Build and Exit
As a chartered management accountant by trade, I uncovered my true potential at 37, moving from a well-paid corporate job to building my own accounting and consultancy firm. Having worked on 5-10 acquisitions or business exits each month for clients, I understand the key challenges business owners face, including getting the real value they want for their business, whilst having the right controls and processes in place so the business can run independently of the owners. The Build and Exit podcast will include conversations, stories and real-life examples of day-to-day challenges business owners face, different methods of growth including acquisitions and top tips on how owners can transition from working in their business to working on it, enabling them to maximize their value on exit. I will also include episodes where I share my own learnings on business management and how Wilkinson Accounting Solutions are planning to continue to grow by acquisition.
Episodes

Monday Jun 26, 2023
Kam Kaur Singh - How to maximise your wealth from an acquisition
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Knowing how to maximise your wealth through acquisition and exit planning is something you need to consider. A financial planner can help you to see things you would otherwise miss that will increase your wealth potential. Kam Kaur Singh is here to show you how a financial planner can benefit your exit planning as well as prepare for the worst-case scenarios. She also gives her advice on investments and what the consequences of not planning your finances are.
Kam has an extensive banking career as well exploring the entrepreneur world for 10 years, successfully planning and implementing financial planning solutions for over 50 business owners and entrepreneurs.
“The exit is also its own fantastic space” – Kam Kaur Singh
Timestamps
03:20 - Why financial planning is important when exiting a business
05:40 - Conversations to have at the start of your business
08:35 - Consequences of not financially planning on exit
09:53 - Planning for worst case scenarios
11:50 - What happens after exit?
13:41- Why to consult a financial planner before acquisition
16:43 - Day to day financial planning
21:18 - Kam's investment advice
22:16 - How employers can help with financial planning?
Connect with Kam Kaur Singh
St James’s Place - https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/partner/kamkaursingh
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamkaursingh/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KamKaurSWealth/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KKSWealth
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday Jun 12, 2023
Jamie Simpson - How he purchased 6 acquisitions using cash within a business
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Knowing how to turn around a quick acquisition and exit can be very lucrative for a business buyer. Being able to do that with 6 at the same time is what this week’s guest was able to do. In this episode Jamie Simpson reveals how he bought and sold 6 businesses in a matter of months and what he learned in the process. This episode is a must for anyone looking to start on their acquisition journey.
Jamie has been starting, growing, fixing, buying and selling businesses since his early 20's.
He has been involved in 15 transactions to date and expects that to reach 20 by the end of 2023. He spends most of his time sourcing deals and helping to grow his portfolio companies. Jamie is open to JV and consulting for equity opportunities with UK based businesses with £1m+ turnover.
“I quickly realised I didn’t like the industry so I need an exit strategy” – Jamie Simpson
Timestamps
02:38 - How did Jamie acquire 6 Hair Salons?
05:53 - What was good about the acquisitions?
07:38 - Compete vs non-compete deals
08:28 – Acquisitions with poorly run businesses
12:39 - Jamie's acquisitions after the hairdressers
14:17 - How Jamie went from taxi driver to business buyer
17:03 - Did Jamie have a Managing Director?
18:01 - Are independently run business acquisitions preferable?
Connect with Jamie Simpson
Website - https://jamiesimpson.co/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiesimpsonprivateinvestor/
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday May 29, 2023
Stephen Brogan - The challenge of buying owner operated businesses
Monday May 29, 2023
Monday May 29, 2023
Understanding the culture of a business is critical to the success of an acquisition. Many buyers don’t perform their due diligence to ensure the structure of the team is going to make the acquisition succeed. Stephen Brogan has experienced both sides of the coin in successful and unsuccessful acquisitions for this very reason. In this episode he gives insight in how to make sure yours goes well.
Stephen Brogan is the Founder and Managing Director of Ascot Capital. With a distinguished career spanning 25-years in the drinks industry, Stephen left his role as senior director in Heineken UK and took the plunge setting up his own drinks export business in 2008 in the midst of the financial crisis.
Under Stephen's management, the start-up grew rapidly to £70m in just 8 years and won multiple awards along the way. This was not without the ups and downs that came with owning and running a high growth, demanding SME and his experience through this time, along with the other businesses that he created alongside, stands him in good stead to assess the health and requirements of SMEs that he can support.
“Understanding the culture and personnel is critical” – Stephen Brogan
Timestamps
02:51 - What makes a good team structure for acquisitions?
05:34 - Did the business run well from day 1 of acquisition?
06:43 - How often should you review finances?
