Show Notes:

In this episode of Ignite & Scale, Mike Allen sits down with Ken Cumming, founder of Redhead Automotive, a consultancy renowned for transforming dealer profitability across the UK and Northern Europe.

Ken brings decades of operational experience—from Toyota GB to global consulting with ASE—and shares powerful, no-nonsense insights on what actually drives results in the automotive retail world. If you’re a founder selling into OEMs or dealers, this episode is essential listening.

What we cover:

🔧 Ken’s journey from the shop floor to founding Redhead Automotive

📊 Why most consultants miss the mark—and how Ken’s team stays grounded in the real world

💥 How to unlock hidden margin in aftersales through workshop efficiency, diary management, and people performance

🌍 Lessons from Norway and the Nordics: What EV adoption and cultural nuance teach us about aftersales strategy

💡 How SaaS founders can better pitch ROI to dealerships—ditch the feature lists, focus on time-saving and decision acceleration

Ken’s approach is practical, human-centred, and laser-focused on making dealer operations more profitable—fast.

Connect with Ken:
👉 www.redhead-automotive.com

More episodes at:
🎧 www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

Episode overview:

In this data-rich and candid conversation, Philip Nothard, one of the UK’s most respected automotive analysts, joins Mike Allen to unpack the major shifts shaping the sector in 2025. Fresh from Autopalooza and the FT Future of the Car Summit, Philip shares insights from the latest Cox Automotive Insight Quarterly report and explains what they mean for founders, operators, and investors.

Topics covered include:

• Philip’s journey from shopfloor to boardroom insight
• Why new car registrations are rebounding—and how long it might last
• The EV paradox: record growth but still behind policy targets
• Why used EVs aged 3–5 years are outperforming newer ones
• How China’s manufacturing dominance is reshaping the UK market
• Takeaways from the FT Future of the Car Summit 2025

Key link:

🔗 Insight Quarterly (May 2025) – Read it here

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

🔥 Episode Overview:

In this high-impact episode, Mike sits down with Ashley Tott—entrepreneur, investor, and one of Sweden’s most sought-after scale-up advisors. With a background in corporate finance, private equity, and board leadership, Ashley brings sharp insight into how founder-led businesses can break through the €10m turnover ceiling and achieve repeatable, structured growth.

From recruiting his first Chair at just 27 to helping dozens of businesses install world-class board frameworks, Ashley shares why governance done right isn’t boring—it’s a growth weapon.

🧠 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why so many founder-led businesses stall at the 100M SEK (~£7.5m) revenue mark
• The three core elements of a high-performance board
• What Ashley learned from private equity (3i) and global brands (Specsavers, Andersen)
• How to balance founder freedom with structure—and avoid burnout
• Why founders should treat the board as an accelerator, not a blocker
• How to spot (and fix) the biggest governance blind spots in your business
• Practical advice for CEOs: how to choose the right Chair, and when to bring one in

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“You can’t fix everything. Focus on what matters—and work relentlessly on it.” – Ashley Tott

• Scaling isn’t just about sales—it’s about structure.
• Founders don’t need to be ‘controlled’ by boards—they need to be supported by them.
• A great Chair is your growth co-pilot, not a corporate cop.

👤 About Ashley Tott:

Ashley is Co-Founder at Scalex Growth Partners, where he helps Swedish small businesses scale past 100M SEK through structured board development and founder enablement. A qualified chartered accountant and former private equity investor, Ashley brings 20+ years of cross-sector experience to his advisory and Chair roles. He’s known for his fun, entrepreneurial energy—and for making governance both accessible and impactful.

🔗 Learn more: www.scalexgp.se

🔗 Connect & Subscribe:

Follow Ignite & Scale for more conversations with founders, operators, and growth leaders who’ve built and backed great companies.
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms
🌐 Learn more at: www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.