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In the Spotlight with David B Horne Full Episode

David Horne · 12 May 2025

Entrepreneur · Author · Leadership · TEDX Speakerin
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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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