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Heath Maguire started talking to Simon Bedard about selling his digital agency, Wolf IQ, four to five years before he went to market. When the conversation turned to price, his answer was this: "It was never a number. It was more so what the deal was going to enable me to do." For Heath, that meant a six-week holiday with his wife and two kids, and paying off the family home. Exit Advisory Group ran the sale, so this is a client's account of the process from his side of the table. He talks Simon through how he planned it: merging two agencies so the business could be sold as one, documenting it so thoroughly that over 200 pieces of information went into due diligence, and a three-month handover. He also covers growing on referrals in a medical-specialist niche, building a team in the Philippines, and what he would do differently. In this episode: - How to set a goal for your sale that keeps emotion out of the negotiation - Why the structure of your business may need fixing years before you go to market - What a buyer pays for in an agency, and why recurring revenue matters - How documented systems shorten due diligence and the handover - How to weigh an upfront payment against an earn-out Exit Like an Expert, Simon's book, is the practical guide the show is built on: https://exitadvisory.com.au/exit-like-an-expert?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=bgs-ep104&utm_content=description-book Full show notes, transcript and FAQ: https://exitadvisory.com.au/podcast/how-heath-maguire-sold-wolf-iq?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=bgs-ep104&utm_content=description-episodepage Connect with Heath Maguire Website: ⁠https://hmedge.com.au/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathmaguire/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://exitadvisory.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buygrowsell.com/ Related episodes: EP103 Charlie Emery (SOILCO), EP102 Geoff Green (Fliteboard), and EP101 Jason Howard (StudyLink) 0:00 Simon introduces Heath 1:34 How Simon and Heath met 2:13 From the family restaurant to events to his own agency 4:15 A car wash at 12, and what family business teaches you 5:51 His mum's lesson: just show up 7:03 Starting Wolf IQ and finding the medical niche 8:57 Starting a business before you quit your job 11:19 Growing on referrals and white-label work 13:55 COVID, working from home and the Philippines team 16:32 Making an offshore team work 20:43 Why he started planning the exit early 22:54 Clarity takes the emotion out of a sale 23:51 Two agencies into one before going to market 26:43 Where AI is taking agencies 29:44 The sale process and the broker's role 33:12 The right outcome, clients and legacy 34:47 Exit by design: the business in a binder 36:21 Owning a business versus being a business owner 37:21 What he would do differently 38:54 It was never a number 40:01 Terms have value too 41:14 Upfront payments and changing term sheets 42:57 What sets a multiple 44:28 Advice for agency owners thinking about selling 46:12 Life after the sale: Simple Home Edit 50:31 The book and Simon's takeaways

Charlie Emery got the call from his parents to join the family business in 2001, alongside his brother Mark. Twenty-odd years later, it's SOILCO, a national organics recycling platform, and Charlie is the CEO. In this episode, Charlie walks through what it took to build on what his parents started: buying into the business with real money, setting up an outside advisory board, and walking away from two investor processes that were not right, one where a corporate buyer halved its offer after due diligence and one where the deal just did not feel right, before landing on the growth-capital partner who actually fit: an infrastructure investor comfortable funding a business that needs years of investment before it pays off. Simon Bedard and Charlie also get into what it took to buy into a family business with real money rather than be handed it, why an outside advisory board matters more than people think, and Charlie's own advice for owners: be honest with your own strategic plan, or nobody else will believe in it either. Connect with Charlie Emery Website: https://soilco.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-emery-09b56422/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://exitadvisory.com.au/⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://buygrowsell.com/

