Scale Up With Nick Bradley

Nick and special guest Dan Cremons take a deep dive into the world of private equity. Dan, with his extensive experience in private equity, shares insights on maximising exit value for business owners. They also discuss the evolving landscape of private equity, emphasising the importance of operational expertise and value creation post-acquisition. Dan highlights the significance of building a business that aligns with the criteria of potential buyers, focusing on people performance and strategic planning for long-term success.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Begin with the end in mind: Business owners should start by thinking about what the business needs to look like to attract the right buyers for a successful exit. Conduct exit planning sessions early: Engage in exit planning sessions with leadership teams to align on the vision for the business and the exit strategy. Think like a private equity buyer: Understand how private equity buyers assess businesses and tailor the business to meet their criteria for a successful exit. Focus on building a business that buyers would want to acquire: Create a business that aligns with the criteria of potential buyers to maximise exit value. Prioritise people performance maximisation: Recognise the importance of having the right leadership team in place to drive value creation and enhance the business's attractiveness to buyers. BEST MOMENTS "I think my path has been perhaps made it feel a bit more approachable to me. But to your point, I deal with that a lot when dealing with founders who haven't dealt with private equity before." "The good ones have identified a series of activities that they can meld together to be both different and valuable." "The presence of a clear successor to the extent that the founder is trying to transition out or doesn't have or has acknowledged they don't have the skill set to carry it forward." "I love what you're doing about getting people ready to be CEOs and putting them in. But I also know that if someone's got training wheels and an acquisition gets done, that can be a big risk as well." VALUABLE RESOURCES Download our Exit For Millions Blueprint™ to uncover gaps across 15 danger areas that could sabotage your dream of achieving a life-changing exit. Get ahead of the game and focus on building a high-value, exitable business now, so you have the 'option' to sell at any time and on your terms. Get it today: ExitForMillionsBlueprint.com Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick discusses the key steps to prepare for a high-value exit of a business. He breaks down the process into three stages: strengthening the foundations of the business, scaling the value of the company, and being smart when you decide to sell. Nick emphasises the importance of transitioning from organised chaos to a well-oiled machine by focusing on areas such as talent structuring, systems automation, and data-driven decision-making. He also delves into the significance of understanding the M&A process, assembling a dream deal team, and crafting a vivid exit story to attract sophisticated buyers.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Focus on Strengthening Foundations: Ensure your business has a well-oiled machine by structuring talent, implementing systems automation, and making data-driven decisions. Transition to Profitable Scale: Move from inconsistent growth to profitable scale by optimising recurring revenue, considering bolt-on acquisitions, and focusing on margin expansion. Prepare for a Compelling Exit Story: Create a compelling narrative for the future of your business to attract sophisticated buyers and increase the value of your company. Understand the M&A Process: Educate yourself on the M&A process and assemble a dream deal team to navigate the complexities of selling your business. BEST MOMENTS "The dream, if you like, of a high-value exit, of exiting your business for millions, is something that is very much attainable to most entrepreneurs."  "It's going from curious amateur to worthy opponent. So you know how to firstly play the game, but you also know how to win."  "The higher the margin, the better. If you can increase the margin, It's also going to increase your profit and cashflow, obviously."  "Most business owners can't even talk about this stuff. If you can talk about this stuff because you've prepared in advance, can you see that that sophisticated buyer is going to lean in?"  VALUABLE RESOURCES Download our Exit For Millions Blueprint™ to uncover gaps across 15 danger areas that could sabotage your dream of achieving a life-changing exit. Get ahead of the game and focus on building a high-value, exitable business now, so you have the 'option' to sell at any time and on your terms. Get it today: ExitForMillionsBlueprint.com  Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick is joined by Callum Laing, who shares insights from his experience in setting up boards for successful exits and emphasises the importance of having a diverse and effective board in place. They discuss the value of advisory boards, the journey to becoming a board member, and the steps individuals can take to join boards successfully. Callum also introduces his upcoming book, "The Boardroom Blueprint," which provides a guide for individuals looking to enter the world of board membership.  