Business Buying Strategies from The Dealmaker's Academy artwork

Business Buying Strategies from The Dealmaker's Academy

331 episodes - English - Latest episode: 28 days ago - ★★★★ - 31 ratings

The Business Buying Strategies Podcast comes from The Dealmaker's Academy, the world's leading training on buying and selling businesses - without risking your own money!

Each week we talk to leading experts, discuss business buying strategies, offer hints and tips and cover the essential skills you will need to buy and sell businesses effectively.

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Episodes

What size of business should you buy first?

February 29, 2024 10:41 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MB

In this week’s episode, Jonathan provides advice on the initial business acquisition. He highlights elements to consider such as business size, owner involvement, business location, and the time commitment for the acquisition. He stresses the concept of not buying a business for just one pound, given the assumed liabilities can be burdensome especially for first time buyers.   Jonathan recommends buying a solid, profitable business and utilizing other people's money instead of taking on ...

Deal structures for buying a business with John Andrews

February 22, 2024 10:06 - 25 minutes - 36.9 MB

In the latest episode of the Business Buying Strategies podcast, experienced M&A lawyer John Andrews of JMW reveals the most effective deal structures for buying a business without using any of our own money. John is The Dealmakers Academy’s recommended lawyer and has completed deals with many of our Mastermind clients. In this podcast episode – recorded at the last Dealmakers M&A networking event in Manchester – John walks through the specifics of the dealmaking process from a legal per...

What to look for when buying a business

February 15, 2024 13:00 - 33 minutes - 46.3 MB

In this week’s episode, Jonathan shares his insights on successfully buying a business. He discusses a recent networking event held in Manchester, where he presented common mistakes buyers make and rules to follow for a successful acquisition. Jonathan explains that you don't need a massive bank balance or perfect credit to buy a business, but instead having multiple options, substantial knowledge, confidence, and right mindset can lead to a successful deal. You will learn about: The fo...

Are you making any of these business buying mistakes?

February 08, 2024 10:48 - 30 minutes - 43.1 MB

In the latest episode of the Business Buying Strategies podcast, Jonathan Jay reveals some of the most common business buying mistakes we see new and inexperienced business buyers make. (And many experienced dealmakers, too!) Many of these mistakes can seriously damage your ability to source deals, negotiate the best price and terms possible and can even stop deals in their tracks. What’s more, many of these mistakes can be easily avoided. Listen to the Business Buying Strategies podcast...

Building a £400M empire through business acquisition

February 01, 2024 10:05 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MB

In the latest episode of the Business Buying Strategies podcast, Jonathan Jay talks with Mastermind client, Martin, who has ambitions to build a £400m empire through business acquisition. In addition to hearing Martin’s journey from his first acquisition – shortly after completing the Mastermind programme – to his latest, this episode is packed with insights on how to put the systems and processes in place to source deals, negotiate the right way and create a strong lead flow. In particu...

Gerald Ratner - Business Acquisition is the ONLY way to grow

January 25, 2024 10:30 - 32 minutes - 44.9 MB

How Gerald Ratner built a 2,500-store retail empire through acquisition British entrepreneur Gerald Ratner took his business from a single family-owned shop in Richmond to a multi-billion, 2,500-store retail empire spanning the UK and US.  In the process, he acquired some of the biggest names on the high street, including H. Samuel and Ernest Jones.  His entire strategy was built on growth by acquisition, often pushing the business to the limit.  You may have watched some of the rece...

How to negotiate buying a business

January 18, 2024 18:50 - 37 minutes - 51.6 MB

De-risking Business Acquisitions: A 12-Step Guide to Successful Deals.  In this episode, Jonathan Jay shares strategies for buying a business successfully, without risking personal cash. He elaborates on the importance of proper corporate structure, no personal guarantees, de-risking leases, and linking business payment to performance. Jay also explains the significance of not over-leveraging, cost underwriting abort fees, due diligence, and incentivizing owners for a smooth transition amon...

