In this episode of Confessions of an Entrepreneur, Carl sits down with serial entrepreneur, business coach and mentor Mike Ames, a founder who has built, scaled and exited multiple businesses worth tens of millions of pounds, and now dedicates his time to helping other entrepreneurs achieve their own value events.

Mike shares his journey from launching and growing his first business through to its eventual sale, including the profound personal and professional challenge of losing his business partner and unexpectedly stepping into the CEO role. Forced to learn fast and lead through adversity, the experience shaped his leadership philosophy and approach to decision-making.

Applying those lessons to his second venture, Crimson, Mike explains how relentless clarity and “focus, focus, focus” became the defining strategy behind scaling successfully. He reflects on the power of marginal gains, consistency and compounding improvement, doing the same things slightly better over time to produce dramatically different outcomes.

The conversation also explores a side of entrepreneurship rarely spoken about openly: the emotional aftermath of a successful exit. Mike discusses the anticlimax of selling a business, the reality that financial success alone does not create fulfilment, and the importance of purpose beyond the balance sheet.

In a candid discussion, Mike speaks honestly about work-life balance, and the sacrifices entrepreneurs sometimes only recognise in hindsight, particularly the time missed with family while building a business.

Now working as a coach and advisor to founders scaling their companies, Mike emphasises the importance of having support around you - mentors, coaches, partners and peers - people who can challenge, guide and listen through both setbacks and wins.

This thoughtful and honest episode offers practical and personal lessons for founders at every stage of their journey, from start-up to scale-up and beyond exit.

Connect with Mike

LinkedIn: (2) Mike Ames | LinkedIn

Website: https://www.flair.co.uk/

Connect with Carl

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-swansbury-fca-33b21923/?originalSubdomain=uk Website: https://ryecroftglenton.com/team/carl-swansbury/

This podcast is brought to you by Recognition PR.