In this episode, we are joined by Matthew Bradley. Matthew is the founder of Tikto Capital, a private investment firm investing in and acquiring UK SMEs and tech businesses. Before Tikto, Matthew was the CIO and CFO of Forward Partners, a publicly-listed venture capital firm.  During the episode, Matthew shares valuable insights into his investment and deal origination strategy, how he pivoted to minority investments throughout last year (2023), and the importance of engaging with businesses that are genuinely open to selling. We also spent time discussing some interesting sectors Matthew has gone deep on and what his findings were.  It is always a great time chatting with Matthew and we hope you enjoy the conversation too! ------- If you are a searcher looking to acquire a great business, check out the Buy and Build Accelerator. The bootcamp curriculum is highly practical and developed and presented by former guests of the podcast: https://www.buyandbuildaccelerator.com/  Enjoy!

In this episode, we are thrilled to have a returning guest, Rob LeBlanc— Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Ambit Partners. Rob brings a wealth of experience in traditional search fund investing, particularly in emerging markets, investing in 80 search funds across 30 countries.  During the episode, Rob delves into the intricacies of Ambit Partners' searcher selection process, the importance of a strong local cap table, and the most interesting markets they have invested in Fund I. We also get into the plans for Fund II. Exciting times! ------- If you are a searcher looking to acquire a great business, check out the Buy and Build Accelerator. The bootcamp curriculum is highly practical and developed and presented by former guests of the podcast: https://www.buyandbuildaccelerator.com/  Enjoy!

Jordan Hammond, Founder of Genuine Comfort, shares his unique approach to strategic acquisitions, emphasizing the crucial role of transparency and trust. Topics also include starting a startup, building relationships with competitors, resources for sales professionals, and struggles with expertise and entrepreneurship.

This week, we wanted to publish an episode that was released a while back but feels very relevant given the current debt financing market. The listenership has grown significantly since this was released so you may not have heard this.  Royalty financing is an interesting alternative financing offering for buyouts or equity releases. It mixes certain elements of debt and equity in an attempt to better align with owners. In the episode, we get into the details of royalty financing and the types of businesses best suited for it. If you are looking to acquire a great business, check out the Buy and Build Accelerator: https://www.buyandbuildaccelerator.com/  Enjoy!

This week we speak with Alexi Jones, a former investment banker- turned startup founder and now acquisition entrepreneur.   Alexi now heads up Viso Logistics, a business acquisitions group building a next-generation UK logistics network. During the episode, we discuss Alexi's first acquisition of Jag Express, his deal sourcing and acquisition strategy, why he decided on this sector and his future plans This week we also announced the Buy and Build Accelerator. If you are a searcher, check it out to learn more:  https://www.buyandbuildaccelerator.com/  Enjoy!

This week we speak with co-host Graeme Wallis to discuss the successful raising of his search fund, Hargrave Succession.  We discussed his fundraising process, how he built an investor network, and the importance of having a complimentary cap table. We also dive into the types of companies Graeme is searching for and his internship program.  Graeme then turns the tables and gets an update from Paul. Enjoy!

This week we speak with Sandy Farmer and Jo Cockburn from Ethos Partners - entrepreneurial providers of supportive capital for cash-generative, fast-growing, ambitious UK and European companies. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating journeys of Sandy and Jo, the story behind the founding of Ethos, and its mission to bridge the gap between retiring business owners and aspiring investors.  We then dive into the search fund/ ETA ecosystem. We discuss why the asset class fits their investment strategy, how they feel they can add unique value as investors, their investment criteria, and past deals.  Enjoy!

Ritz Steytler, CEO of Abacus Partners and senior advisor at Vonzeo Capital, discusses his journey as a searcher and operator of PXP Solutions, the challenges he faced, and his experiences in various industries. He shares insights on identifying a good company for acquisition, the role of Abacus Partners in coaching growth businesses, implementing changes and leveraging technology for business improvement, and the importance of pricing strategy in acquisitions, including implementing value-based pricing and leveraging pricing for competitive advantage.

This week we speak with Dr Ewan Lloyd-Baker, an accomplished entrepreneur with an extensive background in turnarounds, corporate finance, and M&A.  In this episode, Ewan shares his experience acquiring and growing a 200-year-old manufacturing company. We discuss the benefits of acquisitions and reverse mergers and the pros/cons of running a publicly listed entity. We also delve into the key insights from the eventual exit in 2018.  Ewan is a natural leader with a wealth of knowledge. We hope you enjoy this fantastic conversation!

This week we replay an episode where Paul was a guest on the Build and Exit podcast hosted by Julie Wilkinson. Julie does a great job at chronicling Paul's search journey and they cover a lot of topics that the listeners often ask about. So I hope this is helpful! Check out Julie's podcast: Build and Exit