ABOUT
We believe entrepreneurs are the hope for a world in crisis.
More than governments or nonprofits, purpose-driven businesses are poised to sustainably solve our biggest challenges.
That’s why we’re so passionate about unleashing change-the-world CEOs and founders to scale their change-the-world companies.
Unfortunately, founders are often unfocused, underfunded, and don’t know their own power. As they bring on investors, they often have their purposeful aspirations squeezed out of the business in the name of profit, growth, and limiting risks. When the passion gets squeezed out, so does the fuel that drives them.
Bottom-line: Founders need alternatives to fear-based decision-making. They need to know they’re not wrong to want their passion to come through their brand. They need proof that growing the business doesn't have to be “the way they said it’s done” — and practical tools to do it differently.
That’s why we started ScalePassion: We exist to support founders as they scale their purpose-driven businesses.
Meet The Team
Our Founder’s Story
Robert U. Craven is well-known for building award-winning, high-integrity products, brands, and businesses and for being deeply focused on making a difference in the lives of other people.
The former CEO of MegaFood and Garden of Life has successfully worked with entrepreneurs, private equity, and large CPG companies to facilitate rapid and profitable growth. In addition to delivering high-growth results, Robert advocates for transparency, innovation, and building award-winning cultures.
As CEO, Rob has:
Grown a leading supplement company from $15 to $65 Million in 3 years – #14 on Inc 500 Fastest Growing List
Grown a second, leading supplement company from $11 to $60 Million in 6 years
Led the company named Best Company to Work for in New Hampshire in 2018 by Business New Hampshire Magazine
Led the sale of the company from Private Equity to a large Strategic investor for the largest multiple of equity in the industry at that time
Grown a third, organic ingredients company from $10 to $25 Million, growing EBITDA by 5x, in three years
Been voted Top Conscious Business Leader in 2018 by Conscious Company Media
Received the 2014 Nutrition Business Journal award for Management
Rob is also co-founder and Managing Partner of Findaway Adventures - a hands-on growth services & angel investment platform. Findaway Adventures exists to improve the world by providing more opportunity for young, change-the-world companies and their founders. The firm brings money, strategy, and expertise to help accelerate impact-minded companies.
Rob is also a certified 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership coach. Learn more about the 15 commitments at conscious.is.
Nick Van Nice
Personal Leadership
I’m Nick Van Nice, the Personal Leadership Coach of ScalePassion, and for the past 18 years, I’ve been working with founders to help them develop the personal leadership mindset they need to scale change-the-world businesses.
I do this by helping leaders tap into their purpose, harness their energy, and focus on what matters most.
Here’s why you can trust me
I have 20 years of experience in my own 3 start-ups.
7 years in professional management at Dearborn Financial Publishing/NFG (President/COO)
10,000+ hrs of coaching experience at Results Driven Coaching, rated 5.0 star on Google reviews
Certified ICF training -Corporate Coaching (ACCP) and the Core Essentials program (CEG)
Completed ICF approved Enneagram Certification course in 2023.
Coached dozens of industry leading founders/executives in companies of all sizes.
Leadership development at one company resulted in 3x growth and a Best in Staffing award.
I help founders find their voice and lead with an authenticity that inspires their teams.
Are you ready to lead?
Steve Klinetobe
Stories and Inspiration
Steve Klinetobe, an executive-level creative, has garnered a reputation for disrupting boardrooms with his insights and ideas. As a born rule-breaker with a deep understanding of emotional and human elements of business, he advocates for radical change and authentic connection.In a career spanning 25 years, Steve has leveraged his innate leadership and guidance to build creative teams that deliver impactful, ground-breaking campaigns. This creative trailblazing has benefitted some of the world's most recognized CPG, B2B, and Entertainment brands such as HP, Microsoft, Nike, Disney, Dreamworks, Sony, eHarmony, Amazon, Leatherman, and Nickelodeon.
