Build and Exit

Hands On vs. Hands Off: Decoding Owner-Operator and Silent Investor Roles with Taha Afshar

Have you considered becoming an investor?
The mindset you need differs significantly from being an operator of the business. One that my guest in this episode, Taha Afshar explores with us.
Taha started his journey working in a family-run tea business to then make the shifts needed to diversify their income. He shares his experiences moving to the world of investments. Where he has now successfully acquired and managed multiple businesses.
Taha delves into the importance of diversification in investment portfolios, the challenges of navigating the acquisition process, and the strategies for managing acquired businesses.
With this approach to investments as a form of diversification Taha has given his family a solid foundation for future growth.
 
“I had a 115% return in the first year.” – Taha Afshar
 
Timestamps
 01:10 - An introduction to Taha
02:16 - Why Taha decided to diversify
08:47 - How Taha found the first business he bought
12:05 - Taha's experience in the sector he bought
13:32 - Acquisition number 2
18:20 - Does Taha work full time in investments?
20:47 - Getting the systems and processes right
25:20 - Evolving and learning
29:22 - Has investing given Taha what he wanted?
 
Connect with Taha Afshar:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tahaafshar/
X - https://twitter.com/tahaafshar?lang=en-GB
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

David Longford - From insolvency to exit with no earn out

The journey to business owner is never straight forward.
In this episode that journey started due to my guest, David Longford, taking over the business from the owner just before he passed away.
This transition from employee to business owner required respect and a focus on the long-term growth of the business. David talks about the process involved in taking over from an owner in these difficult circumstances.
David shares how he successfully exited without an earn-out and avoided insolvency. He also highlights the need for clear communication and trust-building with potential buyers during the exit process.
This episode provides valuable insights into the acquisition and exit journey.
 
“You’ve just got to recognise your weaknesses” – David Longford
 
Timestamps
 01:13 - An introduction to David
02:34 - Transitioning from employee to buyer
05:54 - How David got the company shares
10:34 - The pressures you put on yourself as a new CEO
13:07 - Why no money down deals don't work
21:15 - The key thing in David's exit process
28:25 - What the sale structure looked like
 
Connect with David Longford:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/longford/
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Geoff Ramm - How excellent customer service increases valuations

How can customer service affect your business sale?
Buyers looking at your business would have more confidence in their investment if they saw customer satisfaction was high. So, making sure you not only have satisfied customers but evidencing it is key.
In this episode I am joined by customer service expert Geoff Ramm. He is the creator and author of Celebrity Service & Celebrity Service Superstars. And has challenged and inspired audiences across 50 countries, to create award-winning ideas to outperform the competition.
Geoff shares ideas to take your customer service not only to the next level but to the heights you would go to if you were serving your celebrity idol. This not only impacts the success of your business but will give you an advantage when selling it.
This episode is full of great ideas to improve the lasting impression you have on your customers.
 
“What sort of service would you deliver if a celebrity would walk through your doors today?"  – Geoff Ramm
 
Timestamps
 01:09 - An introduction to Geoff
02:46 - How would you rate your service?
06:57 - Having the same excitement for all customers
11:00 - Staff and the customer service equation
20:39 - Using customer service in selling businesses
25:33 - Recognition from the customers
 
Connect with Geoff Ramm:
 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/customerservicespeaker/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/geoff.ramm.5
X - https://x.com/GeoffRamm
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@geofframm
Geoff’s website - https://www.geofframm.com/
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Paula Wingate - Tragic exits: 7 figure business owner in intensive care with no exit plan in place

Have you planned for the worst?
 
Imagine you’re at death’s door and know you have no plan for what will happen to your business if you die.
 
This is the exact experience one of my guest’s clients faced. And the worst did happen. Sadly, she passed with no plan for what would happen to the business once she was gone. Not a situation anyone wants to find themselves in.
 
In this episode I am joined by Paula Wingate, who is dedicated to helping 7 figure hardworking women unleash their explosive business potential without feeling overwhelmed or sacrificing their life in the process.
 
She shares stories that will make you think twice about your own business planning. She also turns the tables and interviews me about my own journey scaling Wilkinson Accounting Solutions, how to price right from the start and what every business owner should be doing to sell their business at maximum value.
 
