Success Leaves Clues with Robin Bailey and Al McDonald

About Success Leaves Clues with Robin Bailey and Al McDonald

"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 one—one idea; one conversation; one dream. Brought to you by Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group

Publisher

A Starting with One Podcast

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Apr 2018

Latest episode

5 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

343 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Nov 2026

   Success Leaves Clues: Ep 312 - How to Scale a Business Without Venture Capital with guest Brad Woodgate, Founder of Joyburst

   How do you scale a business without venture capital? For Brad Woodgate, it started with $30,000 in savings, choosing products with stronger margins, and building partnerships that helped keep inventory moving and cash flowing. In Episode 312 of Success Leaves Clues, Robin Bailey and Al McDonald sit down with Brad Woodgate, founder of Joyburst and a Canadian entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience building consumer packaged goods businesses. Across his businesses, Brad has generated more than $3 billion in global sales, launched over 700 products, grown teams of more than 500 employees, and expanded into more than 75 countries. Brad explains why his entrepreneurial journey began without access to outside capital, and how that constraint shaped his approach to profitability, calculated risk, and growth. He shares how honest conversations with manufacturers and retailers helped him negotiate payment terms that supported the business, including a supplier relationship that has lasted more than two decades. The conversation also explores a distinction Brad considers essential: refusing to quit does not mean refusing to change direction. He shares why Joyburst pivoted from its original focus on natural energy drinks to hydration, which he says now represents 70% of its sales, and how consumer feedback helps him recognize when a product needs a different approach. You’ll hear about: How to scale a business without venture capital Why Brad started with $30,000 and spent his early years “paying to work” How product margins and cash flow influence a business’s ability to grow How supplier and retailer payment terms can help fund inventory Why long-term partnerships depend on trust and loyalty The difference between quitting entrepreneurship and pivoting a business Why hydration became Joyburst’s largest sales category How consumer feedback can signal that it is time to pivot Why founders need to hire people who are better than they are How to set realistic expectations for employee commitment Where AI can support a CPG business, and why its answers need scrutiny What Brad hopes his daughters learn from his example We talk about: 00:00 Fall cycling and welcoming listeners 01:17 Meet Brad Woodgate, founder of Joyburst 03:55 How to scale a business without venture capital 08:10 Building trust with manufacturers and retail partners 11:20 When to pivot your business instead of quitting 15:03 How consumer feedback reveals whether a product is working 16:42 Hiring leaders who are better than you 19:45 Why employees will not share a founder’s emotional investment 23:09 How AI can support consumer packaged goods businesses 25:38 AI validation, excessive agreement, and confidential information 27:18 Are entrepreneurs born or made? 31:46 Fatherhood, leading by example, and leaving a legacy 36:28 Where to connect with Brad Woodgate Connect with Brad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-woodgate-b30b8113/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-woodgate-b30b8113/) Website: https://joyburst.ca/ (https://joyburst.ca/) Connect with Us LinkedIn: Robin Bailey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-bailey-a8157b15/) and Al McDonald (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-mcdonald-9a646710/) Website: Aria Benefits (https://www.ariabenefits.ca/) and Life & Legacy Advisory Group (https://www.lifeandlegacy.ca/)

2. 

   29 Oct 2026

   Success Leaves Clues: Ep 311 Is Your Business Actually Ready to Sell? | Sam Carsley, Partner at Linmac LLP

