Guest: Stuart Widdowson – Co-Founder & Fund Manager, Odyssean Capital
🔍 Episode Overview
In this episode, Mike Allen welcomes Stuart Widdowson, one of the UK’s most respected small and mid-cap fund managers and co-founder of Odyssean Capital. With over two decades investing across public and private markets, Stuart shares deep insights on valuations, market inefficiencies, and why applying a private equity mindset to listed companies is one of the most compelling strategies in today’s market.

Mike reflects on a 20-year professional relationship with Stuart, from sell-side meetings to deep strategic discussions — and now, the evolution of Odyssean Capital’s highly engaged approach to unlocking value in underappreciated UK businesses.

💡 Key Insights & Takeaways
• Private Equity Discipline in Public Markets
 Odyssean applies a focused, hands-on, long-term approach – more akin to buyout investing than conventional portfolio management.
• The UK Small-Cap Discount
 Stuart believes many UK smaller companies trade at 30%+ below intrinsic value, with potential for significant re-rating as capital returns to the market.
• Static vs Dynamic Valuation
 It’s not enough to buy cheap – the true opportunity lies in owning businesses capable of compounding value over five to ten years.
• Public vs Private – Valuation Inversion
 Unusually, private markets now pay premiums over public equities. Stuart views this as a temporary anomaly and a major opportunity for quoted investors.
• Looking Ahead – The Next Decade of Opportunity
 Engaged ownership, operational improvement, and overlooked UK quoted niche global leaders that could define the next cycle for UK equities.

🗣 Memorable Quote

“The irony today is that private equity managers are paying premiums for businesses that listed investors are ignoring in plain sight.” — Stuart Widdowson

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Odyssean Investment Trust (OIT)
• UK Small & Mid-Cap research on valuation gaps
• Public vs Private return dispersion studies

🔁 Connect & Subscribe

• Follow Ignite & Scale on Spotify / Apple
• Discover more at cambriaprivatecapital.com
• Follow Mike Allen for future episodes & insights

Host: Mike Allen – Cambria Private Capital

🔍 About This Episode

In today’s episode, Mike Allen sits down with Anthony Brennan, Board & Business Development Director at Autonomy, part of the MTC Group. Autonomy is redefining how dealerships and OEMs deliver digital experiences by designing platforms that combine freedom, flexibility and scale.
This conversation dives into how Autonomy was built — not just as a product, but as a philosophy. It’s about giving power back to teams, dealers, and customers through smart systems that enable rather than restrict.

🧭 Key Themes & Talking Points

1️⃣ Origins & Vision

What sparked the creation of Autonomy — and what ‘autonomy’ truly means in an industry rooted in legacy systems.

2️⃣ Scaling Gracefully

The balance between customisation for dealers and the discipline of keeping a robust, scalable core.

3️⃣ Team Autonomy & Culture

How Autonomy empowers internal teams to make decisions, innovate fast and remain aligned.

4️⃣ Customer Success Stories

Real-world impact: dealers and OEMs who have transformed performance through Autonomy’s platform.

5️⃣ Lessons for Leaders

Anthony’s top lessons on building autonomy into products, organisations, and leadership structures.

🎯 Who Should Listen

Dealer principals & OEM leaders
Founders in platform or SaaS businesses
Anyone scaling teams, tech or culture

🔗 Learn More
Explore Autonomy at: getautonomy.co.uk
More Ignite & Scale episodes: Cambria Private Capital

Show Notes – Strong on AI, Automotive 🚘🤖

In this episode of Ignite & Scale, we sit down with Devin Daly, founder and CEO of Impel, the first unicorn on our podcast. Devin takes us inside the incredible journey from investment banking to building a global AI powerhouse transforming automotive retail.

