Scaling Teams, Culture & Leadership in a Growing Service-Based Business | Winnie Wu

A behind-the-scenes founder conversation on hiring, rebuilding culture, and stepping into leadership.

Scaling a service-based business means growing more than just revenue — it means carrying the weight of people, culture, and the leadership decisions that come with growth.

In this episode of The Big Dreams Great Teams Podcast, Paula Maidens is joined by entrepreneur Winnie Wu for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about what it really takes to scale people-led businesses — especially through the messy middle of growth.

Winnie has built and leads three service-based businesses, including two clinics and a coaching practice, in an industry where people are the business. In this conversation, she shares openly about an 18-month rebuild that required hiring eight practitioners in just a few weeks, navigating a toxic culture, and redefining her role as the business evolved.

Together, Paula and Winnie explore the reality of leadership at scale — the emotional load founders carry, the difference between managing and leading, and why growth eventually demands a shift in how you show up in your business.

This is not a highlight-reel conversation. It’s a grounded, reflective discussion for business owners who are already in it — growing teams, feeling the weight of responsibility, and questioning what needs to change as their business scales.

In this episode, we explore:

• What scaling teams actually looks like in a service-based business
• Hiring under pressure — including hiring eight people in a matter of weeks
• Rebuilding culture after disruption or rapid growth
• The difference between managing people and leading a growing business
• How leadership needs to evolve as team size and complexity increase
• Why generic growth advice often breaks down in people-led businesses

About the Guest: Winnie Wu

Winnie Wu is a leading voice in women’s health and private practice innovation. She is the founder of Movement Laboratory and Papaya Clinic, two highly regarded health clinics based in Sydney, and the creator of The Clinic Project, where she mentors clinic owners to build profitable, team-led practices.

With a background in physiotherapy and a passion for challenging traditional healthcare models, Winnie blends clinical expertise, business strategy, and leadership insight. She has mentored over 100 clinics across Australia, Canada, and Singapore and was named Mentor of the Year by the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Connect with Winnie:

Website: https://www.theclinicproject.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theclinicproject/

A note from Paula

If this conversation has you reflecting on your leadership role, team structure, or the weight you’re carrying as your business grows, this is exactly the work I support business owners with — through private strategic coaching and in-person leadership development days.

You can learn more about working with me at https://paulamaidens.com.

Connect with Paula:
Paula Maidens is a Hiring & Team Strategist who helps service-based businesses solve people chaos by connecting people decisions to profit outcomes.

Website:https://paulamaidens.com/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/paulamaidensconsulting/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulamaidens/