Bulletproof Entrepreneur

Send us a textYou've heard of a ‘horse whisperer’, perhaps a ‘dog whisperer’, but you’ve probably never heard of a ‘seller whisperer’ - but that’s exactly what Denise has become known as.With a background as a mental health professional turned lawyer who went on to build her own legal practice, she then sold her business. Rather unsuccessfully, in her own words.During this time, she learned a lot of lessons and has now carved out a role  as a specialist adviser, coach, consultant, speaker, and writer on the complex subject of selling your business - the emotional journey as well as the business journey.I've often referred to the content of this podcast as being at the intersection of business, money, family and life and, honestly, no one is better qualified to speak on that precise intersection than Denise.One of the best storytellers you're ever likely to encounter, she is the author of an incredible book called The Seller’s Journey, which is essential reading for anyone who's building a business and anyone who advises business owners.Denise reminds us that, whether you like it or not, you are leaving your business one day. It’s not ‘if’, it's ‘when’ - and the worst thing that you can do for yourself, your business, your employees and your family is to be unprepared.In a wide-ranging conversation, we cover a lot of issues including.What are the key attributes to look for in a trusted adviser and someone that will help you navigate the challenging process before, during and after the business sale?Understanding something she calls “O-MY Syndrome” and how to avoid the hidden road bumps that will kill your deal.A process to help you get clear on everything that your work currently provides for you - other than money and financial security. Understanding this and preparing for life after your sale is essential in ensuring a successful transition.Towards the end, Denise shares a deeply personal story which will help you focus on what's truly important in your own life.A wonderful conversation with a lady who's been there, seen it, done it and come out the other side - and now spends her life sharing her insights and wisdom with other entrepreneurs.The links to her book, website and contact details are all in the show notes.I give you -  Denise LoganLinks:https://deniselogan.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniselogan/https://twitter.com/DeniseLoganUSAhttps://deniselogan.com/the-sellers-journey/This podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textRobin is a journalist at the Financial Times and is the editor of the popular column Alphaville.He’s also the author of a fabulous new book called Trillions.As a business owner, one thing is certain - you’re going to leave your business one day. Whether that’s through a sale of the company or through retirement and you’re going to need to know how to best invest your capital to provide for your family’s long-term future.This conversation with Robin will provide you with clear directions as to how to stack the odds in your favour and give yourself the highest probability of financial success.Amongst other things we discussThe rise of index investing and how the evidence in support of it is now overwhelming.Warren Buffett’s famous bet with a Wall Street hedge fund manager. His thoughts on crypto and bitcoin - well worth listening to.And towards the end of the conversation, he explains exactly what he would do if he were a successful entrepreneur looking to invest the proceeds of a business sale or retirement fund.Robin spends most of his time studying and writing about the markets and the players that participate in them. That’s some insight that you don't want to miss.LinksTrillions: How a Band of Wall Street Renegades Invented the Index Fund and Changed Finance Forever Hardcover – 14 Oct. 2021FT Alphaville | Financial TimesDimensional InvestingThis podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textI’ve described this podcast as being ‘inspired conversations at the intersection of money, business, family, and life’ and none better sum up that complex blend than the one I had recently with Brian Portnoy.Brian is a coach, consultant, entrepreneur, and author of one of the best books I’ve ever read on all things financial and our behaviour around money. - The Geometry of Wealth.A recent study confirmed that 73% of people say money is the most stressful factor in life - more stressful than death, politics, or religion - and it’s either the first or second most important issue behind divorce.As a business owner, you're going to be dealing with money issues every day and if you do have a liquidity event through a business sale or external investment then you need a playbook to help you manage the issues.This conversation is a highly practical source to help you navigate the uncertain terrain ahead. During the interview, Brian explains:How to define true wealth and how you can define it for yourselfA 3-step mental model to help you build a path to achieve it How to consider the question How Much is Enough?And towards the end of the conversation, he provides a detailed breakdown of a process that every business owner must undertake way before they sell their business or retire - don’t miss that, it’s pure gold.Links:The Geometry of Wealth: How To Shape A Life Of Money And Meaning Paperback – 11 Jun. 2018Shaping WealthYour Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today , Hershfield, Hal - Amazon.comThe Happiness Equation: Want Nothing + Do Anything=have Everything PaperbackEudaimonia - WikipediaThis podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textAs we kick off Season 2 of the podcast, I’m taking the opportunity to share a little of my own journey, both personal and professional.For most of us, our childhood experiences shape our thoughts and actions as we get older and I’m no exception. A happy childhood in Scotland was interrupted by some personal and family challenges that have been influential on me and the decisions I’ve taken. A very average student who dropped out of college attracted to the bright lights and big city of London, I could be described as an ‘accidental entrepreneur’. I love hosting this podcast and I hope you get value out of listening to it.Get in touch to give me feedback, ideas, and recommendations for future guests.Welcome to the Bulletproof Entrepreneur - it’s great to have you along for the ride.Alan Smithwww.capital.co.ukwww.bulletproofentrepreneur.