how to buy a business

236 – Jonathan’s guest spot on the Empire Flippers podcast

22nd June 2023 by E P

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 brief background of Jonathan and what he does

[05:59] Structures and systems Jonathan would put in place if he was to buy 48 businesses again

[08:16] Characteristics to look out for in a business

[09:00] The importance of having the right management team

[11:11] How Jonathan’s strategy is different from others

[14:29] How Jonathan structures LBOs

[15:25] Why buying distressed businesses is a trap for newbies

[23:55] How Jonathan exited the nursery schools

[29:31] The letter system for finding retiring business owners

[32:29] Common mistakes that people make while buying businesses

[35:50] Businesses that are hard to finance

[38:30] Best advice ever received by Jonathan

[40:16] How to connect with Jonathan

Notable Quotes

The ideal business to buy always has management in place already.
I always tell people to go for the bigger businesses because you’ll make more money, they’re easier to finance, they’re easier to buy, and they run themselves better. They don’t need you.
Making yourself redundant in your business is the fastest way to increase value. And it just makes your business easier for someone to buy from you.
A beginner should be looking for a business that has made money day in and day out for the past five years, has predictable cash flows, can support any debt you put into the business, and still has enough profit to take money out.
Buying a business is not about the business you will own but the person you become.

Resources

Buying a business is only the start, which is why we are now teaching what happens next on the Mastermind program. Now, if you’ve already bought a business, you should be part of my Inner Circle group where we discuss raising capital, integration management, and exiting. Email Maria on hello@thedealmakersacademy.com for more information.

If you are looking for a lawyer in the UK to help you get the deal over the line, then use my own lawyer, John Andrews. You can phone his office at (0345) 2412494 or email him at johnandrews.deallawyer@jmw.co.uk.

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

Connect with Jonathan Jay at:
Website: https://thedealmakersacademy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-jay-3556b230/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDealmakersAcademy

235 – From unemployed to £7m business owner

15th June 2023 by E P

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 got to be personable to people. You can email them offers and stuff like that because when you think about it, these people have been in these businesses for all these years. You’ve got to make it personal for them. You cannot take shortcuts.
Invest in yourself, guys. Whether it’s personal development whether it’d be doing these courses, you will get so much more value.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

234 – Buying a funeral care business

9th June 2023 by E P

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 bit of a thorn in their side, in a nice way, and they ended up acquiring us lock, stock, and barrel, both in the US and here.
I built up the courage to say, I know you’re probably not ready to retire right now, but when you are, would you give me first refusal on your business? And he turned around and said, I think I’m ready now.
So, in ten seconds, I saved myself 121,000 pounds!

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

233 – My first 5 business acquisitions

1st June 2023 by E P

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 a price to agree heads the terms of a deal. You can agree on a mechanism for deciding the price you both agree on.
There are always cost savings to bind in there. Once you’re running the businesses, there are always bits you can change, tweak, and improve.
Understanding the staffing arrangements and ensuring you have someone to run that business. Because again, if you don’t get caught up in it, that will be vital to anyone.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

232 – Highlights from recent episodes

25th May 2023 by E P

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] Andrew Norton (Childcare and training) – From episode 214

[09:50] Gavin Page (Print sector) – From episodes 215 and 216

[20:17] Find out about Jonathan’s lawyer, John Andrews

[20:54] Darren Jacobs (Hair care) – From episodes 217 and 218

[30:05] Alexis Kingbury (Implementing processes to create efficiencies) – From episodes 219 and 220

Key Quotes

Andrew Norton

I thought, you know what, I’m going to target all three sectors and see what comes back. And it was the training sector that got the most interesting results.
The training sector can ride more waves, I think, than some of the others in times of recession.
We’ve diversified really nicely. We’re merging the procurement and supply in with the engineering and manufacturing – so we’ve got similar customer bases, and higher level training courses.
So we were getting many more responses to the letters we send out, just because we’ve already made an acquisition, even though it was a tiny one.

Gavin Page

When you’re in your twenties, you’ve got nothing to lose. But when you’re in your fifties, and you have a family, you have a responsibility to others.
Get your pen out, get your computer out and do something. Type some letters. That’s all it was initially. Without sending those letters, you’ve not got a chance, you know?
Sure, you make mistakes obviously, and you think, oh, I should have done that better afterwards. But you refine your script, you refine the questions over time.

Darren Jacobs

In comparison to buying an IT business, buying a hair salon was ridiculously easy.
One of the assumptions I made was this is a recession proof sector. When these doors open, we are going to have a flood of customers door to get their haircut.

