Scale Up With Nick Bradley

Nick delves into his past experience in private equity and shares the disciplines and mindset that can be applied to any business. He discusses the practicalities of private equity, including the analysis of markets and potential, the development of a focused strategy, the importance of talent and incentives, leveraging resources effectively, and creating processes for continuous performance improvement.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Private equity firms excel at analysis and market understanding, going deep into customer data, competition, and macro trends to create a business that dominates its market. Private equity firms focus on a few core initiatives that drive significant results, rather than spreading themselves too thin. They prioritize execution and value expansion, with a strong emphasis on rigor and discipline. Talent is crucial in private equity, with a focus on getting the right people in the right seats and providing incentives that align with performance. Building a strong board and fostering a results-oriented mindset throughout the organization are also key. Private equity firms are masters of leverage, managing capital aggressively and working the balance sheet to maximize efficiency. They look for incremental gains and optimize processes and systems to drive performance improvements. Understanding the emotional frame and managing emotions is important in dealing with private equity. Recognising that it is a game and maintaining a mindset that allows for detachment and strategic decision-making can help level the playing field and increase the chances of success. BEST MOMENTS "Focus is a superpower." "Are you going to be the prey or the prize?" "Private equity likes to simplify things." "Private equity operates well from scarce resources." "Private equity is about results orientation and creating processes that spur on performance improvements." 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 interviews guest Nick Koumalatsos, a former military serviceman with a colourful life and a decorated career. The conversation delves into Koumalatsos' journey from a lucrative but stagnant lifestyle to his decision to join the military. Despite facing numerous obstacles and rejections, Koumalatsos persevered and eventually found himself excelling in the military, leveraging his knowledge of the system to his advantage. The episode explores the power of mindset, turning adversity into opportunity, and the importance of belief and support in achieving success. Koumalatsos shares his experiences of being in the military, including his time in special operations and combat, and ultimately reveals his decision to leave the military due to burnout and a desire for a different path. This episode offers valuable insights into transitions, personal growth, and the power of intentional choices. KEY TAKEAWAYS Embrace change and be comfortable with transitions: Nick Koumalatsos grew up constantly moving and changing schools, which made him adaptable and comfortable with change. This mindset served him well in his military career and in navigating major life transitions. Turn setbacks into opportunities: When faced with obstacles and rejections, Nick Koumalatsos didn't give up. He turned his excuses into reasons and found ways to overcome the challenges. He used his setbacks as motivation to work harder and achieve his goals. Leverage knowledge and information: Nick Koumalatsos understood the importance of understanding the system and leveraging that knowledge to his advantage. He learned everything he could about the military, the training process, and the people involved. This allowed him to excel and achieve success in his military career. Believe in yourself and surround yourself with supportive people: Despite his troubled past, Nick Koumalatsos had family members who believed in him and saw his potential. Their support and belief in him helped him to believe in himself and strive for more. Surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people can have a significant impact on your success. Own your situation and take intentional action: Instead of being a victim of his circumstances, Nick Koumalatsos chose to own his situation and take intentional action. He didn't let his past define him, but rather used it as fuel to drive him towards success. He made deliberate choices and worked hard to achieve his goals. BEST MOMENTS "I turned my excuses into reasons." "I just had an advantage and I was going to use it to my advantage." "I took selection at the time, which was the top of the Marine Corps." "I saw myself turning into, like, what you were talking about beforehand, like your old job." "I truly, I mean, evil people, and I say, and people have different subjects and they just don't, they don't understand the level of evilness that I'm talking about." 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/ Nick Koumalatsos - http://www.nickkoumalatsos.com 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/liSupport the show: https://highvalueexit.com/

