How to Think Like a £100M Developer
10 Real-World Lessons They Don’t Teach in Any MBA
Let me be clear upfront:
I’m not at £100M in revenue or net asset value. Yet.
Far from it, in fact.
But I’ve sat across the table from those who are at that level - as well as others who are well above it.
I’ve seen exactly how they think.
Inside corporate finance, private equity, and investment banking -
Structuring complex transactions with institutional capital on the line.
Working directly with C-Suite executives of £1 Billion+ companies
(often helping them run the financial model… but that’s a story for another day).
And I’ve also been in the trenches.
I’ve personally underwritten and executed multi-million-pound real estate transactions
As the exclusive developer.
I’ve 100% self-funded the equity cheque.
Signed on the personal guarantees as solo director.
Carried the risk through construction when no one else would.
No outside equity. No backup plan. Just execution or collapse.
If you’ve been there too and had your own skin in the game -
Staring into the abyss whilst building your own business -
Or worked for a high-pressure entrepreneurial firm…
Then I get it.
What I share here in this newsletter isn’t “textbook theory”.
This is real-world pressure I’ve felt at a visceral level.
And it taught me what works (and what doesn’t) when you’re playing for keeps.
Here are 10 vital life lessons that separate those stuck in the spin cycle
From the ones scaling with precision.
Hopefully you no longer have to burn years of your career just to learn these lessons the hard way:
1. EXECUTION IS A CLARITY KILLER
You think you’re “in control”, until everything slips.
Running sites, solving fires, juggling suppliers…
You don’t look like a leader. You look like a liability.
You don’t scale when you’re in the weeds. You stall.
Before: Knee deep in day-to-day chaos, constantly reacting.
After: Built systems, removed bottlenecks, stopped playing ops manager.
RESULT: Calendar cleared. Team aligned. Strategy back in focus.
2. MOST DEVELOPERS ARE JUST BUILDERS WITH “VIBES”
No capital structure. No investor logic.
Just spreadsheets and hope.
You might get lucky once - but you’ll never be investable.
Before: Pitching with passion and praying it lands.
After: Engineered a capital stack that speaks investor.
Result: Faster raises. Fewer questions. Higher trust.
3. THERE’S NO MARGIN IN MEDIOCRITY
Mid-market is where profits disappear - and stress multiplies.
Safe and familiar is not safe.
It’s invisible.
Make your product so outstanding that it becomes your moat.
Before: Built what the market expected.
After: Committed to premium, sustainable, high-performance assets.
Result: Premium rents. Bigger exits. Zero competition.
4. PAIN IS THE PRODUCT
Every scar, delay, and lawsuit is an unpriced lesson.
The only question is:
Did you document it and learn from it?
Before: Treated setbacks as bad luck.
After: Turned breakdowns into bulletproof systems.
Result: Replication without risk. Lessons that pay for themselves.
5. ESG IS DEAD WEIGHT UNLESS IT PERFORMS
Compliance doesn’t drive value.
Outcomes do.
Sustainability without results is just theatre.
Performance-driven real assets are what make the difference.
Before: Chased ratings and slogans.
After: Rebuilt around Impact, Wellness, and Prosperity.
Result: Assets that outperform. Brands that stand for something.
Still here?
Good.
Most aren’t. They quit already.
That’s the difference.
;-)
6. YOU CANNOT SCALE CHAOS
If the process changes every time, it’s not a business.
It’s a gamble.
And it’s burning hours, money, and your team’s trust.
Repetition and predictability are the bedrock of sustainable growth.
Before: Everything was custom, chaotic, founder-dependent.
After: Codified the delivery engine and locked in repeatability.
Result: Projects delivered on rails. Margins protected. Stress gone.
7. NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE YOU
There’s no dream partner.
No silver bullet.
Just you and the decision to move forward regardless.
Take full and total responsibility for your business and your life.
Before: Waiting for the right JV, investor, or a miracle to happen.
After: Owned the whole outcome and executed anyway.
Result: Total control. Momentum regained. No more excuses.
8. FREEDOM IS BUILT. NOT FANTASISED.
Most founders build prisons.
A business that can’t run without you isn’t a business -
It’s a job with more anxiety.
True freedom is methodically planned and meticulously built.
Before: Hustling 16 hours a day to “earn freedom”.
After: Designed the business to operate without handholding.
Result: Time back. Energy up. Growth without grind.
9. CAPITAL CHASES RISK CONTROL
Investors don’t care about the dream.
They care about the downside protection.
Remove uncertainty, and money moves.
Few truly understand this.
Before: Sold vision. Got questions. Delayed commitments.
After: Led with risk management and structured exits.
Result: Confident investors. Cleaner terms. Bigger cheques.
10. TRUST IS THE LONG-TERM MULTIPLIER
You don’t earn trust when it’s easy.
You earn it when things go sideways.
Pressure is the real due diligence.
Will you fold, or give your clients reasons to hold?
Before: Over-sold. Over-promised.
After: Delivered quietly and owned outcomes under fire.
Result: No pitch needed. Referrals increase. Capital compounds.
These aren’t tips.
They’re fault lines.
Cross them early, or pay for them later.
Anyone can grow when the market’s easy.
Only operators build systems that survive the storm.
Build accordingly.
Full stop.
Until next time - let’s get out there and make a difference.
Let’s continue to embrace the wisdom generously granted to us through experience.
Sometimes, there is no substitute.
But hopefully through my own battle scars,
You can plan ahead for the inevitable roadblocks of building something that matters.
Let me know if this edition of Upgraded Investor resonated, or hit home for you.
If you’re living with intention, and passionate about making a difference –
Know that I’m right with you.
You got this,
Matt
Excellent as always