The FACE Method: A Roadmap to Exponential Business Growth

Fredrik welcomes fellow author and CFO David Horn to discuss his journey from a failed media business to becoming the CFO of Daniel Priestley’s companies. David shares the inspiration behind his award-winning book, Add and Multiply, which provides a strategic roadmap for small businesses to achieve exponential growth through Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A).  KEY TAKEAWAYS David outlines his 4-step FACE method for growth: Fund (securing the right capital) Acquire (finding the right targets) Consolidate (the hardest part, integrating businesses) Exit (selling for maximum value). While organic growth is steady, strategic acquisitions can triple revenue in a short period by absorbing competitors and diversifying services. The most common reason deals fail after completion is a clash of cultures. Putting two long-term competitors together rarely results in ‘one big happy family’ without significant friction. To maximise valuation, founders must ‘clean up’ their books for at least three years prior to selling, removing personal expenses and ensuring a professional leadership team is in place. Business success is heavily reliant on a strong three-legged stool: Sales/Marketing, Operations, and Finance. Neglecting the finance leg by going cheap on strategic advice is a common founder mistake. BEST MOMENTS "It is far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price." "I've given away way more copies [of my book] than I've sold, but that's fine; it's a marketing tool." "One of the challenges is people will say, 'Oh, well, I'll just buy a competitor.' Well, if you've been competitors with this company for 20 years, you hate them and they hate you." "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." "Ideas are cheap; it's the execution of the idea that creates value." BOOKS MENTIONED Add Then Multiply: How small businesses can think like big businesses and achieve exponential growth  https://amzn.to/3P8pq0R Entrepreneur Revolution: How to Develop your Entrepreneurial Mindset and Start a Business that Works, 3rd Edition https://amzn.to/41bHp94 ABOUT THE GUEST David B Horne https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-b-horne/ Books by Fredrik Sandvall Options Strategy: Build to Keep. Ready to Sell Tomorrow. For founders and CEOs who want businesses that compound in value, stay under control, and are always sale-ready. ⁠https://amzn.to/4pwVhoi⁠ The Abyss of Finance: Trust, Leverage and the Cycles of Collapse For investors and leaders who want to understand why financial systems break before they do. ⁠https://amzn.to/3YsRKfI⁠ About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/