Buying a business - Using the right words

January 11, 2024 13:07 - 39 minutes - 54.4 MB

The words you use during a negotiation to buy a business can make the difference between closing a great deal and failing to close any deals. Use the right language and you will discover the vendor’s motivation, build trust and clear the path to a smooth sale at the best price. Use the wrong language and you could sabotage the acquisition – or, worse, end up with a bad deal. A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak to a group of property agents who are planning to grow in 2024. I showed t...

2023 Dealmaker Highlights of the Year

January 04, 2024 16:52 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

This year, we have featured more business buying success stories than ever before. Buying a business transforms your life. You just need to hear the stories of those who have follow the system and taken action to know that you can do it, too. The stories we have featured on the Business Buying Strategies podcast range from experienced business owners using acquisitions to rapidly grow their business to individuals holding down a 9-5 job who transformed their life by buying a business in ...

Stop imposter syndrome (and do more deals) with Vicki Espin

December 28, 2023 15:40 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MB

What limiting beliefs hold you back from starting your business buying journey? What stops you from doing more deals or striving to close bigger acquisitions? In this episode of the Business Buying Strategies podcast, executive coach Vicki Espin explains how imposter syndrome and limiting beliefs stop you from getting what you want and how to eliminate beliefs holding you back. If you want to buy a business in 2024 and you’re not taking action, listen to this episode. It could be a game-...

Build a game-changer mindset with Vicki Espin

December 21, 2023 10:49 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MB

If you want to succeed at business acquisition, you need the right mindset as well as the right knowledge and strategies. By levelling up your mindset and adopting a new way of thinking, you can change how you see yourself and how others see you, to do bigger deals, more frequently. At the last Dealmakers Retreat, executive coach Vicki Espin revealed how to develop a ‘game-changer’ mindset to stand out and attract opportunities. In this episode of the Business Buying Strategies podcast, yo...

Mastering LinkedIn - Boost Your Business Buying Strategies

December 15, 2023 11:56 - 39 minutes - 37.9 MB

Mastering LinkedIn: Boost Your Business Buying Strategies In this podcast, Jonathan Jay invites LinkedIn expert, Andrew Grill, to share his insights on how to use LinkedIn more effectively, especially for individuals interested in buying businesses. Topics covered include developing online credibility through LinkedIn, improving profiles for greater visibility, using LinkedIn analytics, understanding the LinkedIn algorithm, and exploring various LinkedIn tools. Grill also introduces the 'L...

Successful exit with 30X multiple

December 07, 2023 10:21 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MB

In this podcast episode of 'Business Buying Strategies', host Jonathan Jay interviews Andrew Scott, an accomplished entrepreneur who has a versatile track record of both buying and selling businesses. Andrew talks about his recent experiences at the Marbella VIP dealmakers retreat and shares insights about his successful exits, including one at thirty times multiple. He also discusses some of the challenges associated with the buying process, dealing with the emotional aspect of buying and s...

One deal changed my life

November 29, 2023 15:58 - 17 minutes - 25.3 MB

This week Jonathan shares insights and experiences of business acquisitions to a live audience in Marbella. Transitioning from financial difficulty to successful entrepreneurship, he explains how the sale of his first business changed everything and resulted in him immersing himself in the world of business acquisitions. Jonathan outlines the reasons why people sell businesses and strategies for purchasing them, Jay sheds light on the potential of business acquisitions as a means of wealth...

Financial Success Through Business Acquisition

November 23, 2023 11:05 - 34 minutes - 48.9 MB

How to grow a business through acquisition  In this week’s episode of Business Buying Strategies, Jonathan speaks with BBC Apprentice winner and founder of the Millionaire Mastermind, Joseph Valente about the opportunity for business owners to rapidly double the size of their business through acquisition. In conversation in front of a room of ambitious entrepreneurs, Jonathan explained why 2024 is a year of opportunity for those business owners who want to grow, why it is better to buy a...

The £2m business acquisition

November 14, 2023 20:31 - 22 minutes - 24.1 MB

I waited too long to get started… but then I bought a £2.5m business In this latest episode of Business Buying Strategies, we visit a Mastermind client, Carsten, at the £2.5m revenue tree surgery business he recently purchased. By his own admission, Carsten was a little slow getting out the blocks, as he previously believed he needed funds to acquire a business. He joined our FastTrack programme and saw other dealmakers buying profitable, established businesses with no money down. Afte...