Nick delves into the darker side of private equity. While acknowledging the positive aspects of private equity, such as wealth creation and entrepreneurial freedom, Nick explores the psychological game of private equity M&A. He poses the question, "Are you the prize or the prey?" and explains how private equity views business owners as assets.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Private equity firms play a game of buying low to sell high, and it's important for business owners to understand this dynamic when selling their company. Being aware of the tactics and strategies used by private equity firms can help business owners negotiate better deals and avoid being taken advantage of. Business owners need to determine whether they are the prize or the prey in the eyes of potential buyers, particularly private equity firms. If a business has high cash flow, sustainable growth, a competitive advantage, and a strong culture, it is more likely to be seen as the prize. On the other hand, if a business has weak financials and lacks these key attributes, it may be seen as the prey and buyers may use the weaknesses to negotiate a lower price. Falling into the prey category can result in a significantly lower sale price and less advantageous terms for the business owner. Private equity firms may use various tactics, such as renegotiating the price during due diligence or structuring the deal with unfavorable terms, to reduce the value of the business and maximize their own returns. Business owners who position themselves as the prize and demonstrate their value and worthiness as a seller are more likely to negotiate better deals and secure higher sale prices. Confidence, preparation, and understanding the playbook of private equity firms can give business owners an advantage in the negotiation process. It is crucial for business owners to be aware of the potential risks and pitfalls of selling to private equity firms. These risks include the possibility of a retrade, where the buyer reduces the agreed-upon price after conducting due diligence, as well as the potential for reputational damage if a failed sale process becomes known in the market.  BEST MOMENTS "The difference between being the prize and the prey can be a life-changing sum of money." "You want to walk into any sales process as the prize." "If you're seen as a peer, the games that the private equity firms play won't work on you." "You may not be ready right now, but there will be a time in the future when you need to be the prize." "Don't let the process of selling your business become a car crash. Prepare and understand the playbook." 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/

Charles Byrd is one of the most connected people in the online space and knows how to help set up lucrative promotional deals that have his clients and students booking multi 7-figures in new business. Charles's work on relationships, joint ventures, and frictionless systems, has been featured in the likes of Forbes, ABC News, SiriusXM and the Science Of Success. Charles joins Nick to talk about one of the most important drives of growth in business - joint ventures and strategic partnerships. 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/ KEY TAKEAWAYS If your primary lead source is a social media network that could be co-opted, hacked or even shut down, then you're building your success upon a house of cards. Partnerships are independent of each other and consist of "warm traffic", which can lead to much higher returns on connection. You have to know what a winning outcome looks like for you when it comes to partnerships. Think about what you hope to achieve, and celebrate the moment when you reach it. The Invisible Pitch demonstrates authority, momentum, and guides towards the outcome that you are seeking. BEST MOMENTS 'This is one of the most important things to add to your repertoire if you want to build a high value company' 'With joint ventures, you're only paying commissions based on actual sales made, meaning that you are paying commission with money you wouldn't have had otherwise' 'Look for winning outcomes' 'It's a way to be useful without getting wrapped around the spokes' 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/ Charles Byrd - https://www.charlesbyrd.com 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/

You don't always have to say yes to everything in order to get ahead in the world. Sometimes, this "entrepreneurial curse" can lead to great things, but as Nick explains in this episode, there's also a great power to be found in saying no from time to time. KEY TAKEAWAYS As entrepreneurs, we often feel as though if we say no to something, that we will somehow be missing out. This fear of missing out can often land us with headaches we can do without. Write down 25 goals on a piece of paper (business-related), then circle the top five. Look at what is remaining and decide for yourself whether these secondary goals are worth pursuing. The real threats to our time management are not the distractions we think are taking our attention. The real threats are the hidden activities, that make us think we're working hard, but which do not ultimately move the needle. BEST MOMENTS 'There is power in saying no in your business' 'If you can get disciplined and focussed on your top 20% of priorities, then they will typically account for 80% of your business' 'You have to eliminate those distractions' 'it's easy to say yes, it's hard to say no' 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/ To become a part of the first Scale-To-Sale Mastermind visit highvalueexit.com and register now 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/

Cameron Herold, the visionary behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK?'s massive growth, shares insights on finding the perfect Chief Operating Officer (COO) for your business. Key takeaways include understanding yourself as a CEO, defining roles clearly, saying no as a true leader, and the importance of a strong company culture.