Geoff Green was the first external investor in Fliteboard, the Byron Bay company that turned an electric surfboard into a global brand and sold to NYSE-listed Brunswick in 2023. He sat on the board from the outset and helped scale it to around $145 to 150 million in revenue in just four years. In this episode, Geoff shares the question that guided every decision: who is the right owner for this business at this point in time? It is a reframe that changes how you think about your own exit. Simon Bedard and Geoff cover funding fast growth without heavy dilution, why even an experienced board hired a corporate adviser to run the sale, what makes a growth story a buyer actually believes, and the identity shift that hit after the deal was done. Connect with Geoff Green Website: https://www.grgmomentum.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffgreenthesmartbusinessexit/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://exitadvisory.com.au/⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://buygrowsell.com/

Jason Howard calls himself a 30-year overnight success. He built StudyLink across three different businesses, from a CD-ROM directory to the admissions software universities ran on, and never set out to sell it. At the end of 2023, he sold to Flywire, a NASDAQ-listed payments company, in a deal that closed in about six weeks. Simon Bedard and Jason talk through what made the business saleable without an exit plan: knowing your number, making yourself operationally redundant, finding a strategic buyer you already work with, and the personal toll of an exit that nobody prepares you for. Connect with Jason Howard Website: https://www.bowerbridge.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-studylink/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard⁠ Website: ⁠https://exitadvisory.com.au/⁠ Website: ⁠https://buygrowsell.com/

One hundred episodes. One consistent theme: the conversations business owners need to have about exit and rarely do. In this milestone episode, Simon Bedard steps back from the interview format to answer the seven questions that have come up most consistently across 100 episodes of conversations with founders, advisors, and acquirers. No guests. No framework. Just straight answers to the questions business owners are actually asking. Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/

In this special episode of the Buy Grow Sell Podcast, Simon Bedard sits down with Warren Hogan, Managing Director of EQ Economics and Chief Economic Advisor at Judo Bank, to discuss Australian inflation, interest rates, the succession cliff, and what it means for business owners planning to exit. Connect with Warren Hogan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-hogan-835581116/ Website: https://eqeconomics.au/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/

We are reflecting on an extraordinary year of the Buy Grow Sell podcast, where we delved into the triumphs and tribulations of nearly 100 business owners from across the globe. To wrap up this season, we rounded up the top insights from our guests that every business owner needs to know. Listen to our final episode of 2023 and leave with five integral tips to ensuring a successful business sale. See you next year! Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

In episode 98 of the Buy Grow Sell Podcast, I sit down with Nick Fanto from Orbital Advisory and Joanna Oakey from Aspect Legal to discuss the complex challenges that arise when business partnerships go sour. Nick shares personal experiences and valuable insights into the importance of planning for unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or injury, which may impact the key revenue-generating individuals in your business. Together, we discuss the critical role of key person insurance and the significant financial benefits it can provide in times of need. We also address the crucial need for a well-documented Shareholder Agreement, which can help resolve disputes, protect interests, and ensure a smooth transition in the event of an exit. Throughout the episode, you will discover real-life examples, practical advice, and stories that highlight the necessity of addressing these issues proactively. Don’t miss out on this informative discussion that will equip you with the knowledge and tools to safeguard your business and make well-informed decisions in challenging times. Connect with Nick Fanto LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfanto-lifeinsurancespecialist/ Website: https://www.orbitallife.com.au/ Connect with Joanna Oakey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannaoakey/ Website: https://www.aspectlegal.com.au/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

From four frustrated moms crafting labels in a basement to a multi-million-dollar business model, Julie Cole and her co-founders navigated the challenges of co-founding a business while juggling parenthood and bootstrapping their startup. Eventually, Mabel’s Labels moved from a basement to a bigger basement to a 20,000 square foot facility before finally selling for $12M back in 2016. In this episode, Julie explores the ups and downs of having co-founders (especially when they are family) and the pivotal moments that lead to a successful exit. Connect with Julie Cole Website: https://mabelslabels.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-cole-llb-ma-3794671/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mabelhood/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliecole Twitter: https://twitter.com/mabelhood YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MabelsLabels_Mabelhood Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

