Business Buying Strategies From The Dealmaker's Academy

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.   This week we meet my mastermind client, Danny Beaumont, who has bought a number of manufacturing businesses without spending a penny of his own money. Plus he only works ten hours a week and spends twice a week playing golf. Here’s Danny in front of a live audience at one of our DealMaker Live events. Key Highlights [01:14] Danny discusses his career before business buying [03:40] Choosing a sector [07:40] Danny’s role in the business [08:30] The first deal [12:16] The next deal [15:22] The role of a parent company [18:56] The retirement acquisition [20:17] The size of the business you buy [22:09] The easiest deal so far [28:25] Establishing a group [33:40] Audience Q&A Notable Quotes We monitor our pipeline, how big it is in total, our win rate. So even if we have a quiet month in order intake, if we're quoting loads then a certain number are going to come straight. They sai

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.   This week we go behind the scenes of July 2023’s Dealmakers Live event held just outside London. I talk with David Watt, who was on my mastermind program back in 2019. David bought seventeen businesses, built the business group up to over £20 million of annual revenue, and he's just done a deal selling it for an eight figure sum. This is his story and how he did it.  Key Highlights [01:29] David’s background [02:46] David’s first acquisition [05:19] Discovering the podcast and joining Jonathan’s programme [06:52] Learning from others on the programme [09:07] Building his management team to enable him to focus on new acquisitions [12:05] Approaching a big corporate  [14:45] Negotiating the sale [16:40] How David filters potential acquisitions and builds his pipeline [22:27] David’s advice for new dealmakers [25:25] Looking to the future Notable Quotes And I drove many miles up and

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.  This week I talk with Hari Krishnadasan, one of my mastermind clients. Hari bought a business a few years ago, but didn't actually realize that it was going to be his strategy going forward. And when he bought two more businesses during the COVID period, in a completely different sector to the one that his background and experience is in, he realised that business acquisition was the right strategy for him. This is his story.  Key Highlights [01:26] Hari’s background [03:35] The first acquisition [[05:12] The effects of Brexit and COVID [05:50] Finding Jonathan and discovering a different approach to M&A [08:36] Choosing an entirely new sector [13:02] Plans for the future [19:18] Hari’s advice for would be dealmakers Notable Quotes I'd say do something that interests you and that you've got some knowledge of, because if you've got no interest in it, I don't think it'll work. Y

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.  This week I talk with Bill Snow, author of M&A For Dummies, one in the famous yellow series of books.  Business Buying Strategies is the leading podcast for people who want to buy a business. Each week I interview deal makers who've been on my business acquisition Mastermind program and find out about their deals and behind the scenes of their acquisitions. If you want to know how to get started in mergers and acquisitions, then take my free online course. You can find it at www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk Key Highlights [01:33] Bill Snow introduces himself [03:10] Working on the sales side for an investment banker [06:26] Bill's dummies approach to buying a business [11:22] Going direct to the seller [13:30] Bill's favourite negotiating approaches [19:43] Profitability vs perceived value [22:05] The strategic imperative [25:01] The perfect company? Notable Quotes It is hard to st

 This week we meet Darren Jacobs, who since joining my business buying courses has bought a total of 25 businesses in just eight months. He’s already sold four of them and has an ambitious target to do 100 deals.  Darren bought his first salon for his daughter, a qualified hair stylist, in May 2020. But when he started sending enquiry letters out, he quickly built a pipeline of potential acquisitions. Business Buying Strategies is the leading podcast for people who want to buy a business. Each week I interview deal makers who've been on my business acquisition Mastermind program and find out about their deals and behind the scenes of their acquisitions. If you want to know how to get started in mergers and acquisitions, then take my free online course. You can find it at www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk Key Highlights [01:47] Why the switch from IT group to salons? [05:50] The criteria for selecting salons to buy [07:40] Opening twenty salons at once after lockdown [10:50] Financing the acquisitions [16:45] Motiva

