Agata Krawiec‑Rokita, co-founder and CEO of sun.store, scaled from a £12M GMV forecast to £100M in just 12 months.

Now she’s facing the next challenge: shifting from doing everything herself to building systems that scale.

In this episode, James Johnson and Agata chat about how she decides when to stay hands-on, when to step back, and why scaling is often harder than starting.

We cover:
• The framework she uses to choose where to stay involved
• Why startup planning breaks down during rapid growth
• The mindset shift from year one to scale-up
• The line between being hands-on and micromanaging
• The one question she asks before major initiatives

The hardest part of scaling isn’t hiring great people. It’s letting go while the stakes keep rising.

Listen now to hear how she’s navigating the transition.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

Most founders misunderstand what coaching is for.

And it costs them.

In this Post Bag episode, James Johnson and Freddie Birley unpack what coaching actually does - and why the best founders use it differently.

This isn’t about frameworks.
It’s about decision-making, pressure, and telling the truth when it matters.

Listen to the end if you’ve ever asked:
“Is coaching actually worth it?”

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

At some point, every founder becomes the bottleneck.

In this episode of Peer Effect, James Johnson speaks with Max Teichert, founder of Track Titan, about the transition from doing everything yourself to building systems that scale.

Max shares his journey from sim racing to launching Track Titan and explains how founders can stay close to product while avoiding burnout and decision overload. This conversation is packed with practical advice for founders navigating growth and stepping into the CEO role.

You will learn:
• The signs you're becoming the founder bottleneck
• When to delegate and when to stay involved
• Building a defensible startup advantage
• Scaling decision-making as your team grows
• Avoiding product complexity traps
• Making time for strategy as a founder
• Moving from founder mindset to CEO leadership

If you're moving from early-stage hustle to structured growth, this episode is for you.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

"How do I not become an asshole?"

Emma sent this to James Johnson and Freddie Birley for Peer Effect Post Bag.

The fact she's asking is already a good sign.

What you'll hear:

Why self-reflection matters but isn't enough. Freddie breaks down the three groups you need around you. Your team is one. But they have limits most founders don't acknowledge.

The power dynamic nobody talks about. You can fire your team. They know it. James explains how far they'll actually push - and why expecting more isn't realistic.

What one team member said that changed everything. "Just tell me if it's non-negotiable. I'd rather not waste both our times trying to convince you when you've already decided." James shares why this matters.

The 360 feedback structure that works. But only if you have a facilitator. James explains why doing this yourself doesn't create safety for honest feedback.

The question that forces honesty. "Bring to mind my most problematic behavior." Freddie shares the full framework and why it works when normal feedback requests don't.

Why power distance kills feedback. As you get more senior, people stop speaking up. You read silence as approval. It's not. They're just calibrated to the hierarchy.

What happens in remote teams. Trust takes a lot to build, not much to break. Remote makes it harder. James and Freddie explain why this compounds the problem.

The reality:

It's hard for founders to get honest feedback on how they're actually experienced.

Your team will only push once, maybe twice. Then they stop. That's not them being not brave. That's just the dynamic.

If you're asking the question "how do I not become an asshole," you're probably not the one at risk.

One action: Listen to the end for what to do today if you want honest feedback.

Submit your questions: hello@peer-effect.com

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

Founders talk about values all the time. But do they actually drive growth?

In this episode of Peer Effect, James Johnson speaks with Allison Kopf, CEO of TRACT, about how to turn company values into real operating principles that improve hiring, retention and performance.

Allison shares practical frameworks for building mission-driven teams, running values workshops, hiring for cultural alignment and scaling culture from startup to Series A and beyond. This conversation is packed with actionable advice for founders who want to build high-performing teams and scale faster.

You will learn:
• Why values should shape strategy and execution
• How to hire using a values-based interview process
• Mission-driven vs mercenary founders
• When to refresh company values as you scale
• How to embed values into performance reviews and OKRs
• Practical steps to run a values workshop with your team

If you are scaling a startup and want your team rowing in the same direction, this episode is for you.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

"My best performing team member is also my worst behaved. What should I do?"

