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Episode 35: 25X Growth: Breaking the Rules of Organic Growth

David Horne · September 11, 2026

Entrepreneur · Author · Leadership · TEDX Speakerin

Interview with David Horne

Episode 35: 25X Growth: Breaking the Rules of Organic Growth — David Horne

Podcast: Sustainable Success Show

September 11, 2026 · 28 min

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Episode 35: 25X Growth: Breaking the Rules of Organic Growth
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Key topicsGrowing your business 25x means breaking the rules of organic growthMost entrepreneurs are told that sustainable growth comes from selling more, hiring more people, and waiting patiently for results. But for founders who want to build significant enterprise value, relying solely on organic growth can become the biggest barrier to scaling. David shares how combining funding, acquisitions, and disciplined integration allowed businesses he helped lead to grow from £1 million to nearly £28 million in just three years, and why ambitious founders should start thinking like strategic buyers rather than simply better sellers. The funding gap female founders meet before the term sheetFemale founders are still building companies in a funding market where access can look open while outcomes remain deeply uneven. The easy explanation is that too few women enter the pipeline, but the harder question is what happens when they do show up and pitch. David looks at the gap through the lens of capital allocation, asking where credibility, pattern recognition, and investor assumptions start shaping who gets taken seriously. Why brilliant female founders are still being overlooked by investorsDespite producing exceptional businesses, female founders continue to receive a disproportionately small share of venture capital investment worldwide. David explores the published data that first sparked his own investigation into this issue, why the problem extends far beyond individual pitch quality, and what investors, female founders, and the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem need to change. Having become a vocal and award-winning ally while advising high-growth companies, he offers practical insights that help founders better navigate fundraising while encouraging a more balanced investment landscape. View all topics →

About David Horne

David Horne, podcast guest

Business Growth Strategist | M&A Expert | Author

40+ years International business experience£120M+ Growth funding raised30+ M&A transactions completed£2M–£20M Founder businesses advised by revenue range

David B Horne has spent nearly four decades helping ambitious founders build businesses that don't just grow, they multiply. A Chartered Accountant by background, David has raised more than £120 million in growth capital and completed 33 mergers, acquisitions and exits. He has helped companies scale from startup to market leader through strategic funding, acquisitions, and disciplined financial leadership. Today, as founder of ADD THEN MULTIPLY, he works with entrepreneurs turning over £2–20 million who want to accelerate growth, increase business value, and build companies that can ultimately thrive without them.

Throughout his career, David has served as CFO for listed companies, high-growth businesses, and entrepreneurial ventures, including Daniel Priestley's companies, giving him a front-row seat to what separates businesses that plateau from those that scale exponentially. His proven FACE methodology: Fund, Acquire, Consolidate, Exit shows founders how to move beyond the limits of organic growth and create transformational business value through strategic acquisitions and robust financial foundations.

David is also a passionate advocate for female founders. After being asked a simple question following a speaking engagement: why so little investment reaches women-led businesses, he began researching the issue and uncovered the systemic funding gap that continues to exist across venture capital.

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About this episode

What if the traditional path to business growth is the thing keeping your company from reaching its full potential?In this episode of the Sustainable Success Show, Christopher Salem sits down with David B. Horne, entrepreneur, investor, and growth strategist, to explore what it really takes to scale a business beyond the limitations of organic growth.David has raised more than £120 million and completed 33 mergers, acquisitions, and exits. His experience has given him a unique perspective on how founders can combine funding, strategic acquisitions, and financial discipline to accelerate growth rather than relying solely on incremental organic expansion.In this episode, we discuss:• Why traditional organic growth strategies can limit a company's potential• What it really takes to achieve 25X business growth• How funding can be strategically used to accelerate expansion• Why acquisitions can be a powerful growth engine for the right business• The financial discipline required to scale without losing control• How founders can identify opportunities beyond their existing business model• The role of mergers, acquisitions, and exits in creating enterprise value• Why breaking conventional growth rules requires greater strategic thinking and calculated risk• How entrepreneurs can determine when it's time to stop growing incrementally and think exponentially• Practical strategies founders can use to build a scalable, more valuable businessDavid offers a compelling perspective that challenges the conventional belief that sustainable growth must happen to one customer, employee, or percentage point at a time. His experience demonstrates that strategic capital, acquisitions, and disciplined financial management can fundamentally change the trajectory of a business.If you're a founder, entrepreneur, CEO, or business leader who has built a successful company but feels that organic growth alone won't get you to the next level, this episode provides valuable insights into how to think differently about scale, capital, acquisitions, and enterprise value.🎁 Connect with David B. HorneLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-b-horne/Media Bio:https://www.guestsonair.com/profile/david-horneDavid’s Most Recent Book: Add Then Multiplyhttps://www.amazon.com/Then-Multiply-smallbusinessescan-bigbusinessesand-achieveexponentialgrowth/dp/1781333688About the HostFor almost nine years, Christopher Salem has empowered business leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations to grow with clarity, emotional intelligence, and sustainable strategy. Through thought-provoking weekly conversations, the Sustainable Success Show delivers practical insights that help leaders thrive in today’s evolving marketplace.Discover more:🌐 www.christophersalem.com🌐 www.sustainablesuccess.netConnect with Christopher:Facebook: @ChrisSalem | @SustainableSuccess | @ChristopherSalemProfessionalInstagram: @chrisrsalemTwitter (X): @chrisrsalemLinkedIn: @Christopher SalemYouTube: @ChristopherrSalemAccess the Sustainable Success Show🎧 YouTube Playlist:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd7Ahhi5m83_G1Jf_6FMoRNFLB_W7ECES🎧 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sustainable-success-show/id1868676176🎧 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/353WlixQoLa3JNifg5NXyvAmazon Music:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4dc7cecb-4a7f-4f1c-9a9c-668fcefdfc39/sustainable-success-show iHeartRadio:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-sustainable-success-show-317152324/#SustainableSuccessShow #SustainableSuccess #ChristopherSalem #DavidBHorne #25XGrowth #BusinessGrowth #ExponentialGrowth #OrganicGrowth #BusinessScaling #ScaleYourBusiness #GrowthStrategy #MergersAndAcquisitions #MAStrategy #StrategicAcquisitions #BusinessFunding #GrowthCapital #EnterpriseValue #BusinessExits #FinancialDiscipline #ScalableBusiness #FounderStrategy #Entrepreneurship #CEO #BusinessLeadership #AddThenMultiply #EP35

Guest: David Horne

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