In this episode, Jo Bell joins us to talk about her business acquisition journey and the lessons that she has learnt. We talk about how being a doer impacts the business and how it can affect your next acquisition. Jo explains that looking at deals as pure numbers can be extremely helpful when you are not sure what a business is worth. She also discusses some of the ways sellers sometimes lie about deals or place too much emphasis on things that really don’t matter in terms of pricing your business correctly. Jo also shares some words of advice to potential business buyers. Key Highlights [01:42] Jo’s interesting business acquisition [02:38] Impacts of being a doer in the business [09:04] Do you feel that people believe in you? [10:20] Driving the business and getting onboard with the structure [11:51] Buying the perfect business [12:34] What was the next deal? [15:09] Perfect way of earning money without spending yours [20:51] Business sellers fabricating customer lists [23:03] What business buyers should lo

In this week's episode, Jonathan Jay interviews Phil Hunt, a private client who recently acquired two hairdressing salons using the strategies learned from the Dealmakers Academy program. Phil, an HR director in a bank, wanted to move away from full-time employment and found Jonathan's program the perfect solution. He shares how the program gave him the confidence and tools to approach acquisitions and completed two deals quickly.  The episode dives into Phil's experiences negotiating with sellers, using creative funding techniques, and building relationships to make the deals happen. With his successful start, Phil discusses his plans to grow the group and potentially move into other sectors in the future.  Key Highlights [00:50] How Phil’s first acquisition came about [03:51] Key insights that Phil had while participating in the Fast Track program [05:00] Some of the conversions that Phil has had while deal sourcing [08:20] The conversations that Phil had before landing the perfect business [11:25] How Phil

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews John Richardson, an expert in the coffee shop sector. John has been involved in numerous coffee shop acquisitions and in building coffee shop chains through acquisition. They discuss the current state of the coffee shop market, particularly following the pandemic, and the differences between business owners and entrepreneurs in this industry.  John highlights the opportunities in neighborhood coffee shops and the potential for community-centered coffee shops with added services like yoga classes or meeting rooms. They also explore the importance of having clear processes and management systems for successful growth in this sector. The episode concludes with John offering valuable advice for those considering buying a coffee shop business, emphasizing the need for careful analysis and understanding the complexity of running a coffee shop effectively. Key Highlights [00:50] About John Richardson and what he does [03:02] The distinction between being a business owner and

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews successful entrepreneur Nick Manuel, who shares his journey of buying and building businesses. Nick started his entrepreneurial journey by attending Jonathan's course and listening to this podcast. He explains how he acquired a balloon printing company and turned it into a lead generator for his existing business.  Nick shares valuable insights into his acquisition strategy and the importance of taking action, not overthinking, and focusing on deal flow. He also discusses his plans for further acquisitions and the potential for significant business growth.  Tune in for Nick's business buying journey. Key Highlights [00:46] Nick’s background [01:49] How Nick undertook his first deal [03:57] How Nick agreed on the price [05:59] How John Andrews helped Nick with his first acquisition [07:05] The benefits of acquiring a business with finance-free assets [09:53] How Nick knows that he is being realistic with himself [11:26] How Nick found the upcoming deal [12:05] Steps fol

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews Sam Turner, a former professional footballer turned dealmaker. Sam shares his journey from a successful corporate career to his decision to buy businesses. He explains how he found his first acquisition through networking and discusses the importance of credibility and clear focus in the acquisition process.  Sam emphasizes his philosophy of maintaining autonomous business units within a group and avoiding trying to oversimplify back-office synergies.  Key Highlights [00:44] Sam’s background [04:34] What Sam did after the Zoom course [07:34] Factors to consider when deciding on the type of business to buy [09:14] The role of credibility in a business venture [12:14] How Sam undertook his first deal [14:00] How networking can aid in getting deals [15:20] Time frame between first contact with the business owner to owning it [18:40] How Sam got access to a lender [22:14] How too many changes can lead to a decline in the value of a business [24:05] Sam’s plan for the futur