Jack sent this to James Johnson and Freddie Birley for Peer Effect Post Bag.

The answer is clear: one is worse than the other.

What you'll hear:

Why under-behaving vs underperforming are fundamentally different problems. James explains which one is more detrimental to your business and why most founders get this wrong.

The myth of "this person is irreplaceable." James and Freddie have seen this story play out dozens of times. It always ends the same way. The pattern they reveal will surprise you.

How to have the conversation without making it worse. There's a specific way to frame it so they actually hear you. Most founders skip the critical first step.

Why you shouldn't take ownership of their change. Where the line is between supporting someone and trying to rescue them. James explains what's in your control and what isn't.

The hidden cost nobody talks about. It's not about team performance. It's about what it does to you as a founder. James shares how long he spent on one person and why he wishes he'd acted sooner.

When to accelerate clarity vs when to wait. If you know it's a priority, the conversation does one of two things. Both are good. James and Freddie explain why procrastinating costs more than acting.

The reality:

This conversation requires preparation. But avoiding it costs more than having it.

The headspace these situations take is enormous. It affects your enjoyment, motivation, and excitement about the business.

One action: Listen to the end for how to know if you should have this conversation now.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

Clementine Schouteden built a multimillion-pound e-commerce business selling premium products for Guinea pigs.

Not small pets. Not rodents. Just Guinea pigs.

As founder and CEO of Kavee (bootstrapped across UK, Europe, and US), Clementine spent 10 years being asked "why not expand?"

Her answer changed how to think about focus.

What you'll hear:

Why 100% relevance to a small community beats 1% relevance to millions. Clementine explains the math behind this that most founders miss. It's not what you'd expect.

The choice she made at the growth inflection point. Expand to more species or expand geography? One would've been a vanity move that probably killed the business. The other built the foundation for everything.

How to create a market that didn't exist. Before Kavee, there was no premium Guinea pig market. Clementine built an eight-figure market from scratch. She explains what that actually requires.

The shift that unlocked growth after two flat years. Clementine changed one question she asks about everything. That question changed how her team works, how they ship, and what they're willing to do.

Why she gives her team permission to miss deadlines. This sounds risky. What actually happened will surprise you.

What "ambitious actions" means vs ambitious words. Clementine was always ambitious. But there was wishful thinking in the middle. She breaks down what changed.

The question every founder should ask. "What does my business need that I can give it?" How Clementine answers this determines everything.

The reality:

Focus is underrated. Most founders spread too thin too early. Clementine was nowhere near tapping her market when people said expand.

Going narrow built muscles she can use anywhere.

One action: Listen to the end for the question that changed everything.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com

"What do I do if I feel like my co-founder is micromanaging me?"

Anna sent this to James Johnson and Freddie Birley for Peer Effect Post Bag.

The first question they ask: are they actually micromanaging you, or do you just feel that way?

The distinction matters. Because micromanagement is usually a symptom, not the problem.

What you'll hear:

The co-founder assumption that's often wrong. Most people assume co-founders means equal shares, equal power, and started together. James worked with co-founders where none of that was true. The misalignment at the heart of their dynamic explained everything.

Why founders micromanage when they feel out of control. There's a specific pattern James and Freddie see repeatedly. It's not about trust. It's about something else entirely. Once you understand it, the behaviour makes sense.

The one-way contribution problem. When one co-founder can contribute everywhere but the other can't, it creates a specific tension. James and Freddie break down how to navigate this without it killing the relationship.

James's rule to his team that changed everything. "Don't ask me my opinion unless you really need it." Why this matters and what it reveals about decision-making.

Why feeling untrusted kills performance. The emotional weight of micromanagement doesn't just affect the relationship. It has a ripple effect on the work itself.

The reality:

Micromanagement means something else is broken. Unclear expectations. Unclear roles. One person feeling out of control. Performance issues underneath.

James and Freddie break down how to diagnose what's actually happening and what to do about it.

One action: Listen to the end for what to address first if you're feeling micromanaged.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com