Dominic Russo: Diadem Co-Founder: The Secret to 25 Yrs of Thriving Partnership & Leadership Success

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How do you build a thriving business partnership that lasts over two decades?

How do you scale internationally while maintaining your company’s culture? And what does it take to create a leadership team that can run the business without you?

In this episode of the #CriticalFewActions™ podcast, I sit down with Dominic Russo, co-founder and CEO of Diadem, a leading international wayfinding and signage consultancy.

Dominic shares how he transitioned from aspiring car designer to business leader, why partnerships succeed or fail, and how Diadem grew from a small firm to an 82-person enterprise across multiple countries. If you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, or CEO looking to scale your organisation while keeping its core intact, this episode is packed with insights.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ The key to a 25-year successful business partnership – how Dominic and his co-founders built a thriving leadership model

✅ Scaling without losing culture – the mindset shift from doing the work to leading the business

✅ How to empower employees for long-term success – creating a high-retention workplace where staff thrive

✅ Expanding internationally – the lessons from launching in New Zealand and Hong Kong

✅ Building a leadership team that runs the business without you – and why trust is the foundation

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Highlights & Chapters:

⏳ 00:00 Introduction to #CriticalFewActions™ Podcast

⏳ 00:31 Meet Dominic Russo: CEO of Diadem

⏳ 01:09 Dominic's Journey into Signage and Wayfinding

⏳ 02:52 The Intersection of Branding and Wayfinding

⏳ 07:57 Founding Diadem: The Early Days

⏳ 09:59 Navigating Business Partnerships

⏳ 19:09 Expanding Diadem Internationally

⏳ 25:50 Building a Strong Leadership Team

⏳ 33:20 Developing Future Leaders

⏳ 34:10 Mentoring and Career Path Mapping

⏳ 34:45 Organic Leadership Growth

⏳ 35:48 Trust and Responsibility

⏳ 36:13 Adapting to the Pandemic

⏳ 37:38 Empowerment and Culture

⏳ 39:40 Annual Conference and Team Building

⏳ 41:53 Strategic Planning and Sustainability

⏳ 47:01 Personal Development and Mentorship

⏳ 49:46 Future Vision and Challenges

⏳ 56:03 Advice to Young Entrepreneurs

⏳ 57:47 The #CriticalFewActions™ for CEOs

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Oh, and re-listening to Dominic Russo, one thing stood out—great businesses don’t just grow; they evolve intentionally. His journey underscores a powerful truth: scaling a business isn’t just about winning more clients or expanding internationally—it’s about building the right leadership, culture, and resilience to sustain that growth.

Dominic’s story challenges business owners to ask themselves:

🔹 Are you working on the business or just in it? Scaling requires stepping back, delegating, and empowering your team to take ownership.

🔹 Is your culture driving your success—or just an afterthought? Culture isn’t a mission statement; it’s built daily through leadership actions and team interactions.

🔹 Do you truly trust your team to lead? The best leaders create environments where decisions don’t bottleneck at the top—where leaders emerge at all levels.

If you’re feeling stuck in the day-to-day, ask yourself: what’s the one thing you can let go of today to enable your business to grow tomorrow?

What resonated most with you from Dominic’s story?

💬 Let’s discuss in the comments! 🚀