Dean Love is a partner at Pitcher Partners Melbourne who provides practical, strategic and commercial advice to help his clients grow their businesses. He has a flair for making complex issues accessible, empowering business owners to make smarter decisions on the structuring and growth of their organisations, and works closely with clients in industries including construction. 

In this episode, Dean shares practical insights on what it takes to scale a business well. He explains why hiring high calibre talent is paramount for a growing business, and why founders should see each hire as an opportunity to fill their blind spots. He outlines how an authentic articulation of culture attracts the right people, when outsourcing makes sense and why the provider you choose matters, and the value of trusted advisers as a sense check on big decisions. Dean walks through the key factors in choosing a business structure, from funding requirements and equity to tax outcomes and planning for an eventual exit. He also discusses the traits that set successful founders apart, how to bring in external investors without losing sight of the bigger picture, and why strategic planning is about more than chasing growth for growth's sake. Above all, Dean makes the case that growing businesses succeed by making informed, commercial decisions early and not waiting for the perfect outcome.