference between looking ready and being ready
“Growth resistant” behavior: protecting identity after failure
Growth resilience: treating failure as data and adjusting standards
Microsoft / Satya Nadella “learn-it-all vs know-it-all” as a standards shift
Alignment over intensity: raising your floor to match rising stakes
Reflection prompt: “What is my floor right now—and is it built for what I’m pursuing?”

Links & resources mentioned

Satya Nadella / Microsoft culture shift (learn-it-alls vs know-it-alls)

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Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 307: Stop Managing Time. Start Managing Energy with Clint Rahe Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

If you’re a high performer, leader, or founder… chances are your calendar is stacked, your brain is overloaded, and you’re trying to ‘push through’ like that’s the job.
Today’s guest, Clint Rahe, former Royal Air Force PTI turned executive coach and author of The Cognitive Athleteworks with C-suite leaders who should be in their peak years… but instead are burnt out, exhausted, and running on empty.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to sustain high performance without paying for it with your health, your focus, or your family.
We’re breaking down cognitive periodizationhow to create seasons in business how to use micro-recovery to reduce stress between meetings, how to protect deep work, and how to set boundaries that actually stick.
Key takeaways
-Knowledge workers as cognitive athletes (and why overload kills learning)
-Burnout at the top: why leaders hit their “peak years” exhausted
-Cognitive periodization: creating “seasons” in business where none exist
-Recovery that actually works (micro-breaks, active recovery, energy resets)
-The “letdown effect” (why people get sick right after pressure ends)
-Energy management vs. time management
-Saying no strategically (deep work vs shallow work)
-Practical leadership habits: 15-minute daily planning + end-of-day review
-Meeting hygiene: 25-min meetings, breaks, and better transitions
-Circadian rhythms + scheduling work that fits your energy
Links & resources mentioned
-Clint’s website: thecognitiveathlete.com.au
-Clint on LinkedIn (best place to connect)
-Clint’s weekly newsletter (Wednesdays)
Clint’s podcast (short episodes, Mondays)
-Book: The Cognitive Athlete (US availability mentioned as Feb 27 on Amazon)
-Microsoft Human Factors Lab research mentioned (EEG + breaks between meetings)
-Amazon meeting practice referenced (reading memo at start)

#GrowthReady #HighPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoach #BurnoutRecovery #ProductivityHacks

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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
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Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 306: Leading with Truth: How Betsy Cerulo Builds Growth from the Heart Feb 11, 2026

Show notes

About the Guest: Betsy Cerulo is a seasoned entrepreneur, federal contractor, and accessibility advocate with over 36 years of leadership experience. She is the CEO of an organization specializing in accessibility staffing and services, supporting blind, deaf, and neurodivergent communities. Betsy is also an author, mentor, and champion for heart-centered leadership grounded in truth, accountability, and compassion.

In this powerful GrowthReady conversation, Steve Mellor welcomes back Betsy Cerulo to explore what it really means to be growth ready in today’s volatile, uncertain environment.

Together, they unpack why truth, awareness, and flexibility are non-negotiable leadership skills, how to lead people through uncertainty without false reassurance, and why heart-centered leadership doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations. Betsy also shares lessons from building a 36-year business, launching a complementary accessibility technology venture, and investing in long-term trust instead of chasing quick wins.

This episode is a masterclass in earned confidence, ethical leadership, and sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways:

What it truly means to be growth ready
Truth as a leadership practice (not a personality trait)
Heart-centered leadership vs. “kumbaya leadership”
Leading teams through uncertainty and fear
Accountability, boundaries, and compassion
Navigating unknowns without false certainty
Building trust and “reserves” over decades
Why patience beats “get rich quick” thinking
Intentional networking for introverted leaders
Accessibility, advocacy, and inclusive leadership

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Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
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Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 305: Build Unbreakable Health Standards Without Sacrificing Life w/ Luke DePron Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

About the Guest: Luke DePron is a health and performance coach and the founder of The Fitment Project, where he helps high-performing men reclaim their health, energy, and confidence without extreme fitness tactics or unrealistic routines. Luke is known for his pragmatic, psychology-first approach to fitness helping clients build identity-based habits, minimum effective standards, and sustainable systems that integrate seamlessly into real life, careers, and family responsibilities.

About the Episode: In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Luke DePron to unpack why most driven professionals fail at health and how to finally make it stick. Luke explains why success isn’t about motivation, 30-day challenges, or doing more but about setting guaranteed minimum standards, upgrading identity, and respecting the seasons of life you’re actually in.

They dive deep into how confidence is built through competence, why unrealistic goals quietly destroy self-belief, and how leaders can integrate fitness into their lives without sacrificing family, performance, or sanity. This conversation reframes health not as another pressure but as the foundation that unlocks the next level of leadership and performance.