07:42 - The impacts of poor acquisition team structures
11:53 - Questions to ask during due diligence
14:06 - Is HR part of Stephen's due diligence?
16:44 - How team structure impacts strategy implementation
Connect with Stephen Brogan
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmbrogan/
Ascot Capital - https://www.ascotcapital.co.uk/
Drinks21 - https://www.drinks21.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/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday May 15, 2023
Rachel Collar – How employee culture helps successful acquisitions
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
When buying a business through acquisition knowing the people involved is crucial to its success. That’s where HR comes in. Knowing what you are inheriting from a legal and cultural perspective is something anyone buying a business needs to understand.
Rachel Collar is the Founder of Haus of HR, an HR consulting and executive coaching business. After a life-changing event during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rachel decided to use her extensive corporate experience to help SMEs and Start-up businesses grow and thrive through their people. In this episode you’ll hear Rachel cover the most important HR considerations for acquisitions, the importance of understanding your people’s skills and comparing experiences with corporates and SMEs.
“There are some real challenges that businesses face at the moment, which is why HR is so key” – Rachel Collar
Timestamps
3:51 - Why is HR so important in business?
6:28 - Common HR misconceptions
12:59 - 3 key HR questions to ask when buying a business
15:26 - Julie's experience in her acquisition
20:53 - The importance of understanding your people's skills sets
23:14 - Rachel's experience with female led businesses
28:58 - Differences in discrimination: corporate and business
Connect with Rachel Collar
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelcollar/
Haus of HR - https://hausofhr.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hausofhr/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hausofhr/
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday May 01, 2023
Monday May 01, 2023
Have you ever thought about acquisition through joint ventures? Having the right infrastructure and information is key to make this work. In this episode Adam Lawrence talks about his successes and failures in joint ventures as well as why people should consider the joint venture option.
Adam has acquired more than a dozen limited companies including trading businesses, asset-backed businesses and has companies that support the property sourcing and management process. The investment group has been built around a joint-venture model. The group balance sheet is approaching £50m in assets, with a loan-to-value under 60%. The trading businesses have an EBITDA that runs into 7 figures. The central tenets are risk management and sustainable growth in a sector which is crying out for reform, efficiency, and ethical business people.
“Don’t put your own needs before the business” – Adam Lawrence
Timestamps
1:54 - An introduction to Adam
4:33 - Adam's successful acquisition story
10:31 - Adam's unsuccessful acquisition story
14:48 - What makes a successful infrastructure?
17:00 - Is the Joint Venture route easier?
21:57 - What price should you buy at?
25:41 - The importance of having the correct information
27:58 - What is Adam's end game?
Connect with Adam Lawrence
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamglawrence/
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday Apr 24, 2023
Francis West – How cyber breaches have cost businesses over £1.4m
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Cyber security attacks can cost your business millions. £1.4 million to be exact. In this episode you’ll find out why cyber security is not only important for your business but also to ensure it is safe to buy a business. Francis West is here to share his experiences when the worst can happen as well as how to make your business cyber safe.
Francis is on a mission to inform and advise a million business owners on how to stay cyber safe, so they can maximise the advantages of technology whilst minimising the risks. He sits on 5 Cyber Security Panels and is the Cyber Security National Lead for the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses). As a mentor for CompTIA, he is also involved in educating the technology gurus of the future.
“Data is the new gold” – Francis West
Timestamps
2.10 – The need for cyber security
4.36 – The £1.4 million pound security breach
9.40 – How to know if you are at risk of cyber crime
14.24 – How to reduce your risk by 99%
16.16 – Why you need to look after date more than money
20.47 – The importance of email security
26.54 – Why you need a cyber security specialist
28.01 – 3 cyber security questions to ask when buying a business
Connect with Francis West
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciswest/?originalSubdomain=uk
Twitter - https://twitter.com/francis_west
Westtek - https://www.westtek.co.uk/
Westtek YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdeWRaGNA7e7ywC8NTuJsXQ
Security Everywhere Cyber Security Health Quiz - https://www.security-everywhere.com/
Contact Details:
+44 203 195 0555
Francis.w@secrity-everywhere.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/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday Apr 17, 2023
Perry Newton – Is your brand ready for sale?
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Asking the right questions is essential for anyone thinking of selling their business. It is the only way to find out if your brand is truly ready for sale. In this episode Perry Newton discusses his experiences within the acquisition space to help you make sure your brand is well positioned to sell.
Perry Newton is a Marketing and Sales expert with over 25 years of experience who creates results, greater monetary and people efficiencies and a sustainable consistent and growing bottom line. He created a luxury Sunseeker Motoryacht fractional and charter company and headed a large, branded hotel group sales and marketing interest whilst holding the MD role. All of this means his insights into acquisition strategy are second to none.
