#394 – Jon Jorgensen on how Access Group went from £50M to £9.2B valuation

A story about what happens when you build a Forever Business—instead of chasing the next exit This episode is for sales-led SaaS founders who feel the business is getting slower the bigger it gets—and starting to accept that as normal. Most software companies slow down as they scale. Access got faster. Jon Jorgensen, Co-CEO of The Access Group, joined as a telesales trainee straight from school. In 2011, the company was doing £24 million. Fifteen years later, it's a £1.2 billion business with 160,000 customers. His belief: if you build what he calls a "Forever Business," growth compounds instead of stalling—even after six private equity transactions. And this inspired me to invite Jon to my podcast. We explore why companies that never stop learning outgrow everyone else. Jon shares lessons about what shifted when Access moved from profit-driven to value-creation thinking, why he pushed equity to over 50% of employees, and what a "Forever Business" actually demands. You'll discover how a company survives six private equity transactions and 9,000 employees—without becoming the corporate machine everyone expects. We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – Master the art of curiosity – Master creating momentum Jon's journey proves that remarkable companies treat curiosity as a daily practice, not a poster on the wall—and that's what creates momentum competitors cannot replicate. Here's one of Jon's quotes that captures his leadership philosophy: "I can't change you. You've got to want to change. I can't make you do something. You've got to want to do it." By listening to this episode, you'll learn: Why shifting from profit-driven to value-creation thinking changes everything about growthWhat happens when you push equity deep into the organization instead of hoarding itWhy the psychology of belonging matters more than strategy at scaleHow building a "Forever Business" protects against short-term pressure from investorsFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Jon Jorgensen, Co-CEO, The Access Group Website: theaccessgroup.com