Impel now powers 36bn shopper interactions, driving over $9 billion in sales across 51 countries. From humble beginnings creating 360° product visualizations for fashion brands to becoming the leading AI platform in automotive, Devin shares how bold vision, smart pivots, and relentless focus on people and culture fuelled their success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Impel scaled from fashion e-commerce to revolutionizing automotive AI
• Why car dealerships’ razor-thin margins made them ripe for disruption
• How AI is unifying the fragmented consumer journey across sales, service, and aftersales
• The role of culture, agility, and world-class talent in scaling to unicorn status
• Lessons from building an AI Center of Excellence in Georgia
• What the next 5–10 years look like for AI in automotive retail – from digital concierges to predictive vehicle acquisition

Key Takeaways:

• AI isn’t replacing people – it’s augmenting dealerships, boosting profitability, and elevating customer experience.
• Scaling globally means balancing speed, agility, and culture.
• The future of automotive retail will be driven by always-on AI brains guiding the entire consumer lifecycle.

📌 Learn more about Impel: impel.ai
 📧 Contact: [email protected]

In this episode of Ignite & Scale, Mike Allen sits down with Charlie Cook, founder of Rightcharge, to explore how a climate-driven mission evolved into one of the UK’s most innovative EV charging businesses.

What began as a simple comparison tool has since transformed into core EV charging payments software—a tech platform designed to make charging payments seamless and accurate for both drivers and admins. This evolution from spreadsheet beginnings to trusted technology partner highlights the company’s ability to pivot, scale, and seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

From spotting a gap in the market, to building trust with major customers, to connecting the dots between the original mission and the platform’s current role in the EV ecosystem

📌 Listen Now

🎧 [Apple Podcasts]

🎧 [Spotify]

🎧 [YouTube] 

 👉 If you’d like to connect with Charlie directly, you can reach him on LinkedIn.

More episodes at:
🎧 www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of Ignite & Scale, we sit down with Johan Sundstrand — serial entrepreneur and founder of Phyron, one of the most innovative AI scaleups transforming automotive retail.

Johan’s entrepreneurial journey spans over two decades, from building Kalix Finans in fintech (scaled to 60,000 users and acquired by Folksam), to founding Freya News (later acquired by Jabmo), and leading Jabmo’s EMEA commercial strategy before pivoting into automotive. Along the way, he’s raised over €60 million in venture capital and scaled multiple businesses across Europe and North America.

In this episode we cover:

• The origin story of Phyron and how it’s redefining vehicle retail through AI-powered, video-first listings.
• Scaling a SaaS platform to 4,000 dealerships in 40+ countries, streaming 700,000+ videos monthly.
• Lessons from Johan’s entrepreneurial path: persistence, product vision, and knowing when to pivot.
• His perspective on AI’s role in the future of automotive retail — and how SaaS founders can future-proof.
• Why stepping back as CEO in 2025 is the right decision, and the leadership lessons behind it.

 👉 If you’d like to connect with Johan directly, you can reach him on LinkedIn.

More episodes at:
🎧 www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

🔍 Episode Overview:
In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with John Veichmanis, CEO of Carwow, to unpack his leadership journey and the bold vision he’s shaping for one of the UK’s most influential automotive platforms.

They explore:

• John’s early career and what drew him to Carwow
• How he’s steering the business as a true marketplace leader
• Lessons from shifting consumer behaviour and dealer expectations
• The future of automotive e-commerce and platform innovation
• What excites him most about where the industry is heading

Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor in mobility or marketplaces, this episode is packed with insight on scaling a digital platform while staying anchored in product, purpose, and people.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• The power of building a true two-sided marketplace
• Why leadership means simplifying complexity
• How Carwow balances growth, brand, and trust in a changing industry
• Insights into where UK automotive is headed in the next 3–5 years

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

In this episode of Ignite & Scale, Mike Allen sits down with Ken Cumming, founder of Redhead Automotive, a consultancy renowned for transforming dealer profitability across the UK and Northern Europe.

Ken brings decades of operational experience—from Toyota GB to global consulting with ASE—and shares powerful, no-nonsense insights on what actually drives results in the automotive retail world. If you’re a founder selling into OEMs or dealers, this episode is essential listening.

What we cover:

🔧 Ken’s journey from the shop floor to founding Redhead Automotive

📊 Why most consultants miss the mark—and how Ken’s team stays grounded in the real world

💥 How to unlock hidden margin in aftersales through workshop efficiency, diary management, and people performance

🌍 Lessons from Norway and the Nordics: What EV adoption and cultural nuance teach us about aftersales strategy

💡 How SaaS founders can better pitch ROI to dealerships—ditch the feature lists, focus on time-saving and decision acceleration

Ken’s approach is practical, human-centred, and laser-focused on making dealer operations more profitable—fast.

