The Journey from Thinking Small to Thinking Big:
My Experience

Today has been a whirlwind—a mind-boggling journey, to put it simply. The crux of it lies in making the leap from thinking small to thinking big—from talking thousands to talking millions. If you’re engrossed in entrepreneurship or business ownership, this will resonate with you. Welcome to consecutive day 1598 of my diary as a Runpreneur. If you align with my mission of saving children’s lives via the ultimate ultra-marathon of daily run vlogging, I invite you to subscribe, share, like, and comment. The more people we reach, the more money we raise, and the more lives we save. This is my daily pursuit, and I thank you for being part of it. So, let's embark on today’s discussion.

Thinking Big: From Thousands to Millions

Today, I had an impactful session with my business mentor, Daniel Priestley. For those unfamiliar with him, Daniel is an extraordinary entrepreneur—six-time best-selling author and a titan in multiple business sectors, including marketing, software, and entrepreneurial training. He operates several tiers above where I currently am and will probably always be, which is why he’s the perfect mentor to help elevate my business acumen.

Coming from a micro-business setting where I’ve spent most of my adult life, the journey with my business partner, Jack, in building our social housing group to potentially a medium-sized business has been nothing short of transformative. The language, the figures, the stakes—they all change significantly as you navigate through this transition.

The New Sphere of Business

In our recent meetings, we’ve delved into topics like professionalisation, de-risking, compliance, regulation, and legal frameworks, areas often neglected by micro or small business owners. As your business scales and you start discussing figures with more zeroes, these aspects become crucial. The pathway forward could potentially mean preparing the business for an exit strategy, something that adds another layer of complexity and excitement.

The Excitement and the Anxieties

When businesses reach certain milestones, the journey often transcends financial goals and becomes about the experiences, challenges, the roller coaster of growth, and the mission itself. For Jack and me, even discussions of hypothetical exit amounts—eight figures, to be specific—are surreal. We’re setting serious targets like achieving an annual EBITDA of £5 million; doing so could position us for an exit exceeding £50 million.

Such figures are both exhilarating and daunting. We aren’t quite there yet, and the journey entails a lot of hard work, but conversations with experienced mentors reveal that our goals are not as far-fetched as they seem.

Balancing Success and Responsibility

Throughout my entrepreneurial life, I've faced more failures than successes, but nothing quite of this scope. The path forward is like walking a knife’s edge—our job is to ensure we tip towards success. And despite discussing life-changing sums of money, I believe that such financial gain wouldn’t drastically alter my life since I'm already content with my current lifestyle. However, the war chest could fuel my passion for philanthropic activities, setting up future generations and supporting my charitable missions.

Navigating the Bigger Picture

Transitioning from micro to medium business ownership is massively challenging. It involves a cultural shift from the 'wheeler-dealer' world of small businesses to a more regulated, compliance-heavy medium-sized enterprise environment. However, this shift is necessary for growth. With larger numbers comes greater responsibility, so we must remain acutely aware of our obligations and compliance requirements.

This journey is not just exciting but also fraught with apprehension. I’m interacting with high net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs who epitomise success, making me realise how much more there is to learn and achieve. But with excitement comes anxiety, and it's natural to feel these emotions simultaneously.

We’re negotiating with third-party property agents and aiming for improved economies of scale—all new territory for me. The numbers are vast, and with them come potential gains and risks, necessitating robust contingency planning.

Conclusion: Staying Grounded While Dreaming Big

Today's experience underscores the thrilling yet daunting transition from small scale to big scale thinking. This journey involves cautious optimism, grounded realism, and the courage to embrace uncertainty.

In the entrepreneurial world, progression from micro to small and potentially to medium-sized business ownership requires resilience, a readiness to adapt, and a willingness to learn. It’s a path ridden with challenges but also laden with opportunities. I invite you all to join this journey, share your thoughts, and engage with my mission of saving children's lives through this unparalleled ultra-marathon challenge.

Stay positive, stay happy, and as always, I appreciate your support. See you again tomorrow.