Richard is a successful CEO, marketeer, investor, advisor, speaker and non-exec director. He currently sits on the board of several companies, from private jets to luxury holidays and advises many others. He’s an active Angel investor and works with private equity houses to analyse, advise and support SME business owners intent on growing their companies.
In today’s episode I question Richard about various topics including leadership, entrepreneurship, the role of Non-executives directors (NED’s) and business coaches. He gives his forthright views on what constitutes good and bad leadership and how we can develop our skills. We explore the nature of the relationships between founders, investors and NED’s, and discuss what and when business owners should look for when seeking investment. Richard draws on his experience to provide insight into optimising the chemistry and getting the best out of these often-complex relationships. Finally, we discuss how NED’s add value to a business through their technical expertise, industry knowledge or managerial experience.
It’s a non-stop discussion full of anecdotes and opinions that will provide valuable ideas and inspiration for start-up entrepreneurs and SME business owners who are seeking advice or looking for investment to scale their businesses.