GRAB A FREE COPY of "The Boardroom Blueprint" using this link: https://boardroom-blueprint.com/nb/ KEY TAKEAWAYS Building Connections: Start by deliberately building connections with people already on boards to increase your chances of joining a board. Knowledge: Gain awareness of key themes like ESG and diversity to speak the language and understand board governance. Profile: Update your profile to reflect your board involvement, which can change how your network perceives you and open up new opportunities. Value: Focus on delivering value as a board member by thinking holistically about the business and finding ways to contribute effectively. Progression: Approach board positions as stepping stones, starting with advisory roles and apprentice boards to gain experience and build credibility before moving up to larger boards. BEST MOMENTS "I think the biggest thing for people to get their heads around is, agreeing to work for free. I keep pointing out it's not for free, it's for credibility." "The biggest thing for people to get their heads around is, agreeing to work for free. I keep pointing out it's not for free, it's for credibility."  "If I see something that you haven't seen, and you win and I win, right, so rev shares or whatever else, or certainly equity."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Download our Exit For Millions Blueprint™ to uncover gaps across 15 danger areas that could sabotage your dream of achieving a life-changing exit. Get ahead of the game and focus on building a high-value, exitable business now, so you have the 'option' to sell at any time and on your terms. Get it today: ExitForMillionsBlueprint.com  Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick is joined by Amber Spears, to talk about affiliate marketing, emphasising the importance of diversifying customer acquisition channels and highlight the value of incorporating affiliate marketing into a business strategy.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Affiliate Marketing Basics: It's vital to recognise the different types of affiliates such as traditional affiliates, influencers, and ambassadors. Value of Diversification: Diversifying customer acquisition channels is emphasised as a key strategy for business growth and resilience. The importance of having multiple channels, including affiliate marketing, is highlighted to avoid dependency on a single source. Building Trust and Relationships: Amber and Nick stress the value of investing time and effort in cultivating relationships with affiliates, influencers, and ambassadors to enhance brand credibility. Strategic Partnerships: Partnerships can expand reach, drive revenue, and provide access to new audiences, thereby emphasising the mutual benefits of collaboration. Balancing Dependence and Independence: You need to find the balance between leveraging affiliate marketing for customer acquisition while maintaining independence and diversification in marketing strategies. Nick and Amber address concerns about over-reliance on affiliates and the importance of a well-rounded marketing approach. BEST MOMENTS "I think it's a missed opportunity that most business owners don't understand."  "I've started doing this thing recently to mitigate my point beforehand, where if someone wants to do a 15 minute call to ask a question, I'll get people kind of like ask me."  "I think first and foremost, when you're thinking about. How do I add, I would say first, do you want to add this in as a channel of customer acquisition into your."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Amber Spears - https://www.ambermspears.com/ Download our Exit For Millions Blueprint™ to uncover gaps across 15 danger areas that could sabotage your dream of achieving a life-changing exit. Get ahead of the game and focus on building a high-value, exitable business now, so you have the 'option' to sell at any time and on your terms. Get it today: ExitForMillionsBlueprint.com  Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick interviews Trey Taylor, author of the book "A CEO Only Does Three Things: Finding Your Focus in the C-Suite." Trey shares his personal journey of unexpectedly taking over his family's multi-generational financial business and the challenges he faced in learning the role of a CEO. He emphasises the importance of culture, people, and numbers in the CEO's job and how these three areas are interconnected. Trey discusses the significance of articulating and ritualising company values, sharing stories that exemplify those values, and creating a strong culture. He also highlights the role of the CEO in setting the agenda for the organisation and the importance of aligning the culture as the business scales.  KEY TAKEAWAYS The CEO's job is the most lonely job in the organisation, as they don't have peers and must make decisions that chart the course of the company. Vision is important, but it is more tactical than the three core areas of culture, people, and numbers that a CEO must focus on. Culture is crucial and should be articulated through values and behaviors. Ritualizing these values helps embed them into the organization. People are a key aspect of a CEO's role, from hiring the right individuals to ensuring they are supported and aligned with the company's values. Numbers are also important, and while the CFO may handle the execution, the CEO sets the agenda and ensures alignment with the company's goals. BEST MOMENTS "The CEO's job is the most lonely job in the organisation. That's the joy and the hurt of it."  "Vision is a lot more tactical than these three things are."  "Culture trumps everything."  "The reason you start a company is because something isn't true in the world and you want to be the one to make it true."  "Job performance is not results, performance, none of those things are. Culture performance is what is going to keep you on the path."  ABOUT THE GUEST Trey Taylor is the Managing Director of Threadneedle, the Taylor Family Office, Chief Executive Officer of Taylor Insurance Services, Managing Director of trinity | blue consulting and Founding Partner of Ascend Partners. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Emory University, & a Juris Doctor degree in Tax & Corporate Transactions from Tulane. In 2020, Trey published his first book, A CEO Only Does Three Things.  Since that publication, he has appeared on 60+ podcasts and been featured in publications like INC., Entrepreneur, SHRM and others.  He speaks frequently as a keynote speaker challenging audiences to be more intentional, find more focus and get the right things done. In his private time, Trey is a WSET certified sommelier and a recent private pilot with a Cirrus SR22T.  He and his wife, Sheya, are the proud parents of Ret, Emmaline and Mary Salter.  They make their home in South Georgia, and travel frequently for work and pleasure. VALUABLE RESOURCES Find out now if you’re building a high-value, exitable business (even if you have no immediate plans to sell it). You’ll get an instant PDF report with powerful insights specifically tailored to your business in just 4 minutes. https://highvalueexit.scoreapp.com/ Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick is joined by JB Brown, an experienced entrepreneur and mergers and acquisitions advisor. They delve into the topic of partnerships within businesses and the challenges that can arise, particularly when preparing for an exit. They discuss the importance of understanding each partner's goals and motivations, as well as the need for a solid partnership agreement from the start. JB shares personal experiences and insights, highlighting the significance of clear communication and trust in maintaining successful partnerships. They also touch on the role of private equity in resolving conflicts and creating win-win situations.  KEY TAKEAWAYS It is crucial to have a solid partnership agreement or operating agreement in place from the beginning to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. When dealing with partnership disagreements, it is important to seek first to understand each party's true goals and motivations. In situations where partners have different timelines or end goals, creative solutions such as buying out the partner or structuring payment over time can be explored. Due diligence on potential partners is essential to ensure alignment of business philosophies and values. Trust and open communication are vital in partnerships, and regular monitoring of financials and company operations can help prevent issues from escalating. BEST MOMENTS "It's always our fault. I believe in radical accountability."  "The first thing I feel my responsibility is, is to seek first to understand what exactly each relevant party really wants."  "It all starts with a really solid partnership agreement and/or operating agreement."  "What saved me was when we were doing negotiations, we had also started a new brand." VALUABLE RESOURCES Find out now if you’re building a high-value, exitable business (even if you have no immediate plans to sell it). You’ll get an instant PDF report with powerful insights specifically tailored to your business in just 4 minutes. https://highvalueexit.scoreapp.com/ Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig JB Brown - www.whitebuffaloadvisors.com Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick welcomes back Adam Coffey, a renowned expert in scaling, growing value, and exiting companies, to share his insights from his latest book, "Empire Builder: The Road to a Billion," where he discusses the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and offers strategies for success. Adam discusses the importance of understanding unit-level economics, focusing on needs-based businesses with recurring revenue streams, and diversifying assets through strategic partnerships and exits. Adam also delves into the mindset shift required to scale from a control-focused founder to a visionary leader.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding unit-level economics is crucial for building a successful business. Entrepreneurs need to focus on profitability and ensure that their business model is sustainable. Recognise the need to let go of control and empower others as the business scales. Transition from being a micromanager to a conductor of the orchestra, managing processes instead of minutiae. Consider selling the business at a certain size to diversify assets and protect against risks. Selling to a private equity firm can provide financial security and accelerate wealth creation. Private equity is a growing investment class and will continue to play a significant role in the market. Entrepreneurs should understand the private equity landscape and leverage their capital and expertise. The ultimate goal is not necessarily to build a billion-dollar empire, but to achieve financial security and success at different milestones, such as reaching $30 million or $100 million in revenue. BEST MOMENTS "I want to change those odds. I want you to be one of the seven percent that get to a million, one of the four percent that get to 10 million, and then let's scale on up to 100 million."  "I think too often times entrepreneurs just don't know where they're going."  "I want you to get asset diversification to protect your family against an unknown risk."  "Real estate makes millionaires, business makes billionaires."  "The reason we're getting high prices is because that asset class exists."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Find out now if you’re building a high-value, exitable business (even if you have no immediate plans to sell it). You’ll get an instant PDF report with powerful insights specifically tailored to your business in just 4 minutes. https://highvalueexit.scoreapp.com/ Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/ig Adam Coffey - https://adamecoffey.com/ Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact.Support the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick shares insights on goal-setting and business planning, emphasizing clarity, simplicity, and execution. He guides listeners through a step-by-step process, creating a vivid vision, setting SMART goals, aligning projects and actions, and emphasizing the importance of culture and alignment in business. The podcast also explores strategic planning, creating high-value businesses, overcoming challenges, and analyzing business using frameworks like SWOT and Porter's Five Forces.

Nick is joined by Rob Huxtable, a partner at executive search firm Falcon, to discuss what it takes to thrive as a C-suite leader in a private equity-backed company. Rob shares his expertise on the characteristics and skills necessary for success in this environment, delving into the importance of self-esteem, execution at velocity, hands-on involvement, effective communication, and influence without authority. They also explore the need for alignment with the specific governance model of a private equity firm. KEY TAKEAWAYS Self-esteem and vulnerability are crucial traits for success in a private equity-backed company. Executives need to believe in themselves, be open to recognising their gaps, and continuously strive for improvement. Execution at velocity is highly valued in the private equity world. Executives must be able to make decisions quickly, be data-driven, and have a sense of urgency to drive results. Hands-on involvement is essential in private equity-backed companies. Executives should be willing to roll up their sleeves, be involved in various aspects of the business, and have a deep understanding of the operations. Effective communication is key. Private equity firms value clear, succinct communication that includes the problem, solution, and action plan. Building trust and maintaining alignment with the board is crucial for success. The ideal skill set for executives in private equity-backed companies includes a strong foundation from a blue-chip company, experience in progressively smaller businesses, engineering scalable operations, and the ability to align with the investment thesis of the firm. Adaptability and the ability to influence without authority are also important skills to possess. BEST MOMENTS "If you don't prepare properly for what is the biggest financial event of your life, you are the prey."  "Private equity investors are some of the brightest and most ambitious and boldest business minds out there, but they're also risk averse, thoughtful."  "You better be reinventing yourself and improving on a constant basis."  "The minute you let that moat run dry, they have no choice but to infiltrate and start taking more control than you might like." "We want to make sure they are systematised and mechanised to scale, without excessive dependency on people and more dependency on process."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Find out now if you’re building a high-value, exitable business (even if you have no immediate plans to sell it). You’ll get an instant PDF report with powerful insights specifically tailored to your business in just 4 minutes.https://highvalueexit.scoreapp.com/ Rob Huxtable LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robhuxtable ABOUT THE HOST  Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert.His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses globally. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars.His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact. CONTACT METHOD Work with Nick: https://highvalueexit.com  Nick’s Facebook: https://highvalueexit.com/fb Nick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/li Nick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/igSupport the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Entrepreneur Joe Stolte shares his experience using AI in marketing campaigns, emphasizing the power of email newsletters in building relationships with customers. He introduces his company, daily.ai, which curates content from thought leaders. AI should be treated as a tool and not a replacement for human expertise. Chapters cover topics such as AI in marketing, scaling a business during the pandemic, content creation using AI and human intelligence, measuring success through metrics, launching a newsletter, and scaling marketing efforts with data and AI.