Aug 3, 2026 · 53 min · 13 segments
Most founders treat recovery like a luxury or a reward for hard work, but high performance isn't sustainable when you're running on empty. In this episode, I sit down with Jess Spendlove, Executive…
Jess SpendloveGuestJess WhatmanHost
It's all well and good for the leader to be putting policies, putting initiatives in place.

But if the leader is there firing off emails at 10 o'clock at night or 4 o'clock on a Saturday or they're looking dishevelled at their desk or not having lunch, then that's culture.

It's actually the number one driver of organisational wellbeing and performance.
Really? What do all of the high performers that you help get wrong? Jess Spenlove, welcome to Built to Lead.
I wanted to get you onto the podcast because you've worked with some of the highest performers in the country, Olympians, world champions, athletes, special forces, and you also help CEOs and leaders at companies like PWC, Airtree, QBE and so many others.
But anyone that doesn't know you, fill us in on your experience and how you got into this line of work.
Read the full transcript.
Create an account to read the whole episode, search across every transcript, and follow the shows you care about.

It's all well and good for the leader to be putting policies, putting initiatives in place.

But if the leader is there firing off emails at 10 o'clock at night or 4 o'clock on a Saturday or they're looking dishevelled at their desk or not having lunch, then that's culture.

It's actually the number one driver of organisational wellbeing and performance.
Really? What do all of the high performers that you help get wrong? Jess Spenlove, welcome to Built to Lead.
I wanted to get you onto the podcast because you've worked with some of the highest performers in the country, Olympians, world champions, athletes, special forces, and you also help CEOs and leaders at companies like PWC, Airtree, QBE and so many others.
But anyone that doesn't know you, fill us in on your experience and how you got into this line of work.