From growing her business to $1M then spending it all on a lawsuit, seeing her business fall apart on 9/11, having her father die six weeks later, and losing her house on the very same day as the funeral, Beate Chelette has faced her fair share of adversity. But she turned it around, rebuilding her business from scratch, and eventually selling it off to Bill Gates for 5x gross earnings. In this episode, she unveils her path from a single parent drowning in debt to a multimillion-dollar deal with Bill Gates. Overcoming lawsuits, personal tragedies, and financial turmoil, Beate’s story proves that adversity fuels future success. Get ready to be inspired as we explore Beate’s rollercoaster journey from rock bottom to remarkable triumphs. Connect with Beate Chelette Website: https://beatechelette.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatechelette Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beate.chelette Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeateChelette Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

If you’re an entrepreneur eyeing the outsourcing realm, then you’re in for a treat. Learn how Nathan Hirsch’s journey shifted from dollars to value, from e-commerce to building an empire of virtual assistants, to exiting and finding contentment in the freedom he gained after growing the business to eight figures. His journey spans from street smarts to business brilliance, as Nathan shares his experiences and wisdom that’s more than just numbers – it’s about crafting a life on your terms. Connect with Nathan Hirsch Personal Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhirsch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathan.hirsch/ Business Social Media: EcomBalance Website: https://www.ecombalance.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecombalance/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecombalance/ AccountsBalance Website: https://accountsbalance.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountsbalance Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accountsbalance1   Outsource School Website: https://www.outsourceschool.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/outsourceschool/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outsourceschool1 Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

As one of Australia’s most successful businesspeople, Radek Sali blends over a decade in the service industry with a lifetime of health and wellness knowledge, and pairs it with a conscious business philosophy that puts people first. Under his helm, he transformed Swisse Wellness Group into one of the largest wellness brands in the country before negotiating a $1.7B acquisition deal with a Hong Kong-based company. He used the proceeds to continue on his path of bringing light to the world through several other business endeavours aimed at social and environmental causes. Connect with Radek Sali Website: https://lightwarrior.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radeksali/ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

Hampus Jakobsson co-founded the company at the age of 21 with his university friends and sold it eight years later for $150 million to Blackberry. Over coffee. While usually a 9-figure exit takes more than a year to complete, this acquisition took place in less than six weeks. Why? Because Hampus and his co-founders spent those eight years building the perfect product for the market, making it irresistible for Blackberry, and in turn securing an offer the team couldn’t say no to. Connect with Hampus Jakobsson Website: https://paleblue.vc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hampusjakobsson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hajak   Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

As a self-described scaler, Kurt Uhlir has helped start and run businesses from start-up to hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, been a part of over 60 transactions, and built teams across almost every continent. He came onto the Buy Grow Sell Podcast to share some of his stories about scaling, how to recruit the right people to grow fast and effectively, what he looks for in strategic acquisitions, and how he embeds his values into everything he does. From starting a web hosting platform in college to leading almost a billion dollar IPO and participating in dozens of acquisitions, Kurt’s a wealth of resources for any organisation looking to grow. Connect with Kurt Uhlir Website: https://kurtuhlir.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtuhlir/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kurt.uhlir Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kurtuhlir/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kurtuhlir YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KurtUhlir Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/

Sophie Howard, Founder of Aspiring Entrepreneurs, has started, scaled, and sold six and seven-figure online businesses. Sophie started online with an Amazon business in 2013, which she sold for over $1 million USD in 2015. As well as launching over 1,000 products, she has built educational programs teaching thousands of students how to sell online. She is now focusing her efforts on buying other online businesses and teaching others how to build a portfolio of income-generating assets. Learn her secrets on buying, growing, and selling e-commerce businesses in this episode. Connect with Sophie Howard Website: https://www.aspiringentrepreneurs.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiehowardnz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV7xz4RSPa8_pxDcXDJ83uQ Connect with Simon Bedard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srhbedard/ Website: https://buygrowsell.com/ Website: https://exitadvisory.com.au/