Most business owners are brilliant at what they do. But building a business that can grow without you, and one day be sold without you, is a completely different game. Grow Fast, Exit Big is the podcast for ambitious business owners who want to build something bigger than themselves.
Hosted by entrepreneur, investor and author James Ashford, each episode gets into what it really takes to build a valuable, scalable and ultimately exit-ready business. From leadership and culture to money, systems, strategy and scaling, James shares the lessons he learned building and selling his own businesses, including the mistakes, the things that worked, and the things he wishes someone had told him sooner. You’ll also hear honest conversations with founders, entrepreneurs and experts who’ve built businesses, made mistakes, taken risks and learned what it really takes to succeed.
This isn’t another business podcast that just scratches the surface. The aim is to go deeper. To get into the things that are difficult to talk about, ask the uncomfortable questions and have the conversations that often get avoided. The decisions that went wrong. The pressure behind the success. The mistakes people don’t normally admit to. And the lessons that only really come from going through it.
No surface-level answers. No pretending everything went to plan. Just honest conversations about what it really takes to build, grow and exit a business. Because growing a business isn’t just about making more money. It’s about building something valuable. Something that works without you. And something that gives you the freedom to choose what comes next.
Grow Fast. Exit Big.
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From Teaching Art in Prisons to an 8-Figure Exit | How James Ashford Built a Business Worth Selling
Season 1 · Episode 1
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 • Duration 01:13:20
In 2021, James Ashford sold his company, GoProposal, for an 8-figure exit to a FTSE 100 company.
Determined from the start to understand the intricate details of how to build a sellable business, he’s lifting the lid on what goes into successful entrepreneurship in his new podcast.
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 The end goal that started it all
05:09 Teaching in prisons: trying out different jobs
09:51 The biggest challenge in entrepreneurship
10:53 How to get rich in business
16:10 Why your competition is not just your direct competitors
20:08 How GoProposal was born
24:06 How to keep the cost low
33:23 How do you know when it’s time to exit, and why it’s OK to be a control freak (sometimes)
38:17 How to Kill the King
42:35 The sale of GoProposal
55:12 Why true entrepreneurship is passing on your knowledge
01:12:36 Can manifesting actually help in business?
01:23:10 Why comfort is a problem
LINKS
Follow James:
https://www.instagram.com/thejamesashford/?hl=en
https://www.tiktok.com/@fireproofjames
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jamesashford
Get James’ book, Grow Fast Exit Big: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1781339872?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_GQR6D38EGKM6069R9J0J_3&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_GQR6D38EGKM6069R9J0J_3&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_GQR6D38EGKM6069R9J0J_3&bestFormat=true
Grow Fast, Exit Big | The Official Podcast Trailer with James Ashford
Season 1
Monday, October 19, 2026 • Duration 01:47
How do you build a business that gives you everything you want?
A business that runs without you. One that operates to the highest standards. And one that could eventually be worth tens of millions of pounds.
That's the question I spent years trying to answer.
After failure after failure, I eventually built and sold a successful business. But I certainly don't have all the answers.
And that's exactly why I've started Grow Fast, Exit Big.
Every Tuesday, I'll be sitting down with successful entrepreneurs, business leaders and top performers to have honest, in-depth conversations about what it really takes to build, scale and eventually exit a successful business.
We'll explore the mistakes, the challenges, the strategies and the lessons that actually make a difference.
No bullsh*t soundbites. No surface-level advice.
Just real conversations, difficult questions and practical insights you can take away and apply to your own life and business.
Whether you're just starting out, scaling towards your next milestone or planning your eventual exit, this podcast is for you.
🎙️ New episodes every Tuesday.
Subscribe now and join us on the journey.
Let's get to work.
James Ashford
#GrowFastExitBig #JamesAshford #Entrepreneurship
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