When to Scale, When to Sell, When to Step Back
Tue Feb 03 2026
On this episode of Hear Me RoAR, Ronn Bechler joins Kate and Tobi for a masterclass in capital markets, boardrooms, and building businesses that last.Ronn is one of the quiet architects behind modern Australian investor relations.
Over a 30-year career, he advised boards and executive teams across private and public markets, spanning tax, corporate finance, M&A, capital markets, and growth strategy. Then he saw a gap no one else did.He pioneered corporatised investor relations consulting in Australia, broke a near-monopoly in shareholder data, and built Market Eye into the country’s largest IR consultancy and second-largest shareholder data business.
After 15 years of scale, he sold the business to Automic Group in 2022 and stepped into the role of Executive Director.After nearly three decades of 6–7 day weeks, Ronn made a rare move in February 2024 – he stepped back.
Today, he operates as a non-executive director at Kogan.com (ASX: KGN), Advisory Board Chairman at Argall, an active investor, and contributor across multiple not-for-profit organisations.
In this conversation, we unpack:
🛠️ How to build businesses that dominate niche markets
🧑💻 What boards really look for in founders and CEOs
🚀 The inflection point between growth, governance, and exit
🤝 Why stepping back can sometimes be the smartest strategic move
If you care about capital, credibility, and long-term game thinking – this episode is for you 🎯
SHOW LINKSConnect With Ronn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnbechler/
Connect With Kate:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katesavebefitfood/
Connect With Tobi:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiskovron/
Kate's Company
https://befitfood.com.au/
Tobi's Companies
https://cubes.co/
More
On this episode of Hear Me RoAR, Ronn Bechler joins Kate and Tobi for a masterclass in capital markets, boardrooms, and building businesses that last.Ronn is one of the quiet architects behind modern Australian investor relations. Over a 30-year career, he advised boards and executive teams across private and public markets, spanning tax, corporate finance, M&A, capital markets, and growth strategy. Then he saw a gap no one else did.He pioneered corporatised investor relations consulting in Australia, broke a near-monopoly in shareholder data, and built Market Eye into the country’s largest IR consultancy and second-largest shareholder data business. After 15 years of scale, he sold the business to Automic Group in 2022 and stepped into the role of Executive Director.After nearly three decades of 6–7 day weeks, Ronn made a rare move in February 2024 – he stepped back. Today, he operates as a non-executive director at Kogan.com (ASX: KGN), Advisory Board Chairman at Argall, an active investor, and contributor across multiple not-for-profit organisations. In this conversation, we unpack: 🛠️ How to build businesses that dominate niche markets 🧑💻 What boards really look for in founders and CEOs 🚀 The inflection point between growth, governance, and exit 🤝 Why stepping back can sometimes be the smartest strategic move If you care about capital, credibility, and long-term game thinking – this episode is for you 🎯 SHOW LINKSConnect With Ronn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnbechler/ Connect With Kate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katesavebefitfood/ Connect With Tobi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiskovron/ Kate's Company https://befitfood.com.au/ Tobi's Companies https://cubes.co/