ScaleX™ Insider Podcast

Many leaders believe scaling starts with strategy—but in this ScaleX Bite-Size episode, sleep is revealed as the true foundation of mindset, resilience, and ambition. Drawing from personal experience and years of research, Mollie Eastman shares how chronic insomnia reshaped her life, health, and leadership capacity, and why sleep is not passive rest but a learnable skill that powers performance and growth.
From identifying as a "night owl" and "short sleeper" to navigating debilitating insomnia as a high-performing entrepreneur, Mollie's journey challenges fixed beliefs about sleep and shows what becomes possible when sleep is treated as a strategic priority rather than an afterthought.
KEY INSIGHTS:
Mindset and sleep are deeply connected: poor sleep can disempower ambition and clarity

Chronic insomnia affects health, mental resilience, and emotional regulation

Even short-term sleep disruptions can create serious physiological and cognitive impacts

Sleep is a skill that can be learned, measured, and optimized—no one is "just a night owl" forever

Behavioral changes, circadian rhythm alignment, and accountability are crucial for consistent, high-quality sleep



THE CORE SHIFT:
Stop thinking "Sleep just happens."
Start thinking "Sleep is a skill that powers my health, mindset, and performance."
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAY:
Track your sleep and notice patterns of disruption

Implement behaviors that protect and enhance circadian rhythm

Explore actionable strategies for optimising sleep beyond just quantity—lighting, timing, and routines matter

Treat sleep as a foundational pillar of health, productivity, and scaling your life



ABOUT MOLLIE EASTMAN:
Mollie Eastman is the creator of Sleep Is A Skill. After navigating her own insomnia while traveling internationally, she became passionate about chronobiology and behavioral approaches to sleep. Mollie helps people optimise sleep through technology, accountability, and actionable behavioral change. She has built online courses, a weekly sleep newsletter, partnerships with luxury brands, and has appeared on over 150 podcasts.
CONNECT WITH MOLLIE EASTMAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-eastman
🔗 Website: https://www.sleepisaskill.com/
WATCH FULL EPISODE:
🔗 [Link to full episode]

Many people think sleep is just rest—but it secretly controls your health, brain, and every area of life. In this clip, Mollie Eastman explains how poor sleep impacts cognition, emotional regulation, and even long-term neurological health—and why optimizing sleep is the foundation for performing at your best.
KEY INSIGHTS:
Poor sleep affects every area of life: health, relationships, career, and decision-making

Glymphatic drainage during sleep cleans your brain; poor sleep may contribute to Alzheimer's and dementia

Just a few short nights of sleep can spike glucose levels and impair choices

Sleep impacts immune function, longevity, and even beauty and aging

High-performance requires optimizing sleep, not just surviving it



THE CORE SHIFT:
Stop thinking "Sleep is optional."
Start thinking "Sleep is the skill that powers every part of my life."
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAY:
Anchor your day with sunlight exposure to regulate your circadian rhythm

Prioritise consistent sleep duration and quality, not just time in bed

Track sleep patterns and notice how small changes affect energy, focus, and performance

ABOUT MOLLIE EASTMAN:
Mollie Eastman is the creator of Sleep Is A Skill. She helps people optimise sleep using technology, accountability, and behavioral change. After navigating insomnia herself, Mollie became fascinated with chronobiology and the practical applications of sleep science. She has created signature courses, newsletters, and partnerships with luxury brands, and appeared on over 150 podcasts.
CONNECT WITH MOLLIE EASTMAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-eastman
🔗 Website: https://www.sleepisaskill.com/
WATCH FULL EPISODE:
🔗 [Link to full episode]

In this standout episode from last season of ScaleX™ Insider, Brendan McGurgan is joined by Mollie Eastman, sleep expert, creator of Sleep Is A Skill, and host of The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast, to unpack why so many leaders are unknowingly sabotaging their sleep — and how mastering this forgotten skill can transform energy, focus, and performance in business and life.
Mollie shares why sleep is a skill you can learn, how daily behaviors unknowingly sabotage rest, and why circadian alignment, light exposure, and consistent wake-up routines are critical to performing at your best. Drawing on her journey from chronic insomnia to building a sleep optimization company, she reveals practical strategies, tools, and mindset shifts to help leaders reclaim rest, focus, and vitality.
Brendan and Mollie explore actionable frameworks, behavioral hacks, and science-backed insights for mastering sleep — from sunlight anchoring and circadian rhythm entrainment to leveraging technology and accountability — and why mastering sleep is foundational to scaling your business and life with purpose.
Episode Highlights
Why sleep is not fixed — it's a skill you can learn

How everyday habits unknowingly sabotage your rest

Circadian rhythm and the importance of light-dark exposure

The role of consistent wake-up times in optimizing performance

Using wearable technology and metrics to quantify sleep quality

Links between sleep, cognitive function, emotion regulation, and decision-making

Sleep as a lever for scaling leadership energy, focus, and resilience

The hidden health risks of sleep deprivation, from heart health to metabolic function