SBA Loans and how they make business acquisitions easy

November 09, 2023 21:35 - 26 minutes - 26.6 MB

Did you know there is a government-backed lending scheme in the US that allows you to borrow up to 100% of the cost of acquiring a business? In this episode of Business Buying Strategies, Jonathan talks to Ray Drew from Fund-Ex Solutions and an expert in SBA lending about the scheme and how it has become a useful way of buying a business without using any of your own money. During the interview, Jonathan and Ray discuss how SBA lending works, why it was set up by the government, the vari...

Highlights from recent episodes

November 02, 2023 11:32 - 55 minutes - 77.9 MB

In the latest episode of Business Buying Strategies, we hear from seven dealmakers who have successfully bought businesses without using any of their own money. Each dealmaker is a member of the Business Acquisition Mastermind and has bought at least one business. These are not distressed businesses, but profitable, established businesses that gave the buyer cash flow from Day 1. If you are still unsure whether ‘no money down’ deals really can be done, this highlights episode answers the...

35 business acquisitions in 3 years

October 26, 2023 08:53 - 49 minutes - 69.9 MB

In the latest episode of Business Buying Strategies, we speak with serial business buying entrepreneur Darren Jacobs who has bought 35 business in the last three years. Despite the rapid growth of his business, Darren does not spend any time working in the businesses he acquires. He leaves it to his management team, freeing him up to work on his growth strategy which is – buying more businesses. In this episode, he reveals why he first chose hair salons as a target for his acquisitions, ...

The Life Changing Deal

October 18, 2023 14:37 - 51 minutes - 71.8 MB

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.   On this week's episode, we are going to meet Dan Bown. Dan Bown is one of my Mastermind clients, and when he came on Mastermind, he wasn't entirely sure which type of business to buy. He's settled on plant hire, and has just done his first eight figure acquisition. In this episode, we'll find out how he did it. Key Highlights [01:10] Dan introduces himse...

100% Deal Finance - An interview with Daniel Beaumont

October 12, 2023 10:39 - 1 hour - 85.3 MB

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.   This week we meet my mastermind client, Danny Beaumont, who has bought a number of manufacturing businesses without spending a penny of his own money. Plus he only works ten hours a week and spends twice a week playing golf. Here’s Danny in front of a live audience at one of our DealMaker Live events. Key Highlights [01:14] Danny discusses his career befo...

17 acquisitions to £20 million turnover

September 28, 2023 10:38 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MB

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.   This week we go behind the scenes of July 2023’s Dealmakers Live event held just outside London. I talk with David, who was on my mastermind program back in 2019. David bought seventeen businesses, built the business group up to over £20 million of annual revenue, and he's just done a deal selling it for an eight figure sum. This is his story and how he did ...

I acquired two businesses just to see if the process worked!

September 22, 2023 13:52 - 21 minutes - 29.1 MB

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.  This week I talk with Hari Krishnadasan, one of my mastermind clients. Hari bought a business a few years ago, but didn't actually realize that it was going to be his strategy going forward. And when he bought two more businesses during the COVID period, in a completely different sector to the one that his background and experience is in, he realised that busin...

M&A For Dummies - Interview with Bill Snow

September 14, 2023 21:53 - 30 minutes - 43.8 MB

Every week I interview someone from the world of mergers and acquisitions so we can find out their approach to buying businesses.  This week I talk with Bill Snow, author of M&A For Dummies, one in the famous yellow series of books.  Business Buying Strategies is the leading podcast for people who want to buy a business. Each week I interview deal makers who've been on my business acquisition Mastermind program and find out about their deals and behind the scenes of their acquisitions. If ...

21 acquisitions in less than a year

September 06, 2023 17:26 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MB

 This week we meet Darren Jacobs, who since joining my business buying courses has bought a total of 25 businesses in just eight months. He’s already sold four of them and has an ambitious target to do 100 deals.  Darren bought his first salon for his daughter, a qualified hair stylist, in May 2020. But when he started sending enquiry letters out, he quickly built a pipeline of potential acquisitions. Business Buying Strategies is the leading podcast for people who want to buy a business...