In this episode, Jonathan talks with Richard Bundock, a successful entrepreneur who shares his journey of buying and growing businesses. Richard's story begins with his early entrepreneurial ventures, when he sold stick-on tattoos at school. He recounts his experience making three successful acquisitions, detailing the differences between asset and share purchases. Inspired by his success, Richard plans to make around 18 more acquisitions to become one of the top five independent agency groups by 2026. He encourages listeners to take risks and push forward in their acquisitions, reminding them that time is precious and that they should seize opportunities to create positive change. Key Highlights [00:44] Richard's background [01:21] How Richard got into entrepreneurship [02:53] The nature of organic growth [04:46] The sector that Richard specializes in [06:24] The most stressful deal for Richard [09:46] The difference between asset and share purchase [11:36] Richard's plan for the future [15:30] The commonali

This week Jonathan talks with Akram Abdullah, who started a successful insurance brokerage with his brother, fell out of love with it, and sold it. Then, in the space of just eight months he acquired a commercial cleaning business, fixed it, and then sold it to the manager he had recruited to run it for him. Key Highlights [01:05] Akram talks about his career to date [01:48] Deciding to sell his insurance broker business [03:30] Deciding to acquire a business rather than start a new one [04:20] What sort of business was Akram looking for? [06:00] The first meeting with the seller [07:20] How the negotiations for the deal went through [12:30] The fixes that were needed [15:40] Selling the business on [20:20] Tips and advice for would-be business buyers Notable Quotes And then all of a sudden I've got a business and this recurring revenue that I had been so interested in, I could now see it coming through.  The most important thing is the seller's motivation. That is crucial.  So for me, I don't believe I will

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews Aled Davies, who runs a clothing and textiles printing business. Aled shares his journey of seeking organic growth for his family business, facing challenges such as a fire and the pandemic. Inspired by the podcast, Aled explores the acquisition route and becomes one of Jonathan's clients. He shares how he completed his first acquisition of a smaller business and seamlessly integrated it into his existing company, leveraging the acquired website, customer base, and sales opportunities. He also shares some of the tips he has acquired along the way. Key Highlights [00:45] About Aled Davies [01:21] How Aled got into business [04:16] How the Podcast motivated Aled [05:00] Lessons learned after joining the fast-track program [06:09] How Aled handled his first call [08:09] How the negotiations for the deal went through [15:05] The kind of due diligence one can do when buying a digital marketing company [19:11] Tips learned by Aled along the way Notable Quotes I had feedback

This week Jonathan talks to Chris Stone, a hearing healthcare specialist based in Glasgow. Chris is a client of Jonathan’s, and having already bought one competitor, he is now on the hunt for further acquisitions. In fact, right now he is the fastest growing hearing healthcare provider in Scotland. The conversation begins with how COVID has affected the business.  Key Highlights [01:14] The effects of the pandemic [02:40] Setting turnover targets [03:36] The first acquisition [12:00] The role that peer groups can play [14:54] Possible additional acquisitions [19:10] Structuring the next potential acquisition [22:52] The strategy moving forward [24:05] Advive for new business buyers Notable Quotes Very quickly after we had hit heads of terms with that first acquisition, we got approached by another two or three businesses to sell to buy them out So we took that business on eight years ago. We got it to a million turnover. It took us four and a half, five, four and a half years to get 10 million turnover And

This week Jonathan talks with Ray Burke, who started a business in the transport and haulage sector which he grew to a £500,000 turnover operation after six years. However, after three acquisitions in eighteen months, he has increased his group business turnover to £3.4 million. Key Highlights [01:26] Ray Burke's business background [04:21] How Ray looked for and shortlisted potential business to buy [05:05] Ray's first acquisition [12:01] What has changed for Ray since the first acquisition? [13:10] The second acquisition [18:20] The third acquisition [20:58] The mindset of running a group rather than a single business [27:05] What advice would Ray give to new business buyers? Notable Quotes So I structured a deal that I could use invoice, finance and cash in the bank to make that completion payment. If you want to buy a business you need to try and buy five, and then you might end up with two or three maybe if you're lucky. So the benefit of being the owner of a larger group is that you've now got a bigge

