What if the biggest bottleneck in your company is you?

In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners, tackles the unintentional bottlenecks CEOs create as they push their companies toward growth. When CEOs are caught in a whirlwind of activity, it's easy to get caught up in the instinct to do more, often leading to chaos rather than progress. Chris discusses how, rather than increasing activity, CEOs should step back, assess the situation, and engage their teams in honest conversations to uncover the root causes of bottlenecks.

Drawing on his extensive experience with high-growth companies, Chris emphasizes the importance of slowing down and pausing strategically to gain clarity. This approach, far from being a sign of weakness, helps CEOs regain control, align their teams, and focus on what really matters.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why CEOs must resist the urge to "do more" and embrace strategic pauses

• How slowing down helps identify the true bottlenecks in your business

• The importance of aligning your executive team to solve problems efficiently
  
  

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction and unintentional bottlenecks
(01:30) The shiny object problem and CEO overactivity
(02:30) How priorities shift and disrupt product roadmaps
(03:45) The partnership trap and misaligned incentives
(05:15) Evaluating partner ROI and avoiding false opportunities
(06:50) Why more activity creates more problems
(08:00) The tactical pause and diagnosing funnel issues
(10:00) Why executive teams feel the impact of constant change
(12:30) The CEO pedestal and the challenge of hearing the truth
(15:00) 360 feedback and identifying real team vs. leadership issues
(18:30) Resetting with your team and board to drive next-stage growth

The unpredictable world of entrepreneurship requires the ability to adapt, pivot, and know when to build the right team to fuel growth.

On this episode of Electrifying Growth, Chris Sugden talks to Lisa Gersh, a leader who's navigated the intersection of entrepreneurship, media, and celebrity. From founding a law firm to scaling companies alongside icons like Martha Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow, Lisa shares how strategic pivots and bold decisions fueled her career.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the most successful leaders prioritize hiring people who excel in areas they're not great at, and how it leads to scaling and success.

• How pivoting and adjusting your strategy is critical when the original plan doesn't work, and why it's important to stay adaptable.

• How to manage relationships with high-profile personalities, and why it requires a different approach than traditional business leadership.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction
(03:13) Lisa shifting from law to entrepreneurship
(04:33) Joining the TV network startup
(07:26) Launching a multi-platform vision
(08:34) The Oprah Meeting
(09:36) Lisa talks about wearing many hats at Oxygen.
(12:01) Pivoting after the dot-com crash
(13:05) Oprah's Library and convergence
(14:30) Dealing with celebrity contracts
(15:10) Growing Oxygen and the decision to sell
(18:45) Lisa's time at NBC and the Weather Channel acquisition
(19:23) Celebrity influence at Martha Stewart Living
(21:00) Celebrating Martha's Legacy
(25:00) Founder influence and leadership
(30:13) Lessons from Gwyneth Paltrow
(31:42) Lisa talks about her experiences on boards
(35:22) Tips for CEOs engaging their boards
(39:55) Holding CEOs accountable
(40:58) CEO pitfalls and hiring challenges
(43:16) Advice on hiring and managing expectations
(45:05) Final career advice

What separates reliable leaders from the rest?

In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, discusses the habits of great leaders in high-growth businesses and why the busiest CEOs are often the most effective.

Chris breaks leadership into practical daily habits: staying organized, keeping a to-do list, following through on commitments, and responding quickly. He also covers inbox discipline, the importance of unsubscribing, and how small habits like letting newsletters pile up or living in notifications steal focus.

If you've ever felt stretched between being present at work and being present at home, this conversation reframes "work-life balance" and argues for something simpler: being all-in on whatever you're doing at the moment.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to build trust by keeping commitments and staying organized

• How inbox clutter and subscriptions quietly drain your time

• Why "balance" matters less than being fully present

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction
(01:02) Habits of great leaders in high-growth businesses
(02:14) To-do lists and delivering on commitments
(04:10) Inbox discipline and unsubscribing
(06:10) Social media and distraction
(09:20) Reframing balance as being present
(12:41) The value of checking things off and cumulative to-do lists
(13:21) Leading by example and why actions need words
(14:36) Building a foundation of presence and follow-through
(14:55) Closing thoughts on doing what you want your team to do