Connect with Ken:
👉 www.redhead-automotive.com

More episodes at:
🎧 www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

Episode overview:

In this data-rich and candid conversation, Philip Nothard, one of the UK’s most respected automotive analysts, joins Mike Allen to unpack the major shifts shaping the sector in 2025. Fresh from Autopalooza and the FT Future of the Car Summit, Philip shares insights from the latest Cox Automotive Insight Quarterly report and explains what they mean for founders, operators, and investors.

Topics covered include:

• Philip’s journey from shopfloor to boardroom insight
• Why new car registrations are rebounding—and how long it might last
• The EV paradox: record growth but still behind policy targets
• Why used EVs aged 3–5 years are outperforming newer ones
• How China’s manufacturing dominance is reshaping the UK market
• Takeaways from the FT Future of the Car Summit 2025

Key link:

🔗 Insight Quarterly (May 2025) – Read it here

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

🔥 Episode Overview:

In this high-impact episode, Mike sits down with Ashley Tott—entrepreneur, investor, and one of Sweden’s most sought-after scale-up advisors. With a background in corporate finance, private equity, and board leadership, Ashley brings sharp insight into how founder-led businesses can break through the €10m turnover ceiling and achieve repeatable, structured growth.

From recruiting his first Chair at just 27 to helping dozens of businesses install world-class board frameworks, Ashley shares why governance done right isn’t boring—it’s a growth weapon.

🧠 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why so many founder-led businesses stall at the 100M SEK (~£7.5m) revenue mark
• The three core elements of a high-performance board
• What Ashley learned from private equity (3i) and global brands (Specsavers, Andersen)
• How to balance founder freedom with structure—and avoid burnout
• Why founders should treat the board as an accelerator, not a blocker
• How to spot (and fix) the biggest governance blind spots in your business
• Practical advice for CEOs: how to choose the right Chair, and when to bring one in

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“You can’t fix everything. Focus on what matters—and work relentlessly on it.” – Ashley Tott

• Scaling isn’t just about sales—it’s about structure.
• Founders don’t need to be ‘controlled’ by boards—they need to be supported by them.
• A great Chair is your growth co-pilot, not a corporate cop.

👤 About Ashley Tott:

Ashley is Co-Founder at Scalex Growth Partners, where he helps Swedish small businesses scale past 100M SEK through structured board development and founder enablement. A qualified chartered accountant and former private equity investor, Ashley brings 20+ years of cross-sector experience to his advisory and Chair roles. He’s known for his fun, entrepreneurial energy—and for making governance both accessible and impactful.

🔗 Learn more: www.scalexgp.se

🔗 Connect & Subscribe:

Follow Ignite & Scale for more conversations with founders, operators, and growth leaders who’ve built and backed great companies.
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms
🌐 Learn more at: www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.

In this powerful kickoff to Series 3 of Ignite & Scale, Mike Allen sits down with Angela Montacute, the CEO of Digital INNK, to explore what it takes to scale a SaaS business in one of the most challenging sectors: automotive.

Angela shares the origin story behind Digital INNK, the moments that proved real product-market fit, and the hard-won lessons of building a lean, effective team while serving some of the industry’s biggest names.

If you’re a founder, operator, or investor in the auto-tech ecosystem, this is one not to miss.

🎧 In this episode, we cover:

• Why solving real operational pain matters more than tech hype
• How Digital INNK approached product-market fit in a resistant sector
• The smart decisions that shaped scale without burn
• What other SaaS founders can learn from Angela’s journey
• What’s next for automotive software in the UK and beyond

👤 About Angela:

Angela Montacute is one of the founders and CEO of Digital INNK, a fast-scaling SaaS platform transforming the way automotive operators manage cost, compliance, and communication. Her background in automotive and technology gives her a unique edge in solving real problems with pragmatic, elegant solutions.

📌 Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Digital INNK
• Connect with Angela on LinkedIn
• Visit www.cambriaprivatecapital.com

© Copyright Cambria Private Capital. All Rights Reserved.