Advice & insights

Straight answers for business owners

Practical guidance on valuing, preparing and selling a smaller UK business, written by advisers who do this every day. Articles keep their original publication date, and where we have revisited one we say so.

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Business Valuation

Why do Business Valuations vary so much?

One of the things that business owners notice when considering the sale of their business is that there doesn’t seem to be any consistency when it comes to valuing a business…One company will value yo

Tony Vaughan · 24 September 2019 · 2 min read

Finding & Qualifying Buyers

5 types of business buyers

When you’re considering or preparing to sell your business, you need to ask yourself ‘what type of business buyer am I looking to attract?…Understanding that there are different types of buyers who wi

Tony Vaughan · 15 October 2019 · 4 min read

Confidentiality & Off-Market Sales

The Importance of Confidentiality When Selling Your Business

When selling your business, it is important that the business owner to keep this process confidential. Why is this the case? Because it gives you the upper hand. Through a confidential broker,only you

Tony Vaughan · 13 August 2019 · 3 min read

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All advice

35 articles, 12 completed transactions and 30 historic projects from our archive.

Exit Planning

Is Now the Right Time to Sell? 5 Signs You’re Ready

Selling your business is a major milestone, one that requires both emotional readiness and strategic timing. But how do you know if now is truly the right time to sell and make your exit?

Tony Vaughan · 2 May 2025 · 1 min read

Preparing for Sale

Protecting Business Value During the Sales Process

Selling a business is a significant milestone that necessitates careful planning and strategic execution. One of the most vital aspects of this process is maintaining your business value while it's on

Tony Vaughan · 12 July 2024 · 3 min read

EOT & Succession

Are EOTs the Future of Succession Planning?

Discover the future of succession planning with Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) - a win-win solution for retiring business owners and employees.

Tony Vaughan · 17 May 2024 · 2 min read

Buying a Business

Acquiring A Business – What Is Goodwill?

Goodwill is an important consideration when acquiring a business, as it represents the intangible value of the business beyond its tangible assets, such as its physical property, equipment, and invent

Tony Vaughan · 9 February 2023 · 1 min read

Finding & Qualifying Buyers

Finding a Buyer For Your Business

Who might buy your business?If you have a business and are considering selling, you may be interested to know the different types…of buyers who might buy your business. Identifying what drives differe

Tony Vaughan · 4 March 2022 · 1 min read

Market Insights

5 lessons Business Owners have Learned During the Pandemic

With every crisis, there is an opportunity to come back stronger. Any business owner effected by the lockdowns and social distancing restrictions of COVID-19, will likely tell you that the pandemic ha

Tony Vaughan · 21 October 2020 · 4 min read

Business Sale Process

Why you should hire a Business Broker to sell your business

When the time comes to sell a business, many business owners will question whether they should hire a business broker. However, selling a business is not as easy as it might seem…The process itself is

Tony Vaughan · 17 September 2020 · 2 min read

Selling a Business

5 Common Myths That Can Sabotage Your Business Sale

The art of selling a business is a complex process that often requires years of knowledge and experience. Given that most business owners will only sell their company once, it can be difficult for own

Tony Vaughan · 7 August 2020 · 3 min read

Market Insights

Selling your business during Covid-19?

If you are one of a number of business owners who are currently selling your business during the COVID-19 pandemic, you might be feeling a great deal of uncertainty…However, while there is no disputin

Tony Vaughan · 26 May 2020 · 2 min read

Exit Planning

Why you need to learn to let go before you sell your business

Learning to let go of a business is one of the hardest things a business owner will need to face…This is quite understandable given a business owner has probably spent the vast majority of their wakin

Tony Vaughan · 30 April 2020 · 2 min read

Offers, Negotiation & Due Diligence

Mistakes To Avoid When Acquirers Come Knocking To Buy Your Business

Receiving an offer from someone who is interested in buying your business is an exciting time and a great accomplishment for any business owner…However, it is important that you don’t get caught up in

Tony Vaughan · 8 April 2020 · 4 min read

Exit Planning

3 Steps to Planning your Exit Strategy in 2020

The New Year is now upon us, bringing with it the opportunity for new beginnings and the desire to plan ahead for the future…Many people have already begun making small steps in their journey towards

Tony Vaughan · 14 January 2020 · 3 min read

Preparing for Sale

Why is it that some businesses fail to sell?

There is a lot of writing on why certain businesses fail to sell. The consensus focuses on common areas of business weakness including, lack of exit preparation, unrealistic vendor price expectations,

Tony Vaughan · 3 December 2019 · 4 min read

Finding & Qualifying Buyers

What business buyers are looking for?

When preparing to sell your business, you want to make it as attractive to the potential purchaser as possible in order to achieve the best sale price.That’s why it is a good idea to consider things f

Tony Vaughan · 19 November 2019 · 3 min read

Finding & Qualifying Buyers

5 types of business buyers

When you’re considering or preparing to sell your business, you need to ask yourself ‘what type of business buyer am I looking to attract?…Understanding that there are different types of buyers who wi

Tony Vaughan · 15 October 2019 · 4 min read

Business Valuation

Why do Business Valuations vary so much?

One of the things that business owners notice when considering the sale of their business is that there doesn’t seem to be any consistency when it comes to valuing a business…One company will value yo

Tony Vaughan · 24 September 2019 · 2 min read

Confidentiality & Off-Market Sales

The Importance of Confidentiality When Selling Your Business

When selling your business, it is important that the business owner to keep this process confidential. Why is this the case? Because it gives you the upper hand. Through a confidential broker,only you

Tony Vaughan · 13 August 2019 · 3 min read

Offers, Negotiation & Due Diligence

Strategic Patience: The New Negotiation Strategy for Business Sellers

For many business owners, the decision to sell their business is the biggest financial decision they are ever going to make. Why is it then that we have all heard of owners who are in such a rush…to s

Tony Vaughan · 30 July 2019 · 4 min read

Exit Planning

Planning your Exit

When to market your businessThere are many reasons why a business owner may decide to sell. It could be a result of a planned retirement and succession issue…an investor looking to exit, change of foc

Tony Vaughan · 2 February 2016 · 1 min read

Finding & Qualifying Buyers

Have you found the right Buyer?

Finding the right buyer for your business.Selling your business for maximum value can be a long process and is fraught with potential pitfalls…Trying to find a buyer for your business is not unlike tr

Tony Vaughan · 1 January 2016 · 1 min read

Business Valuation

Is an Independent Business Valuation Important?

If you’ve worked your business up from the ground, the chances are that you’ll know everything about it…– in terms of profits and losses, numbers of staff, business practices and codes of conduct. How

Tony Vaughan · 2 December 2015 · 2 min read

Projects & case studies

Businesses we have taken to market and transactions we have completed, kept as a record of our work. Historic projects are not confirmed as available.