The third seat with Rebecca Morley

This week on The Third Seat podcast, Rebecca sits down with Nicola Piercy, Co-Founder of Stripe & Stare to explore a leadership journey defined by radical pragmatism.From selling their first pair of sustainable knickers in 2017 to reaching over 50 employees and a million pairs sold, Nicola and her business partner Katie have navigated exponential growth with an “unflappable” mindset.Nicola shares the behind-the-scenes reality of what happens when your brand lands on Oprah’s “Favourite things!” list, and why she ultimately decided to step back from the day-to-day to let the business thrive. In this conversation Nicola and Rebecca discuss:Why Stripe & Stare only hires “doers” who are happy to muck in, irrelevant of their seniority.How Nicola and Katie use their “yin and yang” skillsets to build total trust and clear lanes of responsibilityThe arrival of an outside CEO and how Nicola navigated stepping back from operations If you’ve ever felt the pressure to be a “hero” leader, or struggled with the chaos of a fast-growing team, Nicola’s refreshingly grounded approach is a masterclass in lead-by-example pragmatism. Tune in now! 🎧Nicola Piercy, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-piercy/Stripe and Stare: https://stripeandstare.com/Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Lucas London, Co-Founder & CEO of Lick, to get under the skin of a leadership style that’s as refreshing as a new coat of paint. Launched on the very first day of the covid lockdown, Lick didn’t just survive the chaos - it thrived, growing from a scrappy DTC startup into a mature, multi-channel brand. Lucas reflects on his transition from “doing” to “building”, showing how a hands-off leadership style actually provides more support for a senior team by protecting their focus and clearing the path for them to execute. In this conversation, Lucas and Rebecca discuss:Why Lucas stays out of the way to protect his team’s focus.How stepping out of the details actually accelerates your growth. Using technology to empower your team rather than replace them.Why every process must be designed for future scale.  If you’ve ever felt like you’re getting in your own way as a founder, Lucas’ take on high-trust leadership is a must-listen. 🔑 Key ThemesThe evolution from DTC to multi-channelHiring for maturityResilience against macro chaos.Hands-off leadershipImplementing AI to empower team career development🔗 Connect with usRebecca Morley, LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/Lucas London, Linked In:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-london/Lick:https://www.lick.com/ukDiscover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

“I don’t think anybody can ever really prepare you for your first venture into a Chief Executive position.” - Will BosankoToday’s Third Seat episode explores the high-stakes world of succession planning through a rare joint interview with Dave Allen, the Founder and Global CEO of Brandpie and Will Bosanko, the newly appointed EMEA CEO. After a year of navigating this transition they sit down with Rebecca to discuss how to handover a business without losing the magic that built it, whilst allowing it to evolve into its next chapter. In this conversation Dave, Will and Rebecca discuss:Why Dave believes finding a successor is a CEO’s most difficult task.The importance of “soundings” with your team to ensure the timing of the transition is right. Why true leaders focus on 3-4 impactful decisions a year. How to maintain a culture continuity whilst expanding a global footprint. Whether you are a Founder looking for an exit strategy or a rising leader stepping into a CEO role, this episode provides a guide for an intentional, successful leadership takeover. Tune in now - we’ve saved you a seat! 🔑 Key ThemesStarting succession planning years before the transition.Unleashing new energy through next-generation leadership.Authenticity in stepping-up.Building trust and visibility during leadership handovers. Rejecting age as a barrier to leadership conviction.🎯 Action Items for ListenersStart the process earlyAlways be succession planning Look for “natural” leadersPrepare for a transition “dip”Focus on high-impact decisions. 🔗 Connect with usDave Allen, LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/Will Bosanko, LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-bosanko/Brandpie, Website:https://brandpie.com/Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

In this special reflection episode of The Third Seat, host Rebecca Morley is joined by her business partner, Trina Curry. After three deep-dive conversations with founders at various stages of their journeys, Rebecca and Trina sit down to connect the dots and identify the universal pain points of every successful founder.Whether you are scaling a team of 50 or 150, this conversation explores the unpolished reality of leadership development.You will learn:How to spot a “culture drop” before it leads to disengagement. Why your early-stage work ethic becomes a bottleneck to scaling.How to empower your team properly. Why “slowing down to speed up” is the only way to move forward. How to have brave conversations that build deep connection rather than demotivation. Rebecca and Trina strip away the polished corporate narrative to offer raw coaching insights on how to transition from accidental leadership to intentional scaling. We’ve saved you a seat. 🔑 Key ThemesThe culture dropHero vs ArchitectThe founder identity crisisDecision-making bottlenecksProcess vs AgilityConditions for success🎯 Action Items for ListenersAudit your “bottleneck” status; Recognise if your desire to stay in the detail is preventing the business from being scalable.Dedicate time to define your strategy and values.Recast your role every six months; Ask yourself “what does the business need from me right now?”🔗 Connect with usTrina Curry, LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/trina-curry-922aa145/Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

