Lessons from Building Ashton McGill: Our Top Business Growth Lessons So Far.

Running a business isn’t linear.

At Ashton McGill, we’ve learned that the road to growth is full of curveballs, steep learning curves, and unexpected breakthroughs.

So here’s what we’ve learned (the hard way) about building a business that lasts.

These are the lessons we’d go back and tell our past selves.

1. There are no shortcuts. It always takes longer than you think.

When we started AM, we were full of big dreams and (if we’re honest) some naivety.

The truth is, building a business that lasts takes time, energy, and resilience.

There’s no fast track. But over time, with the right mindset and support, you build something meaningful and something you’re proud of.

2. Don’t just build a brand for your customers. Build one for your team.

One of the best decisions we’ve made was to prioritise our employer brand.

We want AM to be a place people want to work. In a tough recruitment market, that’s a competitive advantage. And it’s more than just perks– it’s the work that we do, the stories we share, the way we lead, and the space we create for our team to grow.

If you’re scaling, your internal brand matters just as much as your external one.

3. Get a mentor– sooner than you think you need one.

For the first five years, we did it all ourselves. Then we brought in a Board Advisor, and it changed everything.

Suddenly, we had someone to challenge us, to guide us, to push us further than we thought we could go.

It’s one of the best moves we’ve made for scaling our business, and we only wish we’d done it sooner.

4. You will make mistakes. That’s not failure. That’s growth.

As a perfectionist, this was a tough one.

In the early days, I (Alasdair) controlled and delivered everything. But that stifles growth. Building a team meant learning to let go– and learning how to handle the (occasional) dropped ball with grace and process.

Now, we have systems in place. When something goes wrong, it’s addressed, the lessons are learned, and we move forward.

5. Adversity doesn’t have to break you. It might just define you.

When COVID hit, we were scared, like everyone else. But instead of retreating, we leaned in. We showed up for our clients every day, through the chaos.

By the end of COVID, our business had doubled in size. Not despite the challenge, but because of how we responded to it.

This was some of the most rewarding work of our lives.

6. Know your value. Literally.

From day one, we used tools like the Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas to shape what we do.

They helped us validate our ideas, understand our clients, and refine our offer. Too many founders skip this step, and then wonder why growth feels like an uphill battle.

If you’re not clear on your value, neither are your customers.

Want to understand your value proposition? Start here.

Final Thoughts

We’ve made mistakes, we’ve had wins, and we’re still learning every day.

The biggest shift for us came when we stopped trying to have all the answers, and instead focused on asking better questions, surrounding ourselves with good people, and staying true to what we believe in.

if you’re trying to build something meaningful that actually makes a difference, you’re already on the right track. Purpose-led growth might not be the fastest route, but it’s the one that lasts.

If you’re in that messy middle– growing something of your own, making it up as you go– you don’t have to go it alone.

Want an accountant that gets it?

Let’s chat about how we can support your business.