There is a lot to learn from this one so get ready!
 
“Sometimes you've got to get that slap in the face to say, is this worth it?"  – Paula Wingate
 
Timestamps
 
01:23 – Introduction to Paula                                                                       
02:08 - 7 figure tragedies in exits                                          
06:56 - Going from 100 to 40 hours work a week                                        
12:20 - Julie's journey employing others
16:50 - What would Julie do differently?
22:52 - Paying for the right people
26:58 - Pricing wrong from the start
36:12 - How Julie makes 3.5 return from expenses
42:41 - How to sell your business at max value
 
Connect with Paula Wingate:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/7figurebusinesscoach/
Influential Minds - https://www.influentialminds.co.uk/
 
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Todd Sullivan - Broken Deal: Losing staff and suppliers after a failed business sale

What would you do to make your business a success?
 
Would it include jumping from a broken-down train to hitch hike to a product pitch?
 
Well, that’s what my guest in this episode did for an idea that didn’t even work out. Todd Sullivan grew up in an entrepreneurial household and has lived this way ever since. He is the CEO and Managing Partner of Exitwise, a company that helps businesses sell.
 
Todd shares some of the incredible ups and downs he has faced including a failed exit that resulted in losing all his staff and suppliers. After rebuilding he was able to go on to sell multiple other businesses. He also shares his entrepreneurial story including the incredible mission he and his brother went on to pitch to Toys ‘R’ Us.
 
Todd shares his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs as well as the challenges of the M&A process and the importance of surrounding oneself with the right advice
 
“The entrepreneurial journey is a complete emotional and financial roller coaster” – Todd Sullivan
 
Timestamps
 
01:55 - An introduction to Todd
03:48 - Todd on an exit falling through
06:45 - How Todd got through the difficult times
12:18 - Jumping from a train to meet Toys 'R' Us
19:22 - Todd's journey to entrepreneurship
22:15 - Todd's advice for entrepreneurs
25:02 - How Julie got into entrepreneurship
 
Connect with Todd Sullivan:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddfsullivan/
Exitwise on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/exitwise/
Exitwise - https://exitwise.com/
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Sam Oliver – £100k professional fees incurred from a disputed earn out clause

Selling a business comes with risks, but the buyer tyring to swindle you right at the end would challenge anyone’s nerve.
 
My guest in this episode, Sam Oliver, shares his experience of successfully selling his business and going through an earn-out clause. He discusses the challenges he faced when the buyer suddenly changed the processes at the last moment.
 
He shares what happened with disputes over the deferred consideration and the lengthy and costly process of resolving them. He also provides insights into what he would have done differently to protect himself and offers advice for other entrepreneurs going through similar situations.
 
“I thought they wouldn’t want to fire me, piss me off, and give me a shit offer” – Sam Oliver
 
Timestamps
 
02:08 - An introduction to Sam
02:53 - Did Sam plan to have an exit?
06:34 - Growing a company to 37% market share
11:57 - Why did the earn out go wrong?
14:25 - How did Sam challenge low payments?
21:14 - Could Sam have done anything differently?
24:49 - Why did the buyer have this strategy?
27:09 - Sam's new venture Openfi
 
Connect with Sam Oliver:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam0liver/
OpenFi - https://www.openfi.tech/
Lead Pro - https://www.lead.pro/
Advance To Go - https://www.advancetogo.com/
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

David B Horne - Why only 1.9% of females successfully secure funding

Gender bias exists when applying for funding in the venture capital industry.
 
It’s a fact, women are less likely than men to not only succeed in getting funding but for applying for it in the first place.
 
This disadvantage is something that has driven my guest in this episode, David B Horne, to help rectify. David is the Founder of Funding Focus, a social enterprise whose mission is to level the uneven playing field that female and underrepresented entrepreneurs face when raising capital.
 
He shares the shocking statistics behind this disadvantage and why women get less funding and don’t want to go for it in the first place. He also gives his advice on how to level the playing field when pitching to investors.
 
This is not to be missed if you are a woman looking to apply for funding.
 
