About Mark Mills
He got into this work after spotting overlooked value as a child selling broken biscuits at school and then carrying that instinct into founding and exiting companies. The early biscuit story taught him to see what others ignore and to turn small advantages into commercial wins, a thread that runs through his approach to identifying hidden value in mature businesses. Over time that practicality led him from founding companies to deliberately learning from each exit and packaging those lessons into a repeatable system.
He has built and sold five businesses, most notably building and exiting Cardpoint at a £175 million valuation; Cardpoint floated on AIM at £7 million, grew to 6,500 cash machines and 300 employees, and dispensed over £500 million a month. Since 2007 he has worked as a Non-Executive Chairman and advisor applying his methods to other owners. In December 2024 he was awarded an OBE for services to Business and Charity and he holds the title of Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire.
Day-to-day he steps in as Non-Executive Chairman, works directly with founders to uncover hidden value, and manages the full sale process from preparation through to finding the right buyer. He runs a three-module system focused on getting the business model right, driving sales growth without burning cash, and running a disciplined sale process; he uses a codified 40-step process built from multiple exits. His typical clients are owners who have run businesses for decades and who are aiming to increase buyer interest and valuation ahead of a sale.
His central thesis is that the accountant values a business today but the real opportunity is what the business is worth to the right buyer at the right moment with the right story around it - that gap is where the real money gets made. He argues that model clarity, scalable sales, and competitive sale execution unlock outsized offers and that those elements can be deliberately engineered rather than left to luck. The 40-step process and three-module framework distill that argument into practical actions founders can follow.
As a podcast guest, Mark Mills OBE tells practical, story-driven exit case studies, explains the 40-step framework in tactical terms, and gives founders concrete actions to increase buyer interest and valuation. He brings vivid war stories from his exits, clear commercial examples of fee-and-upside arrangements, and step-by-step ideas audiences can apply to their own exits. Hosts can draw on his Cardpoint story, recent exit case studies, and the sales-led middle module to create actionable episodes for founder audiences.
Latest video
#93 From the vault: Scaling to a £100m ARR business and successfully exiting with Mark Mills
Latest episodes
Key topics
The fastest exit is usually the one that leaves the most money behind
Many founders start thinking seriously about selling only when they are already tired, distracted, or ready to move on, which can push them into a rushed process before the business is truly buyer-ready. Speed feels sensible when the owner wants certainty, but it often means accepting today’s value rather than building the proof, sales momentum, and operational strength that gives buyers confidence to pay more. Mark Mills OBE has seen through his own exits and advisory work that the biggest uplift often comes from using the 18 to 30 months before sale deliberately, not just waiting for a buyer to appear. For founder audiences, this creates a practical conversation about what to improve before going to market, how to time an exit properly, and why patience can be one of the most profitable decisions an owner makes.
The hardest part of selling your business is realising you are not the business
Many founders spend years preparing the numbers for an exit but far less time preparing for the identity shock that can come with handing over the company they built. A sale can look clean on paper while still bringing grief, doubt, relief, fear, and a sudden loss of purpose, especially for owners whose business has shaped their daily life for decades. Mark Mills OBE has sold five businesses himself and now guides founders through the full sale process, so he understands that a successful exit is not just about valuation, timing, and buyer interest. For founder audiences, this opens up a candid conversation about how to prepare emotionally for the sale, protect decision-making during the process, and step into life after exit without feeling like the best part of their story is behind them.
The money that changes your exit is usually hidden inside the business already
Many founders assume a buyer will value the business based on today’s accounts, but the biggest uplift often comes from value that has never been properly surfaced, packaged, or explained. Long-running companies can be full of underused assets, weak pricing, wasted margin, messy sales habits, and operational blind spots that quietly suppress the number a buyer is willing to pay. Mark Mills OBE has built and sold five companies, including Cardpoint at a £175 million valuation, and now uses a 40-step sale process to help owners find the hidden value before they enter the market. For founder audiences, this creates a practical conversation about what to fix, what to prove, and what to show a buyer before the sale process begins.
View all topics →
Latest video
#93 From the vault: Scaling to a £100m ARR business and successfully exiting with Mark Mills
Latest episodes
Key topics
The fastest exit is usually the one that leaves the most money behind
Many founders start thinking seriously about selling only when they are already tired, distracted, or ready to move on, which can push them into a rushed process before the business is truly buyer-ready. Speed feels sensible when the owner wants certainty, but it often means accepting today’s value rather than building the proof, sales momentum, and operational strength that gives buyers confidence to pay more. Mark Mills OBE has seen through his own exits and advisory work that the biggest uplift often comes from using the 18 to 30 months before sale deliberately, not just waiting for a buyer to appear. For founder audiences, this creates a practical conversation about what to improve before going to market, how to time an exit properly, and why patience can be one of the most profitable decisions an owner makes.
The hardest part of selling your business is realising you are not the business
Many founders spend years preparing the numbers for an exit but far less time preparing for the identity shock that can come with handing over the company they built. A sale can look clean on paper while still bringing grief, doubt, relief, fear, and a sudden loss of purpose, especially for owners whose business has shaped their daily life for decades. Mark Mills OBE has sold five businesses himself and now guides founders through the full sale process, so he understands that a successful exit is not just about valuation, timing, and buyer interest. For founder audiences, this opens up a candid conversation about how to prepare emotionally for the sale, protect decision-making during the process, and step into life after exit without feeling like the best part of their story is behind them.
The money that changes your exit is usually hidden inside the business already
Many founders assume a buyer will value the business based on today’s accounts, but the biggest uplift often comes from value that has never been properly surfaced, packaged, or explained. Long-running companies can be full of underused assets, weak pricing, wasted margin, messy sales habits, and operational blind spots that quietly suppress the number a buyer is willing to pay. Mark Mills OBE has built and sold five companies, including Cardpoint at a £175 million valuation, and now uses a 40-step sale process to help owners find the hidden value before they enter the market. For founder audiences, this creates a practical conversation about what to fix, what to prove, and what to show a buyer before the sale process begins.
View all topics →