Jo Bell's first 5 acquisitions

August 31, 2023 09:02 - 42 minutes - 60.6 MB

In this episode, Jo Bell joins us to talk about her business acquisition journey and the lessons that she has learnt. We talk about how being a doer impacts the business and how it can affect your next acquisition. Jo explains that looking at deals as pure numbers can be extremely helpful when you are not sure what a business is worth. She also discusses some of the ways sellers sometimes lie about deals or place too much emphasis on things that really don’t matter in terms of pricing your b...

Two acquisitions while working full time

August 24, 2023 04:21 - 26 minutes - 37.9 MB

In this week's episode, Jonathan Jay interviews Phil Hunt, a private client who recently acquired two hairdressing salons using the strategies learned from the Dealmakers Academy program. Phil, an HR director in a bank, wanted to move away from full-time employment and found Jonathan's program the perfect solution. He shares how the program gave him the confidence and tools to approach acquisitions and completed two deals quickly.  The episode dives into Phil's experiences negotiating with...

Lucrative opportunities in the coffee retail sector

August 07, 2023 16:19 - 27 minutes - 40.3 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews John Richardson, an expert in the coffee shop sector. John has been involved in numerous coffee shop acquisitions and in building coffee shop chains through acquisition. They discuss the current state of the coffee shop market, particularly following the pandemic, and the differences between business owners and entrepreneurs in this industry.  John highlights the opportunities in neighborhood coffee shops and the potential for community-centered cof...

The outlook and strategy for effective business deals

August 04, 2023 13:19 - 27 minutes - 39.9 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews successful entrepreneur Nick Manuel, who shares his journey of buying and building businesses. Nick started his entrepreneurial journey by attending Jonathan's course and listening to this podcast. He explains how he acquired a balloon printing company and turned it into a lead generator for his existing business.  Nick shares valuable insights into his acquisition strategy and the importance of taking action, not overthinking, and focusing on deal ...

Throw-ins to thermostats - Ex footballer acquires air conditioning company

July 27, 2023 13:32 - 26 minutes - 40.1 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews Sam Turner, a former professional footballer turned dealmaker. Sam shares his journey from a successful corporate career to his decision to buy businesses. He explains how he found his first acquisition through networking and discusses the importance of credibility and clear focus in the acquisition process.  Sam emphasizes his philosophy of maintaining autonomous business units within a group and avoiding trying to oversimplify back-office synergie...

Why I'll never rely on organic growth again

July 25, 2023 14:57 - 19 minutes - 29.8 MB

In this episode, Jonathan talks with Richard Bundock, a successful entrepreneur who shares his journey of buying and growing businesses. Richard's story begins with his early entrepreneurial ventures, when he sold stick-on tattoos at school. He recounts his experience making three successful acquisitions, detailing the differences between asset and share purchases. Inspired by his success, Richard plans to make around 18 more acquisitions to become one of the top five independent agency gr...

From insurance broker to commercial cleaning business owner

July 20, 2023 15:40 - 23 minutes - 34.7 MB

This week Jonathan talks with Akram Abdullah, who started a successful insurance brokerage with his brother, fell out of love with it, and sold it. Then, in the space of just eight months he acquired a commercial cleaning business, fixed it, and then sold it to the manager he had recruited to run it for him. Key Highlights [01:05] Akram talks about his career to date [01:48] Deciding to sell his insurance broker business [03:30] Deciding to acquire a business rather than start a new ...

Switching from organic growth to acquisitions

July 13, 2023 10:15 - 23 minutes - 34.9 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay interviews Aled Davies, who runs a clothing and textiles printing business. Aled shares his journey of seeking organic growth for his family business, facing challenges such as a fire and the pandemic. Inspired by the podcast, Aled explores the acquisition route and becomes one of Jonathan's clients. He shares how he completed his first acquisition of a smaller business and seamlessly integrated it into his existing company, leveraging the acquired website, cu...

