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Success Leaves Clues with Robin Bailey and Al McDonaldAuthor: A Starting with One Podcast
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more ... you are a leader." John Quincy Adams. We love sending our listeners on a journey of discovery as they learn about the inspiring lives of industry thought leaders, business owners, & entrepreneurs from all walks of life, who share one thing in common SUCCESS! And it all starts with oneone idea; one conversation; one dream. Brought to you by Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Success Leaves Clues: Ep278 - Energy First, Growth Follows with guest Mark MacLeod, founder of Limitless CEO
Episode 278
Thursday, 8 January, 2026
In this episode of Success Leaves Clues, hosts Robin Bailey and Al McDonald are joined by Mark MacLeod, founder of Limitless CEO and longtime advisor to high-growth founders, for an expansive and deeply honest conversation about leadership, burnout, energy, and what it truly takes to scale sustainably. Mark shares his journey from serving as CFO to iconic Canadian tech companies like Shopify and FreshBooks, to venture capital, investment banking, and ultimately coaching CEOs through the most demanding chapters of their leadership lives. He explains why most startups fail not because of strategy or talent, but because founders run out of energy, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Together, they explore why hustle culture quietly drives burnout, how founders normalize chronic stress, and why putting the CEO first is not selfish, but essential. Mark introduces his two core pillars of leadership, personal energy optimization and revenue growth, and explains how physical health, mental clarity, and even spiritual practices directly influence business outcomes. The conversation also dives into identity loss after divorce, the role of journaling and gratitude in building self-awareness, and how leadership becomes a personal transformation journey disguised as a company. Mark offers practical tools leaders can use immediately, from sleep and breathwork to reframing success and reconnecting with purpose. This episode is a powerful exploration of leadership from the inside out, challenging conventional startup narratives and inviting founders to scale with intention, clarity, and longevity. You’ll hear about: Mark’s evolution from CFO and venture capitalist to CEO coach Why founders burn out long before companies fail The normalization of stress in startup and executive culture Putting the CEO first as a strategy for sustainable growth Energy as the true driver of performance and valuation The hidden cost of hustle culture and constant comparison Leadership as a personal development journey The role of gratitude, journaling, and self-awareness Rebuilding identity after divorce and major life disruption Why inspiration, not force, fuels lasting success We talk about: 00:00 Introduction and Mark’s background 03:00 Founding Limitless CEO and redefining scale 05:00 Energy as the foundation of leadership performance 07:00 Burnout, stress normalization, and founder identity 10:00 Physical, mental, and spiritual health in leadership 14:00 Hustle culture, fear, and comparison traps 17:00 Divorce, personal reckoning, and redesigning life 21:00 Journaling, self-awareness, and learning through reflection 25:00 Gratitude as fuel, not complacency 28:00 Why founders sell companies due to burnout 31:00 Leadership, legacy, and planting trees for the future 35:00 Practical tools, sleep, journaling, and next steps Connect with Mark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themarkmacleod Website: https://limitless.ceo/ Connect with Us LinkedIn: Robin Bailey and Al McDonald Website: Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group