What makes your company unique and remarkable when you're pitching? Which lessons could you take from the world-renowned business model pioneered by Apple? Nick answers these questions and explains all in this episode. KEY TAKEAWAYS When it comes to pitching, many business owners struggle to crystallise everything they've created into a core concept and saleable snapshot. A win-theme are the five bullet points that, when explained to anyone, describe why your company is valuable and crucial to other people. If you hope to bake the best cake in the world, there will always be ingredients that every other cake has to have, but the unique ingredients are what makes you stand out. It is the same in business. Branding and its quality are significant factors that drive value. When you can ensure that individuals perceive you as a premium experience, they will consistently strive to be a part of that level of quality. BEST MOMENTS 'People love the entire Apple experience' 'If you can't name the five things that make your business remarkable, then that's your homework this week' 'Trust me that this will be very important to your entrepreneurial journey' 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/ To become a part of the first Scale-To-Sale Mastermind visit highvalueexit.com and register now 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/

Justin Cooke is the founder of Empire Flippers, a company that he has taken from zero revenue, to selling over $450 million worth of businesses in just ten years. Justin joins Nick to discuss his incredible talent for acquisitions, as well as his new business, Webstreet, which aims to invest in online businesses as an asset class. 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/ KEY TAKEAWAYS Online businesses are being aggregated together in order to provide a more saleable concern, and so that private equity can be attracted. Many entrepreneurs don't even realise that their businesses are in a sellable state. Justin and Empire Flippers are helping business owners to hugely profitable exits. Often businesses are bought as platforms, where a company is purchased as a starting point, and several adjacent businesses are acquired and added to it. There needs to be a certain basic skill set for those who buy an online business, which limits the audience when it comes to potential buyers. BEST MOMENTS 'You need to think about having breadth and depth across your portfolio' 'We call it exits for the rest of us' 'The education's out there. You can partner with people' 'This is a high class problem to solve' 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/ Justin Cooke at Empire Flippers - https://empireflippers.com/about-us/justin-cooke/ 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/

In the fourth part of his series on Breaking Through Business Growth, Nick discusses the platforming stage of scaling up, and how it ties into value expansion and strategic thinking. KEY TAKEAWAYS You can only scale up through people, processes and systems. As a leader, your identity has to shift in order for you to be successful. When a business becomes a platform, it's an acquisition that acts as a starting point for other acquisitions in that sector. A platformed business creates value by facilitating exchanges between consumers and producers of goods and services. For this to happen there has to be a large network of users and resources. The fundamental requirement if you want to take your company from a business to a platform, is having a strong management team in place. BEST MOMENTS 'It's not an easy road' 'Showing that you can do these things before your life changing exit is a positive thing' 'We're talking about taking what you have created and being able to transition that to another buyer' 'When you break through this final stage, you are becoming the platform' 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/ To become a part of the first Scale-To-Sale Mastermind visit highvalueexit.com and register now 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/

Brandon Steiner is a globally-renowned sports marketer, who published his first book, The Business Playbook: Leadership Lessons from the World of Sports in 2003. Brandon joins Nick this week to talk about his humble beginnings and how he learned the art of entrepreneurship through some very unique methods, the values he obtained from his family, and the most invaluable lessons he's learned from the world of sport. 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/ KEY TAKEAWAYS The secret to being a great marketer is to not just like people, but understand them - relate to them, lead with empathy and compassion and stand in someone else's shoes. If the route to a solution isn't clear then hustle. Look for another way around the challenge. There's always a way to defy the odds and win. As a leader you have to have a vision, and the ability to take that vision and find a way to sell it. It's about finding paths to success, as though leading your tribe to safety and sustenance. Don't ever confuse managing with leading. Sometimes blending them can work, but in the long term it generally doesn't BEST MOMENTS 'Get out of your freakin' head' 'Once you understand where people are coming from, you can see the white space' 'It's not who you know or what you know, but what you know about who' 'Leadership is very, very complicated' 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/ Brandon Steiner - https://brandonsteiner.com 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/fbNick’s LinkedIn: https://highvalueexit.com/liNick’s Instagram: https://highvalueexit.com/igSupport the show: https://highvalueexit.com/