10min chapter

Highlights from recent episodes

Business Buying Strategies from The Dealmaker's Academy

notes

CHAPTER

Undercover Acquisitions: Stories of Business and Relationships

This chapter explores an unconventional acquisition strategy involving undercover work as a limo driver to identify potential business purchases. It shares poignant stories of successful negotiations and personal connections formed during the acquisition of a family-run funeral service and a client’s journey in the plant hire sector, emphasizing negotiation, asset valuation, and the importance of communication.

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Transcript

Episode notes

In the latest episode of Business Buying Strategies, we hear from seven dealmakers who have successfully bought businesses without using any of their own money.

Each dealmaker is a member of the Business Acquisition Mastermind and has bought at least one business. These are not distressed businesses, but profitable, established businesses that gave the buyer cash flow from Day 1.

If you are still unsure whether ‘no money down’ deals really can be done, this highlights episode answers the question.

Here are the key highlights:

01:05 - How Danny bought a manufacturing business for £900,000 without any of his own money by bringing in a property investor

09:10 - How James acquired a heritage family-run funeral director business by going undercover as a chauffeur to meet the owners

18:35 - How Dan managed a challenging vendor to successfully complete his first eight-figure acquisition in the plant hire sector

26:48 - How David bought three small companies, rolled them together and used efficiency of scale to create a highly profitable business

32:20 - How Chris joined Mastermind and instantly acquired a competitor business

36:46 - How Akram acquired a commercial cleaning business originally listed for £180,000 for just £25,000 using a negotiation technique taught in Dealmakers Academy

43:12 - How Nick grew his printing business through acquisition rather than taking years to grow organically

Here is what you will discover…

Why you only need to be a few steps ahead to successfully negotiate with business owners
Why it is so difficult to start a new business today (and how buying a business takes years off your path to profit)
Why buying an established business with existing staff and client list is always the best idea for your first business acquisition
Why you should never put in an offer to the business (and what to do instead to get the best price possible)
How to deal with business owners who threaten to walk because they suddenly decide they want more money
Why you should never believe a vendor who says they’ve changed their mind (and why it always pays to keep the conversation going)
How to use margin improvement to make your acquired businesses more profitable
Why you should always hire operational functions as soon as you can afford them (or even before) so you can focus on strategy and acquisitions
Why most businesses listed with brokers are already overpriced
Why money is not always the No.1 motivation for buyers (and how to get a buyer to reveal their true reasons for selling)
Why some business owners fall out of love with their business and are looking for a buyer to take the business from them (some are even willing to pay you to take their business)

** Looking for a great acquisition lawyer in the UK? Use mine! **

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.

Ready to get started?

Here’s how you can start your business buying journey…

Watch my FREE Dealmakers webinar training:

https://www.dealmakerspodcast.com

Get a FREE copy of my book:

https://www.thedealmakersacademy.com/free-book-giveaway

Join the Business Acquisition FastTrack course

https://www.thedealmakersacademy.com/quick

Already bought a business?

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.

Listen to the full episodes

The highlights are edited from the full podcast episodes. To listen to any of the full episodes, use the links below from the featured dealmakers:

251 - Daniel Beaumont - 100% Deal Finance

https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/100-deal-finance-an-interview-with-daniel-beaumont/id1369703084?i=1000631075501

234 - James Gardner - Buying A Funeral Care Business

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/buying-a-funeral-care-business-from-dealmakers-live/id1369703084?i=1000616256470

Ep 252 - Dan Bown – The Life Changing Deal

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-life-changing-deal/id1369703084?i=1000631845593

250 - David - 17 Acquisitions To £20 Million

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/17-acquisitions-to-%C2%A320-million-turnover/id1369703084?i=1000629507954

238 - Chris Stone - Buying A Business In Scotland, No Money Down!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/buying-a-business-in-scotland/id1369703084?i=1000619527596