Look for change, if you don’t change things everything stays the same

Together with our friends at Coutts, we hosted a scale-up dinner this week, bringing together Non-Executive Directors, CEOs, and investors. Our speaker was Cameron Stewart, Founder of Field and Lawn.

Field and Lawn is a leading provider of marquee and temporary structure hire services, known for its high-quality products and exceptional customer service. After completing his schooling, Cameron joined the army and attended Sandhurst at the age of 18. As an officer in the Royal Scots, he served in Northern Ireland, Balmoral, the Falkland Islands, Preston, and Germany, achieving the rank of Captain before leaving to start Field and Lawn. Over the course of 38 years, Cameron transformed his tent hire business into a company with a turnover of about £18M, which he sold in 2022 for over £20M.

In sharing his journey, Cameron provided valuable insights from his extensive experience:

• Sell when doing well: As the founder/CEO, ensure the business can run without you when you are ready to sell.
• Get everything out on the table: Acquirers will find everything, so transparency is crucial.
• It’s worthwhile to get the best advice available: Expert advice can make a significant difference.
• Good people make the difference: Surround yourself with talented and dedicated individuals.
• Assertiveness: Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions and make necessary changes.
• Be better than the competition: Strive to be the best, as people want to play for the top teams.

Cameron’s speech was followed by a lively discussion and Q&A session, where we heard from a wide range of prominent businesses who are navigating their own scale-up journeys. Many thanks to Cameron for sharing his story and to our co-hosts, Coutts.