Scott Dylan is a distressed M&A, and private equity investor who acquires and funds companies across a range of markets and develops them into prosperous firms. He enriches struggling businesses by forming close group collectives that enable companies to benefit from shared top-level business functions and establish well-run human resources, marketing, finance, and business development departments. With a focus on a people-centred culture and results-driven progress, Scott employs his expertise in capital investment, digital strategy, and software to plant tactical seeds in businesses that nurture organic growth.
In 2018, Scott founded Fresh Thinking Group which, since its launch, has acquired hundreds of businesses across Europe and moulded them into thriving firms. With Scott managing the frontline of business enterprises, Fresh Thinking Group applies success-driven approaches to achieve prime results for its companies. Fresh Thinking Group collaborates with businesses across multiple sectors, including e-commerce, technology, digital, and logistics-based markets. The investment organisation also owns various groups, including Orb, Inc & Co, and Inc & Co Property, each of which acquires and holds further subsidiaries.
Having created FTG as a private equity disruptor, Scott leads the group’s approach to acquire and restructure businesses and achieve optimal growth. FTG analyses each of its company’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for development before drawing up a customised plan to generate new success avenues. FTG supports each business throughout the entire growth journey, collaborating with team members, offering industry-specific advice, and providing all forms of business support, from capital injections to research and development.
With a background of over fifteen years in developing technological platforms and major marketing campaigns, as well as revitalising companies through acquisitions and managing buyouts, Scott reforms all aspects of businesses, guiding companies on their path to rejuvenation. His advising acumen in growth strategy, finance, and insolvency forms Fresh Thinking’s position as leaders in business acquisition and transformation.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
I think in some way or other we all doubt parts of our home and work life, and for the most part I feel it's necessary to challenge the way you think about the world around you. After all, it’s how our ancestors made deciduous, just for them it was sometimes life or death.
There comes a point where we either don’t doubt ourselves enough, (too confident, even when we are wrong) or we do it too much (self-destruction).
I doubt myself sometimes, but I keep myself in check and watch out for doing it too much, or not enough. That way when I’m making a business decision, sometimes which may revolve around saying hundreds of jobs, I take my time, way up all the options and make the most informed decision at the time.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
Every decision I make is tough, it normally just ends up being tough. A lot of the work in Fresh Thinking Group is around saving companies in distress and making them profitable again, and naturally when I buy a company that has a couple hundred staff, there will be many tough decisions to make in that process.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
I don’t give up. I fight tooth and nail for what I believe in and even though I never let that cloud my judgement, when I want something, I almost always get it. That natural born desire to fight is ingrained in all the work I do, and I like to see that quality in other people too.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Not so much a moment but job retention is at the heart of what I do so acquiring a struggling business and turning it into a profitable vehicle so that jobs are secured is not only what I'm good at but is what gives me satisfaction every day.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
I’m excited about bringing more companies into FTG and growing the brands we have. We’re starting to look like a very young Virgin brand, where we have lots of services and offerings and some of the best teams I have ever worked with. I’m most excited about an acquisition that is about to complete, I can’t say anything about it, but it really is big and I really want to get stuck in already.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
My advice would be to ‘carry on doing what you’re doing’. I’ve had many ups and many downs in my career, and I think they are what build you into a strong resilient person. Life is naturally full of windy roads, pot holes and things just generally stopping you from having a good time. But that is life, and we have to expect a rocky road every now and then.
