Apr 03 2025 30 mins
Scaling isn’t all about having the perfect plan. It’s also about staying steady when nothing goes to plan.
In this conversation, I sit down with Nathan Wardell, the third-generation business leader behind Packserv, one of Australia’s last-standing, locally-owned manufacturers of packaging equipment. From the weight of legacy to the grit it takes to rebuild from scratch, Nathan opens up about the moments that shaped his leadership and how he’s scaled his business by thinking differently.
We dive into the deeply human side of leadership: discipline, patience, and what it means to back yourself when the pressure hits. Nathan also shares how he turned adversity into innovation, why resilience is underrated, and what it looks like to empower a team to think and act like owners.
If you’re a CEO or business owner navigating change, growth, or just the day-to-day madness of running a company, you’ll get a lot out of this one.
In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:
- Nathan’s origin story and how commitment to mastery always pays off (01:02)
- Daily habits that build mental toughness (08:28)
- Presence, not perfection, is what really builds trust and longevity in balancing leadership and life (11:24)
- Why resilience paired with diversification is a growth advantage (12:40)
- What keeps great leaders steady when everything else shakes (18:14)
- Why growth is about clarity, consistency, and the courage to stay the course (20:00)
- How embracing the messiness of life can fuel more authentic leadership (21:28)
- How creating a culture of autonomy unlocks scale (23:21)
- The value of resilience and playing the long game in scaling a business (27:48)
Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:
- Discipline off the field matters. Physical routines and life experiences shape mental resilience.
- Let go of control to lead better. Real leadership means stepping back, not in.
- Don’t wait for perfect market conditions. Adapt your model to meet the moment.
- Train your team to bring solutions, not just problems.
- There’s power in diversification.
This episode will leave you thinking differently about leadership, longevity, and what it means to build a business that not only survives, but evolves.
CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS
Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps
Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth
Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth
Email: [email protected]
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