Kristian Melson always had an entrepreneurial instinct.

After early attempts at starting a football coaching business at 18, Kristian went on to build a career in operations across large organisations and smaller companies. Over time, he realised he enjoyed driving change, improving systems and helping businesses run more efficiently.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Kristian Melson, Founder and Director of Ops Obsessed, an operations consultancy focused on improving efficiency and continuous improvement within businesses.

Kristian shares his journey from working in major companies like Ladbrokes and Betfair to building his own consultancy. He explains why operations leaders should aim to make themselves redundant by building strong teams and systems, and how good leadership is about empowering people rather than solving every problem yourself.

James and Kristian also discuss the importance of process, automation and operational structure when scaling a business. They explore why many companies underestimate operations, the challenges of implementing change inside organisations, and how getting team buy-in is critical for long-term success.

Key moments: ✔️ Kristian’s background in operations and starting Ops Obsessed ✔️ Moving from corporate roles into consultancy ✔️ Why great operations leaders build teams that don’t rely on them ✔️ Leadership lessons on empowering people and asking the right questions ✔️ Why many companies undervalue operations ✔️ The role of systems, automation and process in scaling businesses ✔️ Getting team buy-in when implementing change ✔️ Leadership influences and lessons from past managers ✔️ Kristian’s three pieces of advice for business and life

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast

Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

Follow Kristian Melson:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristianmelson/

Website → https://www.linkedin.com/company/opsessed/

Timestamps [00:00] Introduction to Kristian Melson [00:00:50] Kristian’s background and founding Ops Obsessed [00:03:00] Early entrepreneurial attempts and career in operations [00:07:00] What makes a great operations leader [00:12:00] Leadership, empowerment and developing teams [00:18:00] The biggest operational challenges businesses face [00:21:00] Systems, processes and scaling companies [00:27:00] Technology, automation and operational efficiency [00:27:30] Influential leaders and management lessons [00:32:00] Why companies seek operational support [00:33:00] Getting team buy-in when implementing change [00:37:00] Kristian’s three pieces of advice for business and life [00:41:50] Where to connect with Kristian