What does it take to grow an accountancy firm from 60 people to over 800 in just five years — and keep the culture intact? In this episode, Scott Heath, CEO of DJH, reflects on two decades with the firm and the strategic choices that have shaped its rapid expansion through acquisition.
Scott delves into the realities of PE-backed growth: the pressure of performing against peak valuations, the discipline of building infrastructure before scaling further, and why culture sits above strategic fit in every acquisition conversation. He shares how DJH has developed a model where acquired firms bring their own specialisms into a shared platform, creating something more than the sum of its parts.
The conversation also explores how DJH is approaching AI, how B Corp accreditation became a useful framework for honest self-assessment, and what Scott has learned about leadership as the firm has grown beyond what any one person can control.
Supported by Norman Broadbent: https://www.normanbroadbent.com/
Scott Heath