Alexis Kingbury

Once you see it and you shine that spotlight, a lot of these things become obvious. And I would say that 99.9% of businesses don’t have this.
You have to be adding value on an ongoing basis. One way to do that is by providing the operating system that actually generates the results.
Putting those processes in place with the sales team was what helped us to get results from building the sales.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

231 – How I consolidate the businesses I acquire

25th May 2023 by E P

In this episode, Jonathan Jay continues his conversation with Nathan Winch, a seasoned entrepreneur, as they delve into the intricacies of consolidating deals and bringing businesses together to operate as a cohesive group.

Nathan sheds light on the most crucial aspects that demand attention from new business owners. They discuss the minimum handover period required after acquiring a business to ensure a smooth transition and maximize success.

Nathan shares his tips for exiting and selling a business, offering valuable advice on preparing for a successful exit strategy and maximizing the value of the business.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or embarking on your acquisition journey, this episode is for you!

Key Highlights

[01:38] The most important parts that require your attention as a new business owner

[03:06] The minimum handover period for a business after the acquisition

[05:30] How Nathan takes control of the finances

[06:56] Finding the best finance director

[11:22] What Nathan does after buying a business regarding branding

[13:33] Nathan’s take on buying a cheap business

[15:56] Things that people should consider after buying a business

[17:27] Advantages of going for a larger deal

[19:19] Tips for exiting and selling a business

[22:59] Tips to help you in your acquisition journey

Notable Quotes

I prefer to buy the established profitable businesses where we can add value strategically with what we already own rather than go to the great effort of just knackering the whole team trying to do a turnaround.
Whether you’re looking to exit or not, you should build to exit because it’s good for you as well.
Make sure you haven’t got any operational role. Make sure anybody on your team, if you have another business, doesn’t have an operational role.
You should keep an eye on the numbers because that’s what any buyer will scrutinize. So work. Think about what you’d want to buy. You need to build towards that.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

230 – I buy businesses for a living

11th May 2023 by E P

In this episode, Jonathan Jay meets Nathan Winch, a former biologist turned successful entrepreneur, to discuss his transition into the business world and his acquisition experience. Nathan shares some of the most interesting deals he has secured, as well as his criteria for searching for businesses to acquire. He also talks about the characteristics of sellers he looks out for and why he prefers not to use a broker in his acquisitions.

Nathan shares his insights on why larger deals are easier than smaller ones and the challenges he encountered. He offers valuable tips to those undertaking their first acquisition and shares some of the acquisition tips he has gained along the way.

Key Highlights

[01:13] How Nathan transitioned from a biologist into an entrepreneur

[06:03] Some of the most interesting deals accrued out

[08:20] Nathan’s criteria when undertaking an acquisition

[08:54] Characteristics of sellers that Nathan looks out for

[10:32] Advantages of not using a broker in the first acquisitions

[16:04] Why larger deals are easier than smaller deals

[16:50] Challenges encountered by Nathan in his entrepreneurial journey

[19:02] Tips to people undertaking their first acquisition

[24:01] Acquisition tips that Nathan has gained along the way

[26:22] Advice to people interested in buying a business but have not made the first step

Notable Quotes

I think you control the narrative. I think that’s important. We obviously display our credibility. So it’s not the credibility of a broker. I often say that brokers tend to be the graveyard of selling businesses.
If I’m looking at a return on investment in terms of a return on spend, the bigger deals are the better investments, and like, often, a lot of the lenders we work with have minimum lending anyway course.
To get some good advice. Don’t just trust anybody you speak to, like with the accountants. And I just think about taking the leap. So long as you manage your risk correctly, it can be really life-changing.
If you want to break something off and sell it, or there’s a buyer that wants this but doesn’t want that, if it’s laid out correctly, it’s very easy and tax efficient.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

229 – What I learned from an 8 figure business acquisition

4th May 2023 by E P

In this episode, Jonathan Jay continues his conversation with Dan, whose first acquisition was a specialist plant hire company, in an amazing eight figure deal.

Dan shares his story of transitioning his new team and transforming the business he purchased. Since Dan bought the business, he has faced numerous challenges but as you will hear he has managed to turn them into valuable opportunities.

They discuss the impact of change on the business and how Dan leveraged his experience in the military and other organizations to make strategic decisions. He reveals the importance of having the right people in the business, and how he carefully built a high-performing team that has been instrumental in the business’s turnaround.

