In this high-impact episode, Mike sits down with Ashley Tott—entrepreneur, investor, and one of Sweden’s most sought-after scale-up advisors. With a background in corporate finance, private equity, and board leadership, Ashley brings sharp insight into how founder-led businesses can break through the €10m turnover ceiling and achieve repeatable, structured growth.

From recruiting his first Chair at just 27 to helping dozens of businesses install world-class board frameworks, Ashley shares why governance done right isn’t boring—it’s a growth weapon.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why so many founder-led businesses stall at the 100M SEK (~£7.5m) revenue mark
• The three core elements of a high-performance board
• What Ashley learned from private equity (3i) and global brands (Specsavers, Andersen)
• How to balance founder freedom with structure—and avoid burnout
• Why founders should treat the board as an accelerator, not a blocker
• How to spot (and fix) the biggest governance blind spots in your business
• Practical advice for CEOs: how to choose the right Chair, and when to bring one in

Key Takeaways:

“You can’t fix everything. Focus on what matters—and work relentlessly on it.” – Ashley Tott

• Scaling isn’t just about sales—it’s about structure.
• Founders don’t need to be ‘controlled’ by boards—they need to be supported by them.
• A great Chair is your growth co-pilot, not a corporate cop.

About Ashley Tott:

Ashley is Co-Founder at Scalex Growth Partners, where he helps Swedish small businesses scale past 100M SEK through structured board development and founder enablement. A qualified chartered accountant and former private equity investor, Ashley brings 20+ years of cross-sector experience to his advisory and Chair roles. He’s known for his fun, entrepreneurial energy—and for making governance both accessible and impactful.

🔗 Learn more: www.scalexgp.se