Rethinking What It Means to Scale a Business
We think about product, people, and processes when scaling. But what if we’re overlooking something even more fundamental — the building itself?
In this episode of The Scaling CEO, I sat down with Allan Lopes, biologist and founder of the Healthy Building Certificate. What he shared completely changed the way I think about performance, health, and leadership.
Allan doesn’t come from a traditional business background. He started his career as a scientist and university professor, organizing congresses on the science of building biology. But he eventually realized something that many academics never do: knowledge without action won’t solve real problems.
“I thought that I would be able to make a change in the academic world, but I eventually found out that we’re not making progress. We’re just running around our tails all these years. So 6 years we’ve been talking about this and we haven’t done anything.”
So he stepped out of academia and into entrepreneurship, launching the Healthy Building Certificate (HBC) to evaluate and certify physical spaces for health and productivity. That move changed his life — and now, it’s changing how companies around the world operate.
Why Healthy Buildings Matter for Business Success
Allan’s philosophy starts with a deceptively simple idea: health starts at home — and in the office.
“The premise is that a function — whatever that is, to work, to sleep, to have a good time with your family — needs to happen in an environment that fosters that.”
Whether you’re running a meeting, building a product, or planning a strategy, the space you do it in either supports or undermines that effort. Building biology is the science that backs this up. Too much light? Too little air flow? It’s not just uncomfortable – it directly impacts how your brain works.
“…We’re looking into buildings from a biology medical perspective and seeing okay if I have too much light then, that person, or if I have too little light, that person cannot think – Well the the the prefrontal cortex doesn’t have enough oxygen and things like that so that function is not going to happen very well.”
Lessons in Scaling from a Former Scientist
When I asked Allan what he would do differently if he could go back, his answer surprised me.
‘“If I went back 10 years ago, I would be talking to more CEOs… more household owners than their architects.”
In the early days of HBC, Allan focused his education efforts on engineers and architects. But over time, data from his own company showed that most of those technical professionals only came to
HBC because a decision-maker asked them to.
“Our biggest competitor is lack of knowledge.”
That insight led Allan to pivot. He began targeting the actual decision-makers – CEOs, homeowners, and people who wanted change. Educating the technical team was no longer the priority. Educating the buyer was.
The ROI of People-First Office Design
One of my favorite parts of our conversation was hearing how Allan brought this people-first mindset into real-world companies. He shared a powerful example from Natura, Brazil’s largest cosmetics conglomerate.
“Your most valuable asset at any company is your people…The better the people, the better the outcome.”
That mindset led Natura to commission an 8,000-person building designed from the ground up for health and performance.
“By 2017, we actually inaugurated a state-of-the-art building in Brazil that holds 8,000 people… we have a glass roof with a central aisle so that we can have natural light going to everybody. Lots of gardens.”
Imagine the message that sends to employees. Imagine the impact that has on recruiting, retention, and productivity.
Toxic Culture Is a Hidden Barrier to Growth
But not all people-related issues are visible in your building’s design. Sometimes, the problem is within your team.
“The toughest thing is to fire people that don’t belong to your company.”
Why CEOs Must Act on Values, Not Just Numbers
Allan reminded me of Jack Welch’s famous framework: every employee brings numbers and values. The ones who have both? Keep them. The ones with neither? Let them go. But the hardest are those who hit the numbers and poison your culture.
“The hard people to fire is the people who give you a number who actually have productivity in whatever area they have but they do not align with the values of the company. So that people you need to fire plain and simple.”
And here’s the real kicker: your team is watching. They see how long you tolerate toxic behavior.
As I put it during our conversation:
“Everybody’s watching you, Alan… and wondering how long you’re going to put up with this bullshit.”
If you don’t act, you send a message. And it’s not the one you want.
How AI is Changing the Way We Build and Work
Automating the Basics to Amplify Human Potential
As we wrapped up our talk, I brought up the elephant in every CEO’s boardroom these days: artificial intelligence. Allan didn’t hesitate. He’s already using AI in his business — and he’s excited.
“AI is going to eliminate mediocracy.”
His team used to spend hours analyzing building materials. Now, AI handles the technical grunt work.
“The way we analyze buildings was very time-consuming… but it’s a very technical thing… with AI… Boom. They’re doing it for us.”
That shift has freed his people to do the work only humans can do: lead, connect, and innovate.
“Either you excel and become more human… or there won’t be any space for you in the middle.”
He doesn’t see AI as a threat to humanity. Quite the opposite.
“I don’t see AI as a revolution. I see it as an evolution… freeing time for us to be more human.”
Final Thought: What Is Your Building Really Costing You?
As I reflected on our conversation, one final quote stuck with me:
“If your environment doesn’t support the function, that function won’t happen. Whether it’s working, sleeping, or growing a business.”
If you’re serious about scaling, take a hard look at the spaces your team operates in. Are they optimized for productivity, health, and connection? Or are they silently undermining your efforts?
I’m Glenn Gow—coach to growth-minded CEOs. I help leaders scale faster and smarter, minus the burnout. On my show, elite CEOs reveal what truly works.
Listen to the full episode with Allan Lopes. Then ask yourself: Is your office designed to scale with your vision — or is it quietly holding you back?
