The Bottleneck Podcast

What happens when you literally die — and come back with a completely different view on business, risk, and what actually matters?Matt Pohlson — founder and CEO of Omaze — joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba to share the story behind building one of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses, and how a near-death experience changed everything.Matt recounts flatlining for four and a half minutes, the moment his mother refused to let doctors give up, and how surviving something he “shouldn’t have” forced him to rethink both his life and his company. What followed was a radical shift — away from celebrity-driven campaigns towards a model that would eventually scale to over £400M in just five years.This episode unpacks the power of storytelling in business, why making the customer the hero changes everything, how brands like Mr Beast win by showing tangible impact — and why Omaze has already given over £120M to charity while building a profitable company.Follow RoryInstagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTikTok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedIn: in/rorysutherland/Follow ElfriedInstagram: @elfriedsambaLinkedIn: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Matt PohlsonInstagram: @mattpohlsonX: @OmazeUKLinkedIn: in/matthew-pohlson/https://omaze.co.uk/A Sassy+ original podcast series

June Sarpong, broadcaster, author and entrepreneur with a 30-year media career, reflects on staying curious and reinventing yourself. Short, lively conversations cover building purposeful culture, why leaders must model values, visibility’s role in changing ambition, the rise of EQ in leadership, AI’s creative uses, and Africa’s chance to design new systems.

Ellie Norman, CMO at Formula E and former communications lead at Manchester United, is a challenger-brand marketer who thrives on creativity under constraint. She discusses reframing categories, building fame that attracts and retains fans, and using the creator economy to co-create communities. Conversation covers hiring for uncertainty, cultural tipping points, and why brand defensibility beats raw impression counts.

Eliza Filby, historian and author of Inheritocracy, explores how family wealth now shapes opportunity more than wages. She discusses the Bank of Mum and Dad as a private financial system. Short takes cover parental deposits, property-driven wealth transfer, Gen Z’s financial strategies, and how inheritance reshapes housing, relationships and work incentives.

Oscar Ryndziewicz, founder and CEO of DFYNE, turned a £6k credit-card bet into a fast-growing activewear brand. He discusses product invention from a knee injury, scaling from Glasgow instead of London, and building a people-first culture with devolved autonomy. Conversations cover influencer-led growth, simple customer-focused metrics, and logistics upgrades as DFYNE expanded globally.

Clarke Ching, author and consultant on bottlenecks, joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba to explore the unseen hurdles to progress. They discuss how leaders can unintentionally become constraints and the importance of re-routing work away from bottlenecks. Clarke shares insights on the psychological aspects of systems thinking and the necessity of a shift from scarcity to abundance. The trio also highlights creative solutions and the critical need for a detective mindset in identifying and resolving these hidden challenges for effective leadership.

Ama Amo-Agye, founder of Plantmade, shares her journey from a £100 startup to a £13m success. She discusses the unexpected challenges of scaling a business, including how initial success can become a constraint. Ama reveals her strategies for capturing customer insights, building a small team, and navigating pricing pressures. She emphasizes the importance of transparency in branding and the lessons learned from a trademark dispute. The conversation dives into the UK versus US startup ecosystems and the emotional toll of investor conflicts on founders.

Lottie Whyte, Founder and CEO of MyoMaster, discusses her journey in consumer recovery tech, born from a personal sports injury experience. She highlights how simplifying business models and actively listening to customers can unlock growth. Lottie shares insights on gender dynamics in purchasing decisions, the shift towards wellness-focused products, and the importance of maintaining a disciplined focus while scaling. She emphasizes the value of iterative entrepreneurship, open leadership, and the need for lasting customer experiences in a growing company.

Nicholas Gruen, an economist focused on public policy, and Rory Sutherland, a behavioral economist and advertising executive, dive into the chaos of modern politics. They discuss how extreme voices overshadow moderate debate and critique the inadequacies of GDP as an economic measure. The duo emphasizes the importance of local communities in managing differences, explores how education and housing have become status bottlenecks, and reflect on the unpredictable solutions that can arise from randomness. They urge a shift from adversarial arguments to collaborative problem-solving.

Ben Francis, founder and CEO of Gymshark, shares the incredible journey of building a billion-dollar brand from scratch. He recounts the early days of sewing T-shirts at his nan’s dining table and the challenges of launching his business. The discussion dives into the importance of knowing your audience, the power of community, and the advantages of staying flexible in strategy. Ben emphasizes customer service as brand building and the long-term value of creator partnerships in marketing. His insights on maintaining a youthful mindset while scaling are truly inspiring.