Buying a business in Scotland

July 06, 2023 10:22 - 28 minutes - 41.1 MB

This week Jonathan talks to Chris Stone, a hearing healthcare specialist based in Glasgow. Chris is a client of Jonathan’s, and having already bought one competitor, he is now on the hunt for further acquisitions. In fact, right now he is the fastest growing hearing healthcare provider in Scotland. The conversation begins with how COVID has affected the business.  Key Highlights [01:14] The effects of the pandemic [02:40] Setting turnover targets [03:36] The first acquisition [12...

3 business acquisitions in eighteen months

June 29, 2023 11:37 - 29 minutes - 41.5 MB

This week Jonathan talks with Ray Burke, who started a business in the transport and haulage sector which he grew to a £500,000 turnover operation after six years. However, after three acquisitions in eighteen months, he has increased his group business turnover to £3.4 million. Key Highlights [01:26] Ray Burke's business background [04:21] How Ray looked for and shortlisted potential business to buy [05:05] Ray's first acquisition [12:01] What has changed for Ray since the first a...

Jonathan's guest spot on the Empire Flippers podcast

June 22, 2023 11:39 - 41 minutes - 57 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay is interviewed by Greg of the Empire Flippers Podcast, and they talk about the complexities of structuring deals and provide valuable insights into the world of acquisitions. Jonathan and Greg discuss the importance of looking for the right characteristics in an acquisition target. They talk about ensuring a smooth transition by having a management team in place. They recommend targeting larger, established businesses with positive cash flows for greater profita...

From unemployed to £7m business owner

June 15, 2023 10:25 - 30 minutes - 46.5 MB

This week Jonathan talks with entrepreneur, Phil, about the extraordinary story of his first major business deal. He recounts how his life transformed following the deal, sharing the personal and professional growth accompanying this monumental achievement. Phil reveals people's common mistakes during the early days after an acquisition, and offers valuable insights to help aspiring entrepreneurs navigate those challenging initial stages. Key Highlights [02:30] How Phil got his first d...

Buying a funeral care business - From Dealmakers Live

June 09, 2023 09:10 - 29 minutes - 42.6 MB

This week we meet James Gardner, who was a guest at my Dealmakers Live event in January. Now, James has been on the podcast before, but I wanted to catch up with him to find out what he's been doing. After explaining how he became attracted to the world of mergers and acquisitions, James outlines his plans for scaling up his acquisitions and doing more of them. Key Highlights 01-35 James introduces himself 03-15 James gets a job with the local undertaker 04-10 James drops out of univ...

My first 5 business acquisitions

May 31, 2023 13:37 - 18 minutes - 26 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay is joined by entrepreneur and dealmaker, Andrew Norton. Andrew shares insights into his recent, successful deals, how he funded them, how he found them, and the stark contrast between his first challenging deal and his recent multi-million-pound triumph. Andrew talks about the challenges he faced and how he overcame them, gaining valuable lessons that have shaped his recent acquisitions. He shares the way he secures funding, which has been crucial to the succe...

How I consolidate the businesses I acquire

May 18, 2023 11:43 - 24 minutes - 37.8 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay continues his conversation with Nathan Winch, a seasoned entrepreneur, as they delve into the intricacies of consolidating deals and bringing businesses together to operate as a cohesive group. Nathan sheds light on the most crucial aspects that demand attention from new business owners. They discuss the minimum handover period required after acquiring a business to ensure a smooth transition and maximize success. Nathan shares his tips for exiting and selli...

I buy businesses for a living

May 11, 2023 10:08 - 27 minutes - 41.9 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay meets Nathan Winch, a former biologist turned successful entrepreneur, to discuss his transition into the business world and his acquisition experience. Nathan shares some of the most interesting deals he has secured, as well as his criteria for searching for businesses to acquire. He also talks about the characteristics of sellers he looks out for and why he prefers not to use a broker in his acquisitions. Nathan shares his insights on why larger deals are ea...

