Episode #519 - Building Stronger Businesses Through ERP Systems, Culture and Courage to Let Go - with Ric Wilson

Hi, I’m Granger Forson — you can find me at www.bizsmart-gloucestershire.co.uk or on LinkedIn. On this episode of ScaleUp Radio, I’m joined by Ric Wilson, founder of ERP Experts and now an active investor, who shares a remarkable journey of building, scaling, and transforming businesses. Ric began his career in the pharmaceutical industry, before stepping into entrepreneurship in 2005. What started as a consultancy soon evolved into ERP Experts, a seven-figure business and Oracle partner, helping small and mid-market firms integrate their systems for a single version of the truth. But Ric’s story goes far beyond ERP. He talks candidly about the hard lessons of letting go, empowering teams, and why systemisation is the foundation of sustainable growth. Culture sits at the heart of Ric’s leadership. With almost no staff turnover, he reveals how listening, development planning, and consistent HR processes created a workplace where people genuinely thrive. His “aftercare” approach to clients — going beyond support to deliver real peace of mind — is another hallmark of what makes ERP Experts stand out. In more recent years, Ric has expanded into acquiring and turning around businesses with a buy-and-build strategy. He explains the critical markers he looks for when considering acquisitions — from proven lead flow to robust customer retention — and why the toughest thing in business will always be finding and keeping customers. This conversation is a masterclass in resilience, focus, and practical wisdom. Whether you’re just starting out or leading a mature company, Ric’s journey shows that growth comes from the courage to try, the systems to support people, and the curiosity to keep improving. To ensure you don’t miss any inspirational future episodes do subscribe to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts. So, let’s now dive into the inspiring journey of systemising, empowering, and scaling with Ric Wilson. Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for. If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin Book a call with Granger - 30 minutes value add conversation for Business owners with Staff.https://api.goexela.com/widget/bookings/catchupgrangerugx7zl You can get in touch with Granger here: [e-mail] Kevin's Latest Book Is Available! Drawing on BizSmart’s own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up. More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/ Ric can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/ricwilsonuk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ric-wilson-erp-expert/ Resources: $100M Money Models by Alex Hormuz - https://www.amazon.co.uk/100M-Money-Models-Make-Acquisition-com-ebook/dp/B0FMXTZ4MH The E-Myth Revisted by Michael Gerber - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-e-myth-revisited-why-most-small-businesses-don-t-work-and-what-to-do-about-it-michael-e-gerber/d88909d401dd1cc3?ean=9780887307287&next=t&next=t Netsuite - https://6262239.extforms.netsuite.com/ Microsoft ToDo - https://to-do.office.com/tasks/ Tidal - https://tidal.com/ Tesla - https://www.tesla.com/