Marvin OnumonuResearch from Shawbrook found most founders of medium-sized businesses in Britain were not ready for the pressure of scaling up.
Three in 10 (28%) leaders said they felt isolated at times during the process, and a similar number reported higher stress as things got busier.
Two-thirds (67%) put their own savings or remortgaged to back growth, showing how much personal commitment is involved.
69% said the financial risks were bigger than expected, but most saw revenue growth eventually rise faster than costs, with 65% reporting revenue growth outpaced rising costs.
More than a quarter (28%) struggled to get funding that matched their stage of growth.
Many said there is a lack of specialist financial support for medium-sized businesses, which are often too big for start-up schemes but too small for corporate banking.
Founders pointed to several forms of support that would help, including tailored finance, peer networks, mentorship, and mental health resources.
30% wanted more tailored finance or funding, the same percantage asked for peer networks, 29% said mentorship or advisers would help, and 28% wanted mental health or resilience support.
Neil Rudge, chief banking officer for commercial at Shawbrook, said: “Medium-sized businesses are vital to the UK’s economic strength, and entrepreneurs are clearly willing to back their ambitions with significant personal commitment.
“Their success shows what is possible when businesses scale well – but it also highlights where more tailored support could unlock even greater growth.
“Access to flexible, specialist finance, combined with stronger peer and mentorship networks, can make the scale-up journey more sustainable for leaders and more productive for the economy.”
