Featured podcast for Business Essentials Podcast with Ilona Charles, Executive Director – CEO & Co-founder at shilo.
In this podcast, Ilona shares why so many startups and scaleups encounter people and culture challenges as they grow, and what leaders can do to avoid the mistakes that become difficult to fix later.
In this conversation with Kate Whitehead, Ilona discusses the people and leadership challenges that often emerge during periods of rapid growth. Drawing on her experience working with founders and executive teams, she explores common pitfalls such as hiring ahead of need, promoting technical experts into leadership roles without adequate support, and delaying important people decisions until issues become difficult to resolve.
The discussion also examines the foundations required to scale successfully, including leadership capability, organisational design and culture. Ilona shares why businesses that invest in their people strategy early are often better equipped to navigate growth, while highlighting the long-term impact of building strong leadership practices from the outset. The episode offers practical insights for startups and scaleups looking to balance growth ambitions with sustainable people practices.
