Purpose, Pressure, and Public Trust: What does it really take to lead a charity?

In this episode, Chief Executive Officer at North-West Cancer Research, Alastair Richards, sits down with Graham to share his members’ story and to explore the unique leadership challenges of running a purpose-driven organisation. From balancing mission with mounting pressure to earning - and protecting - public trust, we unpack what makes charity leadership fundamentally different from the commercial world. A candid conversation about responsibility, scrutiny, and leading when the stakes are more than just profit.

Let’s progress...

Follow North West Cancer Research and Alastair Richards:

• Website: nwcr.org
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alastair-richards-4a518015/

Follow Progressive Leaders:

• Website: progressiveleaders.co.uk
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/progressive-leaders

In this episode, Jed Hassid sits down with Sam Gladman, co-founder of Substation Climbing Centre, to explore how passion, vision, and resilience can transform a spark of inspiration into a thriving business. From opening the first Substation in Macclesfield to expanding into Brixton, Sam shares the story of building a modern climbing hub that’s as much about community as it is about sport.

You will hear what it was like to step into leadership at a young age, the challenges and rewards of scaling a business across multiple sites, and the balancing act of running a fast-growing company while raising a young family. Sam also reflects on the power of peer networks like Progressive Leaders, and why seeking out community and collaboration is essential for today’s entrepreneurs.

Let’s progress...

Follow Sam Gladman and Substation:

• Website: www.substation.co.uk
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sam-gladman

Follow Progressive Leaders:

• Website: progressiveleaders.co.uk
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/progressive-leaders

Welcome to Leaders in Progress - the podcast where we explore the ideas, strategies, and stories shaping the future of leadership.

Today, we’re tackling a topic at the heart of every successful organization: building high-performance teams.

Our guest is Jeff Grout - renowned speaker, business consultant, and author, who has worked with some of the world’s leading companies to unlock the true potential of teams. With experience spanning leadership, people management, and organizational culture, Jeff brings practical insights on what it really takes to transform a group of individuals into a cohesive, high-performing unit.

In this episode, we’ll dive into the core ingredients of high-performance - from trust and accountability to clarity of purpose and culture. We’ll also explore how leaders can nurture talent, inspire collaboration, and set the stage for sustained success.

Whether you’re leading a start-up, scaling a business, or managing teams in a global organization, this conversation will give you the tools to raise the bar and bring out the best in your people.

Let’s progress...

Follow Jeff Grout:

• Website: jeffgrout.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeff-grout

Follow Progressive Leaders:

• Website: progressiveleaders.co.uk
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/progressive-leaders