Takeaways:

Building confidence through competence, not motivation
The power of guaranteed minimum standards
Beginner mindset and lowering the barrier to entry
Why “doing more” often backfires for high performers
Identity-based decision making (Fit Dad, Fit Leader)
Avoiding the all-or-nothing fitness trap
Integrating health into real life, travel, and family
Seasons of life and sustainable performance
Health as the foundation of elite leadership
Long-term systems vs short-term intensity

Resources Mentioned

The Fitment Project – https://fitmentproject.com
Luke DePron on LinkedIn (mentioned as primary social platform)

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Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 304: Stop Being “Chaos Ready”: Build a Business That Can Handle Real Growth with Dr. Alexa D’Agostino Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

About the guest: Dr. Alexa D’Agostino is a “doctor of marketing” and founder/operator who’s built and scaled multiple businesses. She’s known for blending sharp performance marketing thinking with operational reality, systems, metrics, team structure, and the mindset required to scale without breaking. She also runs an invite-only mastermind built around proximity to high-level operators and coaches.

About the episode: Most leaders say they want growth, more revenue, more clients, more recognition but Dr. Alexa D’Agostino calls out the uncomfortable truth: many businesses aren’t growth ready… they’re chaos ready. In this conversation, Steve and Alexa unpack what “growth ready” really means when pressure hits: clean systems, clear roles, scalable offers, and metrics that matter.

Key topics:

“Growth ready” vs. “chaos ready” (and why most businesses are the latter)
Why scaling exposes problems instead of fixing them
The non-negotiables: systems, lanes, people, and a scalable offer
Metrics that matter (CPA, LTV) vs. vanity metrics (likes/followers)
Delegation, automation, and building a machine that works without you
Failure: not the fear of it, but the avoidance of what you already know must change
Curiosity as interrogation: using fear as data
Mindset as an operating system and why it must be upgraded
The role of environment: outgrowing people, protecting energy, and choosing alignment
Integrity under pressure: the gap between stated values and calendar reality

Links and resources mentioned

Dr. Alexa D’Agostino: https://alexadagostino.com/
Social handle mentioned: “Dr. Alexa D’Agostino” (on most platforms)

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Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
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Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 303: Take Bold Action Even When You’re Not Ready with Rebecca Mountain Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

About the Guest: Rebecca Mountain is a high-performance coach, international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and the creator of the Mountain Method. With an electrifying story of transformation, from growing up in a cult to becoming a leader in personal development, Rebecca helps people eliminate the “knowing-doing gap” so they can unlock success in work, life, and love.

Episode Summary: Rebecca shares her journey from escaping a cult to becoming a renowned coach and author. Together, they unpack the myth of “readiness,” how to turn excuses into launch pads, and the practical frameworks Rebecca uses to help clients bridge the gap between knowing and doing. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, intentionality, and building self-trust, packed with actionable insights for leaders, high performers, and anyone facing big changes.

Key Topics Discussed

The myth of “readiness” and why you’re never truly ready
Rebecca’s story: leaving a cult and rebuilding from scratch
Excuses vs. launch pads: using adversity as fuel
The power of self-trust and finding your “why”
Frameworks for high performance: beliefs, decisive action, habits
The knowing-doing gap and how to close it
Emotional resilience and the real role of emotions in leadership
Practical strategies to move from thought to action

Links & Resources Mentioned

Rebecca’s website
Follow Rebecca on socials: @bexmountain
The Mountain Method: Learn more about her 100 Days to Peak Performance program
Brendan Burchard's High Performance Habits (referenced framework)

#GrowthMindset #HighPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #PersonalGrowth #SelfTrust

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Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
Official Website - https://growthready.com/

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This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

Episode 302: How Obsession (Not Goals) Unlocks Your Growth with Alan Franks Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

About the Guest: Alan Franks is a financial planner, entrepreneur, speaker, and the author of Empowered Money. With 15+ years of experience helping individuals align their finances with their fullest lives, Alan’s obsession is clear: helping people take ownership of their money so they can show up more fully in every other part of life. His approach fuses strategy, psychology, and leadership, making him not just a financial advisor, but a true change agent.

Episode Summary: In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Alan Franks to kick off the year with a conversation that challenges everything you thought you knew about goal-setting, obsession, and high performance. They explore how true growth doesn’t start with external goals, it starts with internal alignment and personal integrity.

Key Topics & Takeaways:

Obsession vs. Goals: Why real results require focus
The role of personal integrity in performance
Financial planning as a tool for freedom, not restriction
How to lead even if you're not in a “leadership” role
The importance of tracking and manual awareness
Creating internal alignment to prepare for external success
Embracing playfulness amidst high performance culture
Building systems that allow space, health, and joy

Links & Resources Mentioned

Alan’s book: Empowered-Money.com
Free Financial Plan: Available via Empowered-Money.com
Business Valuation Tool: TheBusinessPlanningInstitute.com
Book Mentioned: The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
Book Mentioned: The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan
Book Mentioned: The One Thing by Gary Keller
Movie Referenced: City Slickers

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Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

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