By: Joshua Finley

Scaling a business requires more than just a great product or service. It demands strong operations, strategic leadership, and the right people to turn a promising startup into a thriving company. This insight drives Anthon Hollstein-Ivarsson, an investor and advisor focused on integrating leadership, strategy, execution, and people capabilities to drive operational value creation for growth-stage companies. With over 15 years of hands-on experience across industries and geographies, Anthon brings a unique approach to scaling businesses for sustainable success.

Rather than rely on projections, Anthon gets involved in day-to-day operations, attending meetings, analyzing processes, and assessing team capabilities. This immersive approach allows him to identify gaps and rapidly implement solutions to build a robust operational framework. By focusing on strategy, organizational alignment, and people, Anthon helps leaders drive execution and scale their businesses.

Why Operations Matter as Much as Products

Many investors focus on an entrepreneur’s idea or product, but Anthon takes a different approach. “While a great product is essential, the real value lies in how well the company is operationally structured to scale,” he explains. “The reason most companies fail is not due to the idea itself, but because their operations lack the foundation to sustain growth.”

He points to studies showing that over half a percentage of startups fail due to operational inefficiencies, eventually running out of cash. “I don’t just provide advice from the sidelines; I roll up my sleeves and get involved in the day-to-day operations, helping companies overcome these challenges,” Anthon says. His hands-on involvement as an advisor or venture partner allows him to identify gaps and rapidly implement solutions that drive efficiency and long-term success.

In Anthon’s view, operations and product development must go hand in hand to ensure a company’s success. By addressing both areas with equal focus, he believes businesses can create a robust foundation that not only supports growth but also enhances overall value.

Hands-On Experience Beats Spreadsheets

Traditional investors often rely heavily on projections and spreadsheets, but Anthon sees clear limits in this approach. “You can’t just run the numbers and think you’ve got a winning strategy,” he emphasizes. “It’s not about creating theoretical strategies on paper; it’s about crafting strategies that can actually be implemented and executed effectively.”

For Anthon, execution demands more than just data—it’s about being immersed in the company’s day-to-day. “You need to be in the trenches—attending leadership meetings, operating sessions, and speaking with people at every level of the organization,” he says. “How people actually do things, how the team operates, and their behavior in real-world situations reveal far more than what any report or spreadsheet can tell you.”

Anthon also highlights the importance of understanding and trusting the founders and the team. “You can’t just rely on polished pitches or models; you need to develop a real sense of the people you’re working with,” he adds. “If a team can’t efficiently get data or relies too much on processes that slow things down, those are red flags.”

This hands-on, real-time perspective exposes operational gaps and challenges that traditional models often miss. “A strategy written in a spreadsheet is just a hypothesis,” Anthon explains. “Nine times out of ten, it doesn’t play out as expected without a deep understanding of the people and the business behind the numbers.

Strategy, Organization, and People Drive Success

Anthon advises companies on three essential pillars: strategy, organization, and people.

On strategy, he emphasizes the importance of knowing where a company is headed and why. “A leader runs their team efficiently, but if they’re not headed in the right direction, it doesn’t matter how fast they go,” he explains. Understanding the strategic fit and setting the right direction is the first step.

Next is organizational alignment. “The organization has to support the strategy,” he notes. “If your strategy is product-focused, you need a tech team that can build it and a sales team that knows how to sell it.” Ensuring that the structure, processes, data and workflows are set up to execute the strategy is crucial.

Finally, it’s about the people. “Do you have the right people to carry out the activities that will realize the strategy?” This applies to both the present and future, as the right talent will drive the company forward.

“Getting all three right—strategy, organizational setup, and people—builds the foundation for success,” Anthon concludes. His hands-on experience allows him to quickly identify gaps and realign these critical areas for growth.

Global Knowledge, Local Expertise

Anthon’s global expertise in the supply chain, technology-driven operations, and proptech provides him with a unique perspective on building and scaling businesses across different markets. “By operating across the world, you can leverage regional strengths in products, technology, and strategies to create superior services and solutions,” he explains. This approach of regional arbitrage allows Anthon to harness the prime innovations from each market and integrate them into more effective operations.

His international experience enables him to bridge gaps that others might overlook, driving home how this global perspective enhances operational excellence. “When you truly understand the nuances of different regions, you can identify opportunities that lead to more effective scaling strategies,” he adds.

Currently, he is building a supply chain and logistics company in Asia, combining cutting-edge technology with real-world operational needs. “Supply chain innovations in one part of the world can revolutionize another,” he says, emphasizing the power of leveraging technology to streamline operations globally.

In proptech, Anthon’s experience spans multiple geographies, allowing him to understand and adapt to local markets while applying global premier practices. “It’s critical to stay close to the business, especially when implementing technology-driven solutions. You can’t just advise from a distance—you need to understand the specific challenges on the ground to apply the right technology and operations strategies.”

Through his hands-on involvement, Anthon ensures that the solutions he brings are not just theoretical but practical, scalable, and adapted to local conditions, creating sustainable, tech-driven growth on a global scale. This blend of global insight and local expertise equips him with a distinctive edge that helps companies scale more effectively.

The Impact of a Hands-On Approach

What impact does this hands-on operational focus have? According to Anthon, it’s the difference between actively driving business success and leaving it up to chance. In other words, he’s actively shaping outcomes, not just waiting for something to work out. “The traditional shotgun approach—investing in numerous companies and hoping one or two succeed—is outdated,” he explains. “Instead of relying on hope, we employ a sniper approach: we engage directly and strategically with businesses to significantly enhance their chances of success.”

By immersing ourselves in operations—driving strategy, refining processes, and aligning leadership—Anthon believes we can dramatically increase the odds of success. “Most companies fail due to operational inefficiencies. The solution isn’t merely more capital; it’s deeper involvement. By taking control and actively shaping outcomes, we can help companies navigate challenges and build stronger, more resilient ventures.”

This approach transcends merely improving probabilities; it’s about engineering higher returns through deliberate, hands-on execution. “When you’re closely involved with a business and actively working to enhance its performance, the likelihood of success—and the returns—rise substantially. It’s not about wishing for a win; it’s about making it happen.”

Rather than simply placing bets, Anthon’s philosophy emphasizes the construction of sustainable, high-value companies. “By synchronizing strategy, operations, and leadership with the right support, we can drive real, tangible growth,” he concludes. His approach is about taking control of outcomes, ensuring companies flourish, and creating genuine value for both investors and the businesses they support.

To learn more about Anthon Hollstein-Ivarsson, check out his LinkedIn profile.

Published By: Aize Perez