BREAK THE RULES With John Mullins

Our guest, John Mullins , has inspired generations of entrepreneurs at London Business School with clear frameworks to design, validate, and scale companies that matter. In this episode, we dive into: Why so many traditional models are being disrupted and how to redesign them. The customer-funded approach—growing with customer revenue (not just capital) to reduce risk and increase traction. What real rule-breaking leadership means: challenging assumptions, iterating faster, and measuring what truly moves the needle. How unconventional thinking helps scale impact in both global and local contexts. If you’re building or rethinking your model, this episode gives you a map, metrics, and next steps . Make it personal. Make it purposeful. Make it matter. Key Takeaways The five essential tests from The New Business Road Test to validate before you scale. When and how a customer-funded model beats traditional financing. Which “rules” to break—and which to keep—when leading with intention. Traction metrics that matter: evidence > opinions. Tactics to scale without losing focus on the customer.