In this episode, Jonathan Jay is interviewed by Greg of the Empire Flippers Podcast, and they talk about the complexities of structuring deals and provide valuable insights into the world of acquisitions. Jonathan and Greg discuss the importance of looking for the right characteristics in an acquisition target. They talk about ensuring a smooth transition by having a management team in place. They recommend targeting larger, established businesses with positive cash flows for greater profitability and financing ease. They also discuss ways to increase business valuation by making oneself redundant, making it more attractive to potential buyers. They explain the no-money-down approach, particularly in situations with limited funds, and shed light on leveraged buyout strategies. Mitigating financing risks is addressed, with Jonathan advocating for acquiring businesses with positive cash flows to support debt and cautioning against distressed businesses. Key Highlights [01:46] How Greg met Jonathan Jay [03:36] A

This week Jonathan talks with entrepreneur, Phil, about the extraordinary story of his first major business deal. He recounts how his life transformed following the deal, sharing the personal and professional growth accompanying this monumental achievement. Phil reveals people's common mistakes during the early days after an acquisition, and offers valuable insights to help aspiring entrepreneurs navigate those challenging initial stages. Key Highlights [02:30] How Phil got his first deal [05:51] The scope of the business bought [06:33] What Phil was doing before the deal [10:37] The origin of the deal [14:02] Deals lined up for Phil [19:13] How Phil’s life changed [20:56] Mistakes that people make in the early days [24:43] Phil’s attitude to getting deals done [26:20] The benefits of being personable to people Notable Quotes You've just got to realize that you only get one life. Nobody knows how long you've got left. So you've got to love your life the way that you want. Be a doer and not a thinker. You've

This week we meet James Gardner, who was a guest at my Dealmakers Live event in January. Now, James has been on the podcast before, but I wanted to catch up with him to find out what he's been doing. After explaining how he became attracted to the world of mergers and acquisitions, James outlines his plans for scaling up his acquisitions and doing more of them. Key Highlights 01-35 James introduces himself 03-15 James gets a job with the local undertaker 04-10 James drops out of university 05-40 Starting a business with his brother 08-50 Selling that business 10-30 Meeting his former employer and making his first acquisition 21-35 Finding his second acquisition by lending his limousines to a competitor 25-25 A last minute hitch 28-30 Using life insurance to reassure a seller Notable Quotes One of my first goals was to be earning at least, if not more, than a graduate would've been in three years time, but I would've had three years worth of work experience, which they wouldn't have had. We became a little bi

In this episode, Jonathan Jay is joined by entrepreneur and dealmaker, Andrew Norton. Andrew shares insights into his recent, successful deals, how he funded them, how he found them, and the stark contrast between his first challenging deal and his recent multi-million-pound triumph. Andrew talks about the challenges he faced and how he overcame them, gaining valuable lessons that have shaped his recent acquisitions. He shares the way he secures funding, which has been crucial to the success of his deals. Key Highlights [01:42] What Andrew has done in the world of acquisitions [04:11] The people with the most success are the people with the best deal flow [05:25] How to streamline due diligence [08:40] How buying a larger business has changed Andrew’s strategies [09:55] The number of acquisitions to do in a year [11:43] How long it took Andrew to get a deal done [14:13] Lessons learned from raising finances [16:21] Benefits of understanding the staffing arrangements Notable Quotes You don't have to agree on

This week is one of our regular highlights episodes where we look back at some of the insights and interesting conversations I've had over the most recent episodes. I talk with Andrew Norton, who bought five businesses in just over 15 months. Starting out in the childcare sector, Andrew acquired several training businesses, and his consolidated group now trains childcare providers. Next, I speak with Gavin Page, who since joining Mastermind has bought nine businesses. In fact, he was crowned deal maker of the year at our annual awards and dinner in December last year. Next up is Darren Jacobs, who since joining my business buying courses, bought 25 businesses and sold four of them, and has an ambitious target to do 100 deals. And lastly, I talk with Alexis Kingsbury, about the importance of introducing processes into business acquisitions. We look at some examples of where and how processes have benefited their owners and how processes can create efficiencies and reduce headcount. Key Highlights [01:04] Andre