Established an agency to help CEOs and founders create compelling brand narratives and give direction to their businesses.
Steve has developed numerous employee engagement campaigns for a broad range of organizations, from multinational corporations to small startups.
In the field of animation, Steve has produced award-winning content for consumer communication and entertainment properties.
Co-founder and Executive CD of a high-performing content development agency. This agency ranked in the top 10 fastest-growing companies in Oregon for five years in a row.
As the Chief Creative Officer for a significant Amazon retailer, Steve successfully grew his team from 2 to 25 employees in less than two years.
Steve Klinetobe merges creativity and leadership with inspiration at the heart of his approach, continuously pushing boundaries and catalyzing transformation.
Lainy Jahnke
Client Catalyst
Lainy ensures that Scale Passion runs effectively both internally and externally. She is responsible for managing backend processes and optimizing overall efficiencies. Lainy supports all needs for our current and prospective customers to provide smooth delivery of services.
Previously, Lainy served as COO for a financial services firm. She has a deep understanding of building operational functionalities within an organization from the ground up. She is an experienced and highly adaptable operations executive with a deep understanding of how best to develop individual talent and company functions for growth and scale. Lainy is practical, motivational, and highly organized. Passionate about translating “big ideas” into actionable projects to ensure quality execution of on-time deliverables.
Lainy is a distinguished graduate of Ashford University where she studied Business and Accounting. Outside of work, Lainy spends much of her time volunteering and is an avid supporter of breast cancer research and The Make a Wish Foundation. She also loves the outdoors and can be found hiking, camping or kayaking.
Brendan Vercoe
Entrepreneurial Achievements and Product Innovations
Introducing Brendan Vercoe, the latest addition to the ScalePassion team! Brendan is a visionary founder dedicated to making the world a better place. His substantial technical background and passion for health and wellness, combined with an international MBA, significantly enrich our strategic capabilities. Over the past three years, he has distinguished himself as a leader driven by a clear purpose: to position New Zealand as a catalyst for positive global impact. He has most recently, successfully launched two innovative products:
Calocurb: A weight management solution, that has become a global brand based on a unique New Zealand hops extract.
2before: A product capitalizing on the nutritional benefits of New Zealand blackcurrants, which is now expanding in the U.S. market.
Brendan's business strategy is deeply rooted in his extensive industry knowledge and global perspective, empowering him to capitalize on opportunities for expansion and influence. His leadership not only reflects his ambitions but also embodies his broader vision for New Zealand businesses to thrive on the world stage.
Who We Work With
We bring our best energy to a certain type of founder. In fact, we’re up-front that we only work with founders who are:
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Curious
and open to new ways of thinking & doing things
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Committed
to putting in the effort and doing their work
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High Integrity
They make and keep agreements, take their 100% responsibility, and are honest about their feelings & thoughts
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Impact-Minded
You think about more than making money - there is something inside of you that knows your company can make a real difference in the world
Major Influences
When we work with a founder, we introduce them to principles & tools that we find incredibly useful and practical in helping navigate their transitions. A shortlist of these resources would include:
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The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
As a certified 15 Commitments Coach, I believe that the principles and tools outlined by the Conscious Leadership Group help reduce drama in the workplace and speed growth.
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The Enneagram
This proven personality typing tool can bring a crazy-level of insight to team dynamics - insights that are critical to navigating transition and speeding growth.
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Working Genius
Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group created this simple tool that helps map team dynamics in a way that builds trust and empowers - critical to transition and growth.
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The Adizes Curve
Brilliantly illustrates the growth phases startups go through and helps founders understand what they are going through and how to stay ahead of the growth curve.
What People Are Saying About ScalePassion
Want to see what it’s really all about?
Take a deep dive into the mind of our founder, Rob Craven, by watching this interview with Rob Sinclair at Conscious Brands.
Don’t let the challenges of scaling squeeze the passion out of running your company.
Get the help you need to create successful — and sane — growth for your change-the-world business.