“As we've grown, we've acquired other businesses that have added value to the individual parts of what we've done.” – Perry Newton
Timestamps
4:20 – Understanding strategy is important from the start
9:50 – Where to spend money on marketing
12:20 – The importance of brand impressions
17:19 – Acquisition strategy without costing the world
21:07 – Perry on selling to a bigger corporation
26:58 – What information should you have in due diligence?
Connect with Perry Newton
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrywnewton/?originalSubdomain=mt
twentysixsix - https://www.twentysixsix.com/#1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KevPezGoDakar
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday Apr 10, 2023
Jason Quaife – Why our Management Buy Out (MBO) took 3 years
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Management Buy Outs (MBOs) can be full of challenges when buying a business. You need to be able to convince the owners it’s the right move for them, as well as ensure you have the right skills to make it work. In this episode Jason gives insights into how to manage the risks of Management Buy Outs and make it successful.
Jason Quaife went from working in a company to leading a management buy-out (MBO) of the business with a multi-million-pound equity investment along with an asset-based lending facility. Overcoming poor historic financial information and unrealistic owner expectations meant Jason eventually got the MBO agreement & after 3 years.
“Make sure you've got the right people around you that can, can steer you and guide you.” – Jason Quaife
Timestamps
2.01 – How Jason got involved in a company purchase
4.02 – How did the idea of a Management Buy Out start?
7.03 – Did Jason have the right skills to run a business?
9.41 – Convincing the owners a Management Buy Out was the right move
19.01 – Key things for a Management Buy Out
20.58 – How long from buying the business to selling it?
23.53 – Managing the risk of Management Buy Outs.
Connect with Jason Quaife
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonquaife/
Orion Power - https://www.oriontools.uk/
Quaife Innosight Ltd LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/quaife-innosight/
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday Apr 03, 2023
Alicia Barlow – How acquisitions can grow your property portfolio
Monday Apr 03, 2023
Monday Apr 03, 2023
Acquisitions can be life changing for people on all sides of the deal. Alicia Barlow shares her story moving from the corporate world to supporting the essentials of society through acquisitions. Also how doing this has allowed her to become the mum that she always wanted to be.
Alicia Barlow has worked in high-profile Finance and Commercial roles, sitting at Board level from the age of 25 years old. After her son was born, she realised she couldn’t be the mum she wanted to be in an employed corporate setting. This led to property investment, consultancy work and purchasing asset back businesses with an aim to grow in industries that are the staples of human society - food, care, and housing.
“A lot of people think about retirement, as you've gone, put your feet up on a beach, and you just cut yourself off from the world. And for me, that's not what I'm looking to achieve.” – Alicia Barlow
Timestamps
1.26 – How Alicia got started in finance
7.13 – Alicia’s acquisition journey
11.28 – The challenge of making changes after acquisition
16.41 – Alicia’s long term exit strategy
19.58 – Retaining ownership of the business
Connect with Alicia Barlow
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-barlow-505165135/
Rose Alexander Property Limited - https://rosealexanderproperty.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/propertysolutionsrap/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRd8hUZ3aSoVqoMXtM6RBKw
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/propertysolutionsbolton/
Connect With Julie Wilkinson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!

Monday Mar 27, 2023
Leanne Dawson – How she obtained funding for over 50 acquisitions in 2022
Monday Mar 27, 2023
Monday Mar 27, 2023
How do you become prolific in acquisitions? Leanne Dawson can explain just that, as well as what is required for your first acquisition and everything you need to know when structuring deals. This is a must listen for anyone just starting out in acquisitions as well as those looking to expand their portfolio.
Leanne Dawson has an entrepreneurial spirit having founded her First business in 2009 which was sold in 2012. Leanne is the owner of multiple businesses including a commercial finance brokerage assisting clients in raising finance for various reasons including acquisitions. This can be for an MBO and a One-off transaction or working alongside clients in assisting with ambitious buy and build strategies with exit expected within 3-5 years.
“I have a look at them to understand them and understand their goals about what they want.” – Leanne Dawson
Timestamps
4:59 – Leanne’s journey from selling a business to asset based lending
7:42 – The acquisition essentials a client needs
12:00 – Leanne’s advice on deal structures
13:52 – What you need to have in place before getting funding
15:47 – Leanne’s view on no-money-down deals
22:17 – What does the future hold for Leanne
Connect with Leanne Dawson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-dawson/
Mills Commercial Finance - https://www.millscommercialfinance.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/@wilkinsonaccountingsolutions
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!
