Hi! I’m James Johnson
As a founder, I know the journey from survival to scaling can be brutal. By the end of the survival phase, you’ve done it all and sure, the business might look OK, but stress is high, and you can feel the game is changing.
Scaling adds bigger opportunities and new challenges. Higher costs, delegating to others, and letting go of being the “hero”. I’ve been there. I’ve built and scaled businesses, made mistakes and come out the other side. Now, I coach founders through the same challenges; helping them take control and make it happen.
From Corporate to Startup to Coaching Founders on How to Scale to £10M+. Here's How I Got Here.
Corporate to Startup
I started my career at Jardines, spending six years turning round and scaling businesses internationally. In my last role, I grew an engineering company in the Philippines 40x in just three years.
Then, I took the leap into startups. An online marketplace for non-stolen bikes – Going Going Bike. We partnered with Team Sky, won Best Green Startup, and even raised £500K for charity by selling Tour de France bikes. But commercially? It wasn’t sustainable unless we became bike fences. That was my crash course in the realities of building from scratch.
Successful but Broken
Success can be a double-edged sword. During this phase, I was scaling a recruitment business across five countries, growing a global team of 88, and even winning an International Recruitment Company award. From the outside? It looked like I had it all.
But behind the scenes? I was burning out. Using extremes—like an Ironman—to distract myself. Struggling with personal challenges, like trying to start a family. I had a coach for six years during this phase, and it changed everything, showing me that growth without balance is unsustainable.
Founder Coach
I coach ambitious founders who’ve made it past the £1M mark and are now working towards £10M+—helping them build high-performing teams, make better decisions, and scale without burnout.
Outside of work? I’m a husband to an incredible wife, dad to an energetic 3.5-year-old, and dog-dad to Dexter, my almost 5-year-old mini Dachshund. Life’s full, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Now I’m
The Peer Effect: Community That Drives Growth
Coaching Frameworks
Scaling a business is chaotic. Without a clear framework, decisions pile up, teams become misaligned, and momentum stalls. Over the years, I’ve developed three key coaching frameworks to help founders take back control and build businesses that don’t just grow—but do so sustainably.
3 Steps to Success
With You
Unlock your leadership potential by focusing on personal growth, clarity, and decisive action-because meaningful change begins from within.
Create an unstoppable team dynamic with the No Excuses Framework. Cut through excuses and make things happen. Learn the simple system top founders use to lead with clarity and get results.
Build a powerful support network that fosters accountability, shared growth, and strategic collaboration – because success thrives in the right community.