   Could you sell your business tomorrow? Strong sales and an interested buyer can open the door, but being ready for a transaction takes preparation across the business. It means understanding your risks, organizing your information, and thinking carefully about what happens after the deal closes. In Episode 311 of Success Leaves Clues, Robin Bailey and Al McDonald sit down with Sam Carsley, Partner in the Business Law Group at Linmac LLP, to explore what business owners often overlook when buying or selling a company. Drawing on more than a decade in private practice and as general counsel to a publicly traded multinational, Sam explains why effective legal counsel requires a practical understanding of the business, the people involved, and the motivations behind a transaction. For founders, selling can represent a lifetime of work, with concerns about their team, their legacy, and whose hands the business will land in. Sam shares how he helps clients navigate the emotional side of a deal by acknowledging their feelings and understanding the concerns beneath them. He also reflects on a summer selling spa services on the streets of Montreal, an experience that helped him build confidence, connect with strangers, and recognize the value of sales skills in his legal career. The conversation explores why culture and integration deserve attention early in the process. Sam explains how an acquisition can look promising on paper while still facing challenges in practice, particularly when buyers underestimate how a business operates or founders depend on future performance to receive an earn-out. You’ll hear about: Why a transaction lawyer needs to understand the business behind the deal The emotional weight of selling a company you have built How empathy helps uncover the concerns behind difficult negotiations What selling spa services taught Sam about confidence and earning trust Why culture and integration planning matter in mergers and acquisitions How the transition after a sale can affect a founder’s earn-out Why buyers need to preserve what already works in an acquired business What a transaction fitness exercise can reveal about your readiness How late disclosures can damage trust and derail a deal The lasting influence of collaboration, empathy, and good humour We talk about: 00:00 Welcome back and an introduction to today’s conversation 01:16 Meet Sam Carsley, Partner at Linmac LLP 02:38 Why effective legal advice requires understanding the business 08:41 Helping founders navigate the emotions of selling 12:45 The summer sales job that changed Sam’s approach to people 16:25 What business owners underestimate about buying and selling 21:41 Navigating cultural differences without losing what makes a business work 26:22 Is your business ready for a buyer to come knocking? 31:00 What a transaction fitness exercise looks like 32:47 How late disclosures can derail a deal 37:34 The legacy Sam hopes to leave through collaboration 44:23 Connect with Sam and learn more about his work Connect with Sam LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samcarsley/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samcarsley/) Website: https://linmac.com/our-team/samuel-h-carsley/ (https://linmac.com/our-team/samuel-h-carsley/) Connect with Us LinkedIn: Robin Bailey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-bailey-a8157b15/) and Al McDonald (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-mcdonald-9a646710/) Website: Aria Benefits (https://www.ariabenefits.ca/) and Life & Legacy Advisory Group (https://www.lifeandlegacy.ca/)

3. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Success Leaves Clues: Ep 310 - Are Your Employees Hiding Who They Are? with Roy Tran, Founder of Beyond the Title

   How do leaders create belonging at work? In Episode 310 of Success Leaves Clues, Robin Bailey joins Roy Tran, Founder of Beyond the Title and a global People and Culture executive, to explore inclusive leadership, cultural identity, and the everyday behaviours that shape a leader’s legacy. Drawing on his experience arriving in Canada as a Vietnamese refugee and working across Southeast Asia, Roy shares how cultural understanding, relationships, and a willingness to adapt build trust. He encourages leaders to recognize subtle signs of exclusion, see the people behind their roles, and make room for different ways of contributing. Roy also introduces the “human code”—the lived experiences that shape our leadership habits—and offers practical ways to create workplaces where people feel valued and free to be themselves. You’ll hear about: How Roy’s experience arriving in Canada as a Vietnamese refugee shaped his leadership The personal cost of hiding your identity to fit in What leaders can notice when employees feel invisible at work Why organizations can lose valuable perspectives by expecting cultural assimilation How Roy’s experience in Vietnam changed his approach to earning trust The everyday leadership behaviours people remember and repeat Why recognition deserves its own moment before feedback What Roy means by the “human code” and how lived experience shapes behaviour How honest feedback and small systems can support leadership growth The legacy Roy is building through Beyond the Title and his work with leaders We talk about: 00:00 Welcome and the introduction that brought Roy to the podcast 01:01 Meet Roy Tran, Founder of Beyond the Title 01:56 Growing up feeling the need to hide your identity 07:54 Finding the confidence to stop being invisible 11:33 What leaders miss about belonging at work 16:53 Why leadership approaches need to adapt across cultures 21:57 Bringing lessons about trust and culture back to Canada 24:00 The leadership breadcrumbs people carry forward 28:02 Giving recognition room before offering feedback 30:14 Understanding your human code and changing leadership habits 35:46 Building a legacy that creates belonging for others 41:35 Connect with Roy and explore Beyond the Title Connect with Roy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roytran/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/roytran/) Website: https://beyondthetitle.ca/about.html (https://beyondthetitle.ca/about.html) Connect with Us LinkedIn: Robin Bailey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-bailey-a8157b15/) and Al McDonald (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-mcdonald-9a646710/) Website: Aria Benefits (https://www.ariabenefits.ca/) and Life & Legacy Advisory Group (https://www.lifeandlegacy.ca/)

Who has been a guest on Success Leaves Clues with Robin Bailey and Al McDonald

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Stewart Whittingham
• Vincent Ng
• Amanda Small
• Cerys Goodall
• Elizabeth Lynch

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 63 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

96

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

76

Contact Success Leaves Clues with Robin Bailey and Al McDonald

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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