“The level of funding to female founders is currently 1.9%” – David B Horne
 
Timestamps
 
02:07 - Why do women get less funding?
04:50 - An introduction to David
07:52 - Why don't women go for funding?
14:20 - Advice to women starting the process
18:21 - David's advice for pitching to investors
21:01 - David's thoughts on pitching competitions
22:34 - Funding for the M&A journey
25:33 - How David helps female founders
 
Connect with David B Horne:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-b-horne/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidbhorne/
Linktree - https://linktr.ee/DavidBHorne
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Kemi Egan - £677,000 unknown tax liabilities due to fraudulent pension scheme uncovered

What’s the worst thing that could happen during an acquisition?
 
Up there at the top must be finding fraud from the seller.
 
Kemi Egan is my guest in this episode, and she found just this during one of her acquisitions. A seller was using a fraudulent pension scheme discovered by HMRC. Even then during the legal process the seller, and their defence have denied any wrongdoing despite evidence to the contrary.
 
Kemi shares the stress this caused her and what has been happening since. She also shares her wealth of experience, having completed 30 acquisitions in the last 5 years with 10 exits. As well as what she learned from this experience.
 
“Every step it was just so irrational” – Kemi Egan
 
Timestamps
 
01:39 - An introduction to Kemi
03:26 - How Kemi got into M&A
11:04 - Kemi on discovering fraudulent activities
19:51 - Was the business owner aware of fraud?
21:19 - What Kemi learnt from the experience
23:52 - Is there anything that could have been done differently?
25:16 - Julie on how to track changes
28:29 - Kemi's current acquisitions                                       
 
Connect with Kemi Egan:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kemiegan/
Linktree - https://linktr.ee/kemiegan
 
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Al Zucker - Deal fails due to deteriorated assets that drained cash reserves

Many sellers have no idea how resilient their business is going into the sale.
 
This can massively impact the final valuation of the business, but you can avoid this if you have things set up the right way to sell.
 
In this episode I am joined by Al Zucker a Lawyer that helps entrepreneurs and firms raise, acquire and exit successfully. He has seen a lot of bad deals, and he gives insights into why this happens. From experiences with deteriorated assets to why no money down deals aren’t what they are cracked up to be.
 
Al gives you the reasons why balance sheets, due diligence and heads of terms are so important for a deal going through and he shares his doomsday scenarios.
 
“Your balance sheet tells you how resilient you are” – Al Zucker
 
Timestamps
 
01:45 - An introduction to Al
03:26 - The difference between equity and debt
06:20 - Levels of equity
12:06 - Al's view on no money down deals
17:52 - The doomsday scenario
22:11 - Al experience with deteriorated assets
26:51 - Diligence and terms sheets
31:52 - Julie on linked companies
 
Connect with Al Zucker:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajzucker/
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!

Marc Adams - £3m cost saving on outsourcing activities

You can cash out of your business tax free, so you get the amount you need to retire and support your family’s future.
 
The problem is many don’t know how to get there.
 
In this episode I am joined by Marc Adams, a visionary entrepreneur, acclaimed author, who explains how to do just that. Marc is an expert in business transformation, and as the CEO of Acquisitions 4 U, Marc specializes in helping businesses unlock their full potential, multiply their value, and achieve tax-free exits.
 
Listen as Marc emphasizes the importance of saving money by outsourcing tasks and optimizing marketing efforts. He highlights the potential of acquisitions to quickly grow a business and increase its value. He also advises business owners to consider structuring their business sales to minimize tax liabilities and protect their assets.
 
And as a special bonus Marc offers his book for FREE to our podcast listeners, check out the offer at the end of the episode.
 
“You don't need to write big checks on day one to do an acquisition” – Marc Adams
 
Timestamps
 
01:20 - An introduction to Marc
08:56 - Saving Money and Increasing Profitability
15:32 - Effective Marketing Strategies for Business Growth
27:46 - Maximizing Value through Personal Tax Planning
32:05 - Protecting Assets for Future Generations
35:49 - Offer: Free Copy of Marc's Book
 
Connect with Marc
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/1marcadams/
Acquisitions4you - https://acquisitions4you.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@1marcadams
 
Read Marc’s book - Secrets To 10Xing Your Business: And Cashing Out Tax-Free
 
https://rb.gy/4vzcee
 
Get your FREE copy by emailing Marc at marc@acquisitions4you.com
 
*This offer is only available within 2 weeks of the episode going live*
 
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/
 
Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!