Key Highlights

[01:23] Transitioning to a new team

[04:16] What happened since Dan bought the business

[06:22] The impact of change on the business

[08:38] Turning the bad into value

[10:19] Changes that Dan initiated in the maintenance team

[11:00] Benefits of having the right people in the business

[12:17] How experience in the military and other organizations has influenced Dan’s decisions

[13:31] The worst thing one can have in a business

[18:16] Dan’s plans for the next 12 months

[22:07] Advice to people interested in buying a business

Notable Quotes

One of the things about when you find something that’s not right in a business, it can be a very big opportunity.
In a business, I suppose. When you take it over you, it’s good if you have some bad things and can turn them into value.
The worst thing you can have on a business is fear, and if people are scared, they won’t speak up, they won’t take risks, you know that there’ll constantly be scared about making mistakes, and they all sort of hunker down, nothing happens.
One thing I did learn from the army, which the army is good at, is if you’ve got average people in a team that’s gelled as a team, and they’re working together, they are worth twice as much as eight supermen and women in a team who don’t get on and are all competing with each other.
If you’ve got the right team of people, and they’re empowered, and they feel they can do stuff, you know, you’re being successful when things are happening at once.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

228 – 8 figures for first business acquisition

27th April 2023 by E P

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Dan, who shares the remarkable story of his first acquisition – an £8m specialist plant hire business. We discover what led Dan to consider the business, how the negotiations went, the challenges he faced, and how the deal was eventually done.

Dan also discusses the different options he considered before settling on this particular business, and why he chose to be lenient on the terms of the deal.

Key Highlights

[01:23] The type of business that Dan purchased

[03:27] How Dan found his way into the industry

[05:41] What drew Dan to this type of business

[07:56] Different options that Dan considered and the challenges encountered

[10:37] Number of letters that Dan sent out

[12:30] Speaking with one business, he ended up buying another

[14:28] Negotiations for the deal

[17:39] Why Dan was lenient on the terms of the deal

[19:51] Lessons learned from the acquisition

Notable Quotes

I’ve been involved in mergers and acquisitions not as someone doing the mergers and acquisitions but as somebody in the next phase of picking up quite often the mess and trying to make it work.
The lesson I learned there was that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for you. The lesson I learned there was that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for you.
You can’t be too specific. You’ve just got to get out there and get the letters out.
You’re only as good as the advice you’re getting, especially on the first deal.
If the business is profitable, and you’re taking a long time to buy it, that cash is growing and going up all the time unless he’s taking it out.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

227 – From footballer to £17m empire – Part 2

20th April 2023 by E P

In this episode, we continue the conversation with Sam Turner, a successful entrepreneur who shares his insights and experience on the acquisition process, from the very first day to the consolidation of the businesses. He talks about the importance of being consistent with your time and being present in your business to create a strong culture that aligns with your vision. He also shares his experiences transitioning from a large corporate to an SME – and how getting the business culture right is critical to business success.

He also introduces the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and explains how it can be applied to optimize business operations.

Key Highlights

[01:40] What happened on day 1 of the acquisition

[02:55] Being consistent with the time

[04:38] The benefit of being present in your business

[07:33] The culture shock of moving from a big company to a small company

[09:09] Importance of cultural aspect in a business

[12:30] Importance of CFO and how Sam incorporated that in his business plan

[15:47] The Entrepreneurial Operating System

[19:36] Why Sam has not done the retained equity

[20:26] How Sam is applying what he has learned from acquisitions

[22:47] The classic case of funding the business

[25:11] Sam’s deal team

[28:19] What makes you succeed in the long-term

[30:12] Advice to people who are yet to make their first step

Notable Quotes

I don’t think you can over-communicate. And I think communication is something that’s really, really important. Being consistent with that and holding to what you’re saying.
If you want to grow the business, build on top of the good performance that I’ve had because it’s a profitable business, has good brand equity, etc., is being open and honest.
So I think the danger in deals is that the first deal is that you got the due diligence, your legal, your financial, and to a certain extent, your commercial due diligence. And you can get anal about every single point, you know. And you just need to know what matters and what doesn’t matter.
What makes you succeed or not in the medium term is how good your teams are in the businesses.
You are what you do, so what you do consistently is who you are. So if you want to be somewhere, do it consistently.

Resources

If you would like to take the next step to learn the best ways of buying a business, without risking your own cash, you can access my free training at:
www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Watch my Webinar Training Video:
https://www.dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

You can also request a free copy of my book at:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway/

If you want to jump straight to my live Zoom FastTrack course, please go to:
https://thedealmakersacademy.com/fast

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