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/alancapitalTwitter @alanjlsmith This podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textAlan Smithwww.capital.co.ukwww.bulletproofentrepreneur.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/alancapitalTwitter @alanjlsmith This podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textThis is a special episode as it’s the last episode of Season 1 and so we’ve put together a compilation of the greatest hits covering some of the key ideas, insights, and themes that have emerged from the 15 conversations I’ve had so far.In this episode, you’ll find the best comments, quotes and thoughts from the world-class entrepreneurs and experts I’ve spoken with over the last 6 months.The subtitle of the podcast is "Inspired Conversations" and obviously, I'm biased, but as I’ve reflected on the series of interviews, I do think we’ve delivered on that claim.I’ve spoken with successful founders, some of who’ve had one sale and exit. And others who’ve had multiple exits.My conversations have taken me across the UK, Ireland and the United States.I’ve spoken with men, I've spoken with women.I've spoken with entrepreneurs who started their businesses when they were in their teens and those who launched their first company in their 50s.Across the episodes, there is a combined exit sale value well in excess of £1 billion.I’ve also spoken with some of the top experts who provide advice to the founders - a leader in M&A and corporate finance, a specialist accountant and a veteran wealth manager who’s been advising business owners for over three decades.So what we have here is an Entrepreneur’s Exit Planning Playbook - 15 hours of detailed conversations revealing the lessons learned and the words of wisdom of those who have walked the walk and, during our discussions, have certainly talked the talk.You’ll learn about:Do you build a company with a sale and exit in mind from day one  - or do you just build a company and see what happens?The importance of ensuring you’re on the same page as your co-founders.Don’t waste time on unimportant things.The vital importance of knowing your Magic Number.Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted - be prepared for sacrifice and hard work.Do your homework on your acquirer.Hire a professional who can help you secure the best deal.Network like crazy.Life after your business sale/exit.Thank you for all your support - please subscribe and leave a 5-star review.See you for Season 2 This podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textLet me start by sharing a statistic that’s quite shocking- less than 2% of Venture Capital funding goes to all female founder teams. So those female founders who’ve managed to get started, and raise some capital are rare in the extreme.Those who’ve done it multiple times and had successful exits are even rarer - so Louise really is something special. A born entrepreneur who started working in her father’s store as a schoolgirl and then after college started her own business using a car loan - shhh don’t tell the bank that she started a company instead of buying a car!She went to grow her first start-up and successfully sold it several years later - and then did it all over again in a different company, funded with bank loans and through private investors.That second business was scaled successfully and sold earlier this year - and guess what? She’s going again with a new start-up which looks like it could be the most successful of all her companies.She did all this whilst raising a family and even doing a master’s degree in her spare time - Superwoman has nothing on Louise!The three lessons I learned from our conversation are:Always be networking - Louise puts a lot of her success down to good old-fashioned face-to-face networking. Getting out to meetings, conferences, and coffee catch ups. Asking questions and sharing ideas.Build a 10-slide pitch deck - this is your calling card and you share it with anyone who may be interested. It’s a snapshot of the business and your credentials and summarises why your business is the best at what it does and why people would want to invest or become a client.The power of PR - Louise managed to get a slot on radio explaining what her company does and she won several huge client contracts as a direct result. She is a huge fan of sharing your message, using TV, radio and social media to let people know who you are and what you do.I’m so pleased to have Louise on the show, and I hope she’ll inspire other entrepreneurs, especially female founders to build their businesses and make an impact in the world as Louise has surely done.Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Louise GrubbThis podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textI attended a conference run by a friend of mine Andy Hart called Humans Under Management - it focuses on the behavioural side of wealth and is one of the best financial or business conferences out there. I did a little fireside chat thing on stage but while I was at the event, I had quite a few people who came up to me and told me that they enjoyed the podcast and I even had one guy explain that it had helped him with a client who was currently going through a £10m exit.We all enjoy getting feedback, especially when it's positive because it confirms that we’re creating value and are on the right track.On that theme, if you’re a regular listener and you haven’t done so, I would appreciate a quick 5-star review on the Apple podcast platform if you get a chance - it makes a big difference.Now - So, we’ve arrived at Episode 14, and I’m really pleased with how this conversation turned out, mainly because of what’s going on in the world right now.All the signs are that we’re about to enter a recession, interest rates are going up, inflation is through the roof, and companies are laying off staff. It’s