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Why Most People Never Achieve The Goals They Set - Mark Mills

Mark Mills · 15 September 2026

Entrepreneur · Leadershipin
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Key topicsThe hardest part of selling your business is realising you are not the businessMany 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 fastest exit is usually the one that leaves the most money behindMany 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 money that changes your exit is usually hidden inside the business alreadyMany 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 →

Key points

  • Strategic planning and setting specific deadlines make big goals tangible and motivate action.
  • Breaking down goals into small, measurable steps ensures steady progress and focus.
  • Out-of-the-box thinking can turn perceived barriers into competitive advantages.
  • Deliberate systemization and process discipline increase business valuation and attract buyers.
  • Demand-driven innovation, as shown in Mark's cash machine and postbox stories, creates scalable opportunities.
  • Choosing the right moment and preparing thoroughly can maximize business sale value.
  • Using a clear framework and KPIs keeps teams aligned and accountable toward big objectives.
  • Mentorship and continuous learning are vital for navigating growth and exit strategies.

About Mark Mills

Mark Mills, podcast guest

OBE Business Sale Advisor Helping UK Founders Maximise Exit Value

5 Businesses built & sold£175M Cardpoint exit valuation6,500 Cash machines in Cardpoint network£500M+ Monthly cash dispensed by Cardpoint network

Mark Mills OBE is a business sale advisor who helps UK founders sell their businesses for maximum value.

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.

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About this video

In this episode, Mark Mills shares his entrepreneurial journey from childhood biscuit sales to building and selling Cardpoint for 175 million. He reveals how strategic planning, disciplined goal-setting, and out-of-the-box thinking fueled his rapid business growth. Mark emphasizes the importance of breaking down big goals into actionable steps with clear deadlines and demonstrates how deliberate systems and barriers to entry can unlock hidden business value. His practical stories and frameworks provide founders with tactical insights to increase valuation, execute successful exits, and build scalable, desirable businesses.

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