Buy and Build

This week, we speak with Sarah Gardner, Founder and Managing Director of Allegro Tax - a specialist tax advisory firm. In this Episode, Sarah begins by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of buying a target company through an SPV as opposed to doing so personally, how to benefit from entrepreneurs' relief, the tax efficient options available for incentivising employees, tactics for minimizing capital gains tax when acquiring a business and much more. Enjoy the episode!

This week, we speak with Mark Flood, co-founder and director of Renatus Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Ireland that makes investments in Irish and UK companies with enterprise values of €5 million and above. In this episode, Mark shares his journey leading up to the launch of Renatus, the ins and outs of raising a fund, what they look for in their portfolio companies, how they hire and attract the right people, and more about the Irish private equity ecosystem. Enjoy the episode!

This week, we speak with Ross Tomkins, an entrepreneur, investor,  author, and mens health advocate. Ross is also the founder of TDH Capital, an integrated healthcare group with 4 verticals: medical supplies, home care services, healthcare recruitment, and mens hormonal healthcare. In this episode, Ross describes how his acquisition journey began after running his physiotherapy business for many years, how he sourced and structured 7 acquisitions since Covid [and 2 exits], and how he thinks about partnerships and management within his businesses so that he can focus on building the group. We also get into the importance of men's hormonal health, why equity is so much more expensive then debt, and how Ross is helping others on their M&A journey. Enjoy the episode!

This week, we speak with Dan Cremons, a former private equity investor and CEO; and now founder of Accelera Partners and Author of Winning Moves: 105 Proven Ways to Create Value in PE-Backed Companies.  In this episode, Dan discusses how leadership, talent, and capabilities drive performance of PE-backed companies. We discuss how to ensure the right talent is in place for a target acquisition, how to recruit and incentivise high performers, and so much more. Enjoy the episode and be sure to check out Dan's new book!  

This week, we speak with Sara Yates, CFA. Sara is an experienced economist (Ex JPMorgan, Barclays, UBS), property entrepreneur, and ambassador for the Novastone Capital Advisors Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition program.  In this timely episode, Sara shares her thoughts on the current macro environment. We cover inflation, interest rates, supply constraints, and Brexit; and the impact it may have on small businesses and the economy in general. We also discuss the NCA ETA offering and opportunities for prospective searchers. NCA is supporting searchers throughout the globe. Check out their LinkedIn and Website to learn more and apply. Enjoy the episode!  

This week, we speak with Paul Leitao, Founder of Mercurio Capital - a corporate finance company that arranges financing for small and medium-sized businesses. In this episode, Paul discusses the alternatives to cash flow loans for acquisition financing, the best types of physical assets to leverage against [and the worst], the intricacies of leveraging the debtor book, and much more. Enjoy the episode!

This week, we speak with Brad Nathan, President at Lynx Equity -  a private equity firm that specializes in buying companies in stable, “old world” industries. Lynx Equity has built a diversified portfolio of small business with revenue over $600m and EBITDA over £50m across ±53 holdings.  In this episode, Brad explains how he built a portfolio of 53 companies, why he only acquires 100% of any acquisition, how they structure their deals to mitigate risk, and so much more. Enjoy the Episode!

This week, we speak with Jan Simon, a Managing Partner at Vonzeo Capital Partners - a global institutional investor in search funds that invests in 20+ search funds, and 10 follow-on acquisitions, annually. Jan is also the academic director of the international search fund center at IESE Business School, as well as a lecturer at Berkeley-Haas. Previously, he spent over a decade working for Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and Salomon Brothers.  In this episode, Jan discusses how he got into the search fund space, where he sees compelling opportunities, how to manage owner transitions, and much more.  Also, don't forget to check out his book  Search Funds & Entrepreneurial Acquisitions: The Roadmap for Buying a Business and Leading it to the Next Level

This week, we speak with James Kaberry, Founder and Chairman of SME Capital, a bespoke SME lender; and Chairman and Co- CEO of Titan Wealth Holdings. James is an entrepreneurs’ entrepreneur. After executing a successful buy and build with Pantheon Financial in the early 2000’s, James exited just before the financial crisis. James then happened to buy it back a couple years later, but after struggling to find suitable lending options, James decided to set up SME Capital. We get into the challenges in setting up an alternative lender, the various characteristics that make SME Capital such a compelling option for acquisition entrepreneurs, and how to best prepare yourself before applying for funding. We also discuss James’ latest buy and build, Titan Wealth Holdings, where they are building an integrated solution for investment managers, and have already acquired over £7Bn in AUM. Enjoy the episode!

Gerald Ratner, former Chairman and CEO of Ratners Jewellers, shares his remarkable journey from high school dropout to leading the world’s largest jewelry retailer. He discusses his innovative retail strategies and the pivotal acquisitions that fueled massive growth. Gerald reveals how a single ill-timed joke led to his company's downfall, and the resilience he showed during the challenging years that followed. He credits cycling as a key to maintaining his sanity and sparking new entrepreneurial ventures. It's an inspiring story of overcoming adversity!