a tough time for any entrepreneur.And yet the list of companies that were started in a recession is astounding.Apple, Disney, Microsoft, IBM and many more - all began life in the depths of a recession. Richard Branson has often said that it’s a great time to start a business and if you can survive when things are tough you have a far better chance of long-term success.My guest today would agree with that.Dickie Burrows did not thrive at school and has never forgotten the words of his Deputy Headmaster who said ‘I think you’re wasting your time here; you’re certainly wasting ours” and asked him to leave.And so began Dickie’s career in the foreign exchange desks of some of the world’s leading banks - based in the City of London.All was going well for many years until his employer, as they often did - decided that Dickie was getting a little too long in the tooth and showed him through to the departure lounge - his words, not mine.At the time, Dickie was married with 3 kids and so describes himself as a ‘needs must entrepreneur’ - if no one was going to give him a job he would have to give himself one and so started City Forex.During our conversation, Dickie explains:The vital importance of being on the same page as your co-founders in terms of the type of business you’re trying to build - he didn’t do that, and it caused some serious issues.He shares how impactful it was to be intentional about building a strong business network - potential clients, customers, staff and ultimately, potential buyers And he discusses how one particular recruit, an accountant with M&A experience made all the difference when the time came to begin the sales process.Dickie had 3 serious attempts at selling his business - one of which was blown up by a surprising little event that happened on 23rd June 2016 - called BREXIT.So, his experiences are reflective of current times - there will be challenges, there will be surprises but with focus and determination you can build a company and you can sell it to the right buyer for the right price at the right time.There are so many lessons here for business owners during challenging timesLadies and gentlemen, I give you Mr Dickie Burrows.LinksDickie Burrows - Advisor - Compliance and Risk - Equals Group plc | LinkedInThis podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textThis time I’m trying something different.First, I’m speaking with two co-founders, Damian Milkins and Simon Hancock who built a hugely successful tech business called Control Circle and led it to a $65m exit.I let this one run longer than the usual 60 minutes because the guys were in full flow and there was no way I was going to cut this short -  there were just too many interesting stories and valuable words of wisdom.What you’ll hear is Damian and Simon explaining the vital importance of working with a co-founder who has different, but complementary strengths and how that was the secret sauce that drove much of their success.They also discuss how they incentivised their entire team through share options and the life-changing impact that had on many of their colleagues, from the most junior all the way up to the C Suite.And towards the end, Damian shares a passionate message about all the things that founders focus on when they start up a business and why it’s a complete waste of time. He also explains what you should focus on!This episode is simply a goldmine of inspired ideas learned at the front line of entrepreneurship.Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Damian Milkins and Simon HancockLinksDamian Milkins Simon HancockStuart Paterson - Scottish Equity PartnersArma PartnersAmplify LifeBrene Brown - The Man in the ArenaThis podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

Send us a textAccording to the Department of Business and Industry, there are 5.6 million businesses in the UK.But get this - out of the 5.6 million businesses, 4.2 million had no employees - they are sole traders.And 99.2% of all businesses have less than 49 employees.Only 4% of businesses ever hit £1m turnover. And yet, SMEs account for three-fifths of all employment and around half of the turnover in the UK private sector. Last year total employment in SMEs was 16.3 million (61% of the total), whilst turnover was estimated at £2.3 trillion (52%)There are millions of one-person armies and small companies, and they make a massive impact on the nation’s economy.Now it’s fair to say that my conversations with founders so far on the podcast have focussed on the larger company end in terms of turnover and valuation and so it was time to address this. My guest is Mark Telford. Mark is a business owner, he is a practising Chartered Accountant who advises business owners and because that doesn't keep him busy enough, he also coaches other accountants on growing their own practices.Mark’s clients are in the main smaller business from sole traders working within their own Ltd company to larger owner-managed firms.As an accountant Mark takes a refreshing approach in that he not only keeps his clients' tax efficient and compliant but also coaches business owners to utilise their companies to help them create their ideal lifestyle.During our conversation, Mark explains the difference between a lifestyle business and what he calls a performance business and why it’s vital to know which one you are.He shares his 7-point checklist to create massive value in your business so that it could be sold for a meaningful amount of money.He also explains the importance of doing your due diligence on any potential buyer to avoid the tough situation one of his clients experienced.If you’re a sole trader - one man or one-woman army or you own a small business and are considering your future and the right direction of travel, then this conversation is for you.Links and Contact detailsTelfords AccountantsMark Telford - Founder - Telfords Chartered Accountants | LinkedInBooksTraction: Get a Grip on Your Business Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John WarrillowCompany of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for BusinessAcceleratorDent GlobalThis podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management