Preparing a Business for Sale: governance, documentation and transferable value
Preparing a business for sale is about building transferable value, not quick fixes. Simon shares education-first tactics owners can implement now - governance, documented processes and…
Owner Dependence and Saleability: where profitable growth and buyer value diverge
A founder can build a profitable, growing company and still discover that much of its value depends on them personally. Buyers are not paying for the owner’s effort, history or ambition; they are…
Surviving Buyer Due Diligence: what scrutiny exposes beyond a healthy profit and loss
Strong profit does not automatically make a business easy to sell. Buyers look for evidence that performance is repeatable, risks are understood and the business can survive scrutiny once the sale…
Early Exit Preparation: why the final years of ownership decide the multiple
Two similar businesses can produce radically different outcomes when one owner prepares early and the other reaches the market exhausted and desperate to leave. Simon regularly sees owners postpone…
Valuation as a Management Tool: using it to prioritise growth investment before sale
Valuation is more than a number at sale time - it is a diagnostic tool for prioritising growth. Simon shows how valuation analysis can identify which initiatives deliver the biggest uplift and guide…
Choosing an Exit Route: comparing sale, succession and management transition
Many owners assume a third-party sale is the obvious end point, but the best exit route depends on the business, the family, the management team, the owner’s timeline and the type of value already…
Finding the Real Buyer: why most successful acquirers are outside the obvious shortlist
Many owners assume their eventual buyer will be a competitor, customer or familiar industry name, yet in more than 90% of Simon’s deals, the successful buyer was someone the seller had never heard…
Predictability as an Asset: why steady earnings command stronger offers than exciting ones
Founders are often drawn to rapid growth, ambitious ideas and constant change, but buyers tend to place a premium on businesses that are predictable. Reliable earnings, repeatable delivery, and clear…
What Buyers Score Before an Offer: finance, growth, fulfilment, leadership and operations
An owner may focus almost entirely on revenue and profit, while a buyer is assessing the whole business. Through the VALUE360™ framework, Simon examines five areas that influence an offer: financial…
Leverage in a Sale Process: how urgency shifts the conversation to price defence
Business owners often enter a sale process when fatigue, health, family pressure or market timing has already narrowed their choices. At that point, buyers can sense urgency and the conversation…
When to Start Exit Planning: timing signals that widen an owner's options
Many owners wait too long to plan and accept lower outcomes. Simon explains why early planning matters and how a long, education-led approach moves owners from unaware to ready without competing on…
Also speaks on