What I learned from an 8 figure business acquisition

April 27, 2023 11:18 - 25 minutes - 38.9 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay continues his conversation with Dan, whose first acquisition was a specialist plant hire company, in an amazing eight figure deal. Dan shares his story of transitioning his new team and transforming the business he purchased. Since Dan bought the business, he has faced numerous challenges but as you will hear he has managed to turn them into valuable opportunities. They discuss the impact of change on the business and how Dan leveraged his experience in the ...

8 figures for first business acquisition

April 27, 2023 10:44 - 29 minutes - 44 MB

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Dan, who shares the remarkable story of his first acquisition – an £8m specialist plant hire business. We discover what led Dan to consider the business, how the negotiations went, the challenges he faced, and how the deal was eventually done. Dan also discusses the different options he considered before settling on this particular business, and why he chose to be lenient on the terms of the deal. Key Highlights [01:23] The type of business that D...

Footballer to £17m empire - Part 2

April 20, 2023 10:43 - 34 minutes - 51.1 MB

In this episode, we continue the conversation with Sam Turner, a successful entrepreneur who shares his insights and experience on the acquisition process, from the very first day to the consolidation of the businesses. He talks about the importance of being consistent with your time and being present in your business to create a strong culture that aligns with your vision. He also shares his experiences transitioning from a large corporate to an SME - and how getting the business culture ri...

Footballer to £17m empire

April 13, 2023 10:35 - 34 minutes - 51.3 MB

In this episode, Jonathan Jay is joined by Sam Turner, a successful entrepreneur who has made waves in the business world by purchasing three companies with a combined turnover of £17m within the last 15 months. Sam shares his story of how he got started in the business world and what led him to acquire businesses. He also shares his thoughts on rebranding and why he's not overly focused on integration. Sam offers invaluable insights into the art of reaching out to companies and the deal...

My first business acquisition

April 06, 2023 01:00 - 33 minutes - 47.2 MB

This week we meet Alison, who has bought a hardware retail outlet, and Jo, who has purchased five accountancy practices. They talk about finding the best deal, the negotiations and lessons learned since joining the mastermind group. Key Highlights Alison [02:06] What triggered Alison to buy a business [03:47] The process of choosing the best business that works for you [05:19] Alison's approach to finding the first deal [08:18] The second mistake made by Alison [11:22] Lessons ...

It's all Jonathan's fault

April 03, 2023 10:30 - 26 minutes - 40.7 MB

Each week I interview people from the world of mergers and acquisitions, specifically people who have been on my mastermind program and who have gone out and bought one or more businesses. This week we meet John Hood, who was a recent guest at my Dealmakers Live event in January. (We have another one coming up in July, by the way, with two days of exceptional deal makers in a room with a hundred people or more answering your questions about business buying). When he stood up to speak, Jo...

Making millions from bust businesses

March 23, 2023 12:24 - 34 minutes - 51.1 MB

Every week I interview people from the world of business acquisition and find out exactly what makes them successful. This week I'd like you to meet John Graves, who was one of my guest presenters at Dealmakers Live earlier this year.  John’s expertise is in buying distressed businesses - and I should emphasise that this is not for the beginner. If you've never bought a business before, it can be very risky to buy a distressed business for a pound and turn it into a success story. You may ...

Handling adversity in business

March 09, 2023 06:00 - 24 minutes - 34.4 MB

Each week I interview people from the world of business acquisition and find out exactly what makes them success. This week we continue our conversation with communications expert Andy Harrington.  This time our topic is how to deal with adversity in business. Whether you are new in business or you've been in business for 30 years, everyone has challenging situations. Andy has heard every story imaginable about the adverse situations they've been in. It's inevitable that nothing is ever ...

How to talk with confidence to a business seller

March 02, 2023 12:34 - 28 minutes - 40.1 MB

The role of communication  This week, something a little bit different. We are going to talk about the language to use, and the tools and techniques to adopt when negotiating. Andy Harrington is an expert on communication, influence and selling - so we explore with him the best strategies for influencing someone, how to build rapport, the language to use and the questions to ask. Key Highlights [01:40] Best strategies for influencing someone and building rapport [04:08] Getting the s...

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