“If you fall into that path of, ‘I’ll just do it myself’, it’s not scalable, and you’re not doing the business any good.” - Zoe ShepherdToday’s Third Seat episode is your survival guide to the “messy middle” of fast growth.Rebecca welcomes Zoe Shepherd, CEO and Co-Founder of The Social Shepherd, a multi-award winning social media agency that has scaled from a two-person startup to a team of 70 with £6m+ turnover.Zoe dives into the reality of being a “zombie” during high-growth periods, the cognitive weight of making decisions for dozens of people and the transition from doing “everything” to leading with intention. In this conversation, Zoe and Rebecca discuss:Why the 14 hour days that get a business off the ground can eventually break your ability to lead.How Zoe and her Co-Founder/Husband navigate separate roles and use their differences to drive the business forward. Zoe’s honest reflection on her own impatience and how she relies on her team to “check” her when her expectations hit unrealistic levels. Navigating the complexities of an agency where your people are your product.Whether you are battling the mental load of managing a large team, or navigating the identity crisis of stepping away from operational detail, Zoe’s journey offers a masterclass in resilient leadership. 🔑 Key ThemesDelegating and Stepping Away from the Gritty DetailCatching Burnout Before it HappensHolding Onto Your Culture Through ScalingHow to Lead When People Are Your ProductThe Unique Perks of Co-Founding with a Spouse🎯 Action Items for ListenersSet or Review Your Personal Work BoundariesBe More Focused and Intentional with Culture.Re-design Your Role If You’re Doing Too Much.🔗 Connect with usZoe Shepherd, LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-stephenson/The Social Shepherd, LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-social-shepherd/The Social Shepherd, Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesocialshepherd/The Social Shepherd, Website:https://thesocialshepherd.com/Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

If your business feels like a “firestorm” that has gotten out of hand, you’re exactly where you need to be. In this episode of The Third Seat, Rebecca Morley sits down with Keiran Hewkin, founder of Swyft, a high-growth furniture brand that has scaled from a group of friends to a team of 60. Keiran has navigated the intense journey from “inception point” through mad, chaotic growth, surviving market crashes and global supply chain shocks along the way. He brings a refreshing and raw “anti-bullshit” perspective to what it actually takes to stay sane while building a juggernaut. In this conversation, Keiran and Rebecca discuss:How the problem-solving skills that got you through the start-up phase can become the biggest bottleneck to your company’s growth.Why every founder needs to ask themselves the confronting question: “Would I work for me?” When your gut tells you the culture is creaking and your old way of leading is no longer sustainable. Why fast-growing businesses are more likely to fail from taking on too much than from having too little.How Keiran crystallised Swyft’s culture into a single document to ensure they optimise for cultural fit over skill set, every single day. If you are currently leading through that transition where you’re no longer small, but not yet stable, this conversation will provide the tools to help you let go of the details, without losing your grip on the vision.🔑 Key ThemesThe Messy Middle of GrowthFounder Identity CrisisOperational Resilience and Problem Solving Culture as a North StarWartime vs Peacetime LeadershipStrategic Focus vs “Indigestion”🎯 Action Items for ListenersConduct a “Would I Work for me?” Audit.Crystallise Your Culture on One Page.Perform a “Single-Mindedness” check🔗 Connect with usKeiran Hewkin, LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/keiran-hewkin-341b3753/Swyft:https://swyfthome.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/swyfthome/Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

“You have to ask “Who do I need to be today? How do I show up to lead us through the next stage of growth?””- Louise HillIf you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in the very business you worked so hard to build, you aren’t alone. In this episode of The Third Seat, we’re getting under the skin of what it really feels like when your start-up “inner circle” grows into a team of hundreds. Our first guest is Louise Hill, the Co-Founder and former CEO of GoHenry, the financial education app used by millions of families. Louise has navigated the full lifecycle of growth - from a school gate idea to a global juggernaut that merged with US fintech Acorns. She recently transitioned from CEO to Executive Chair, giving her a unique perspective on how to let go of the day-to-day while still leading with purpose. In this conversation, Louise and Rebecca discuss: Transitioning from 50 to 250+ employees by intentionally eradicating “single points of failure” - including herself. Identifying the critical inflection points that demand a leader completely reinvent themselves.How to use your company mission to simplify impossible commercial decisions and handle internal pushback.An honest look at the juggling act of being a parent and a founder, and why Louise makes her yoga sessions visible to the whole company.If you’re in that messy middle of growth, feeling stretched and responsible for everything and determined to not lose your why along the way, this conversation will give you a practical lens and courage to lead more intentionally. 🔑 Key ThemesNavigating leadership inflection pointsOvercoming operational bottlenecksPurpose-led decision makingCultivating authentic culture🎯 Action Items for ListenersConduct a “Single Point of Failure” audit.Implement a “Six-month Reset” Use purpose as a “Decision-making filter”🔗 Connect with usLouise HillLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-hill-5197614/GoHenryLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gohenry/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gohenry/Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/

Welcome to the third seat, a podcast for leaders navigating the chaos of growth. This is for the accidental leaders, the rebellious founders, and the CEOs of high growth businesses who’ve built a juggernaut and are now trying to keep up with it. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt lonely at the top, wondering if anyone else has the same chaos going on that they do.  I’m Rebecca Morley and for over a decade I’ve been in the room with these leaders, coaching them through the very challenges we’ll be exploring. As Founder of Third House my job is to help them find clarity in the chaos, and that’s what we’re going to do here, one conversation at a time. In this show, you’ll get the third seat on the bench, earwigging on conversations with some of the most disruptive leaders and founders out there. We will focus on the rush leaders feel during the scale-up transition, the identity crisis that occurs when founders must learn to let go, and the specific challenges of developing leadership within a rapidly growing team.If you’re ready for a different kind of leadership conversation follow us now so you don’t miss a thing. We’ve saved you a seat.Discover more about Third House: https://www.wearethirdhouse.com/Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamorley/https://www.instagram.com/wearethirdhouse/