Meet Mollie Eastman:
Mollie Eastman is the creator of Sleep Is A Skill and host of The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast. After navigating chronic insomnia while traveling internationally, Mollie created a company to teach the skill set of sleep — blending behavioral change, technology, and accountability. She has written a weekly sleep newsletter for nearly six years, created the signature Optimise Your Sleep course, partnered with lifestyle brands and luxury hotels, and appeared on over 150 podcasts.
Mollie specialises in:
Teaching sleep as a learnable skill, not a fixed trait

Behavioral strategies and circadian alignment for optimised rest

Practical tools to improve energy, focus, and performance

Using sleep to enhance overall health, resilience, and life performance



Key Topics Covered
→ Mastering sleep as a skill for high performance
→ Identifying and eliminating everyday impediments to quality sleep
→ Circadian rhythm entrainment and sunlight anchoring
→ Consistent wake-up routines and anchor habits
→ Leveraging technology and accountability to optimize sleep
→ The profound effects of sleep on cognition, health, and leadership performance
Who Should Listen
This episode is essential for SME founders, CEOs, executives, and team leaders who want to:
Optimise energy, focus, and productivity

Build resilience and perform at their best

Scale their business without burning out

Use sleep as a strategic lever for health and leadership

Transform daily habits into lasting performance gains



About Mollie Eastman
Mollie Eastman is the creator of Sleep Is A Skill, host of the The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast, and a sleep optimisation expert. She helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and high performers reclaim control over their sleep and energy, transforming health, performance, and overall life experience.
CONNECT WITH MOLLIE EASTMAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-eastman
🔗 Website: https://sleepisaskill.com
About ScaleX™ and Simple Scaling
ScaleX™ Insider is brought to you by Simple Scaling — creators of the ScaleX™ Accelerator Programme.
A 12-month journey for ambitious SME leaders combining strategy, mindset work, and peer support to break through growth plateaus.
Host: Brendan McGurgan
Website: simplescaling.com
Subscribe & Listen
Watch on YouTube: Simple Scaling Channel
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ScaleX Insider
Listen on Spotify: ScaleX Insider

Nancy Duarte breaks down the biggest mistakes leaders make when preparing presentations—and the simple mindset shift that changes everything. In this clip, she explains why empathy matters more than slides, how message always beats visuals, and why most leaders are using the wrong format for the wrong moment.
KEY INSIGHTS:
Empathy is the starting point of every great presentation—know how your audience consumes information

Slides should never come before strategy; message and delivery matter more than visuals

Not every meeting needs a PowerPoint—sometimes a whiteboard or diagram is more powerful

Presentations and "slide docs" serve different purposes and should never be confused

The messy middle—half presentation, half document—is where clarity goes to die



THE CRITICAL LESSON:
Great communication isn't about prettier slides—it's about respecting how your audience thinks, listens, and decides. When you design for empathy first, your message lands with far greater impact.
 
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS FOR LEADERS:
Ask first: Who am I speaking to and how will they consume this?

Clarify whether you're delivering a presentation or a document—never both

Build the message before touching slides

Use simple visuals to anchor ideas, not overwhelm them

Create separate templates for stage presentations and slide docs



ABOUT NANCY DUARTE:
Nancy Duarte is CEO of Duarte, Inc. and one of the world's leading communication experts. She has advised global brands and leaders for over 35 years, authored six bestselling books, and decoded the structure behind the most influential speeches of our time.
CONNECT WITH NANCY DUARTE:
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nancyduarte
🔗Website: https://www.duarte.com/
 
WATCH FULL EPISODE:
🔗 [Link to full Nancy Duarte episode]

Many leaders carry a powerful vision—but stay silent because of fear. In this clip, Nancy Duarte reframes glossophobia (fear of public speaking) and explains why nervous speakers often deliver the most meaningful messages.
KEY INSIGHTS:
Fear of public speaking is real—and more common than fear of death

Leaders who feel nervous often care more and prepare more thoughtfully

The fear isn't about the audience—it's your brain's fight-or-flight response

When you focus on empathy, fear starts to dissolve

Your vision isn't about you—it's about what your team loses if you stay silent

THE CORE SHIFT:
Stop asking "How do I perform?"
Start asking "What do my people need to hear?"
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAY:
Create a pre-talk ritual.
Some leaders need to calm themselves

Others need to make themselves feel brave

Do whatever helps you step on stage grounded, present, and empathetic.

ABOUT NANCY DUARTE:
Nancy Duarte is CEO of Duarte, Inc. and one of the world's leading communication experts. She has advised global brands and leaders for over 35 years, authored six bestselling books, and decoded the structure behind the most influential speeches of our time.
CONNECT WITH NANCY DUARTE:
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nancyduarte
🔗Website: https://www.duarte.com/
WATCH FULL EPISODE:
🔗 [Link to full Nancy Duarte episode]