In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery sit down with Nicola Merritt, Founder and CEO of Cortus Advisory Group, to explore a career shaped by ambition, curiosity, and bold decision-making.

From setting her sights on a career at KPMG at just 14 years old to ultimately launching her own business during the uncertainty of COVID, Nicola’s journey is one of continuous evolution. What began as a moment of clarity on a 5K run quickly turned into the creation of a fast-growing advisory firm built on strong values, clear vision, and a commitment to doing things differently.

Throughout the conversation, Nicola reflects on the realities of stepping away from a successful corporate career and into entrepreneurship, sharing honest insights into the challenges of scaling a business and transitioning from being a technical expert to becoming a leader. She speaks openly about redefining her sense of purpose, learning to build trust and culture, and what it takes to attract and develop high-performing teams.

The episode also explores the personal side of leadership. Nicola discusses how she manages pressure, builds resilience, and stays present in a fast-paced environment, as well as the importance of creating balance and defining success on her own terms rather than following external expectations.

This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation for anyone navigating leadership, growth, or the decision to step into something new.

Connect with Nicola on LinkedIn

In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Martin Dubin - clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, business coach, and author of Blindspotting.

Marty shares his journey from clinical psychology to scaling and selling a business, and how those experiences shaped his perspective on leadership. At the centre of the conversation is the idea of “blind spots”, the things we don't see about ourselves that can ultimately hold us back. Often, these blind spots are tied to our greatest strengths, which, when overplayed, can start to work against us.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why even high-performing leaders get stuck

• How strengths can become liabilities over time

• What it takes to recognise when your usual approach isn’t working

• Practical ways to uncover and address your blind spots

A thoughtful and practical conversation for anyone looking to improve their leadership and understand the impact they have on others.

More of Marty's work

Marty's book - Blindspotting

In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Graham Allcott, founder of Think Productive and author of How to Be a Productivity Ninja and Kind: The quiet power of kindness at work.

Drawing on his journey from leading national charities to building a global productivity consultancy, Graham shares how his experiences sparked a deep interest in productivity, focus and turning ideas into action.

Together, they explore what productivity really means in today’s fast-paced working world. Graham explains why productivity is not about doing more, but about creating space for what truly matters. He also shares practical insights on managing information overload, developing a trusted “second brain”, and protecting time for quality thinking.

They also discuss the link between kindness, trust and psychological safety in high-performing teams, and why clarity is essential for effective leadership.

A thoughtful conversation for leaders looking to improve focus, performance and team culture.

Find out more about Graham's work

Graham’s books – How to Be a Productivity Ninja and Kind: The quiet power of kindness at work