Exit Insights
Welcome to the podcast that's dedicated to helping business owners prepare for exit so you can maximise value and exit like a boss. I'm Darryl Bates-Brownsword and I want to introduce you to the Exit Insights podcast presented by Fabric Business Solutions. The aim of the podcast is to share the message that if you want to get the most from your life's work, maximise the valuation and exit on YOUR terms, then you will need to prepare your business so that it's ready for exit, you are exit ready and the business is attractive to be acquired. Did you know that 55% of exits are unplanned and are due to death, divorce, or disability, and for those business owners that do get to take their business to market only 20% of them end up agreeing on a deal? there are also too many deals that are never completed because the owners left before the earn-out agreement was completed. It doesn't have to be this way! You'll be interested if you are a business owner and you've been running your business for a few years now and you are at the early stages of thinking about what's next for you. You're going to be in the 1 to 30 million revenue bracket and you're likely to be based in the UK, USA, Australia, or New Zealand. You may be feeling stressed or frustrated with running the business or you may be running out of energy or simply looking to change direction. It doesn't matter why you are looking to exit or sell; this podcast will help you to identify best practices and what you have to do to orchestrate an exit on YOUR terms. We are addressing the burning issues and topics that business owners want to know about when they start to think about selling their business. Guests include experts from all areas related to the succession planning and exit planning process - from employee ownership, personal financial planning, tax, legal and through to estate planning. We're also talking to people who have already sold their businesses and tapping into what the experience was like and what they learned along the way. We ask them what they know now that they wished they knew before they started the process. We discuss the 21 Steps used by Succession Plus and developed by Craig West to help you structure your business so that you're one of the 20% of business owners who will be able to complete a successful exit. The topics will include things like: When should I start planning?What is an exit strategy and exit planningHow will I exit my business?Can I sell my business - is my business sellable - who will buy my business?How will the business be valued?What's my business worth?How can I improve the business valuation - value potential?What can I do to make it more attractive to be acquired and speed up the process?How do I prepare my business and make sure that it's exit-ready?How long will it take to prepare the business for sale?Will I have to work an earn-out period?M&A and acquisitionsOwner dependenceSystemising, systems and systematizingGrowth and scalingBrand value and IP - (Intellectual property) including intangible assetsHow do I increase the multipleI want to sell my businessCan I sell my business to my employees MBOWill I get all my money upfront?What are the risks for me when I sell my business?What will happen to the employees?What will happen to the brand?What about my legacy?How will I know that my business is exitable?When should I start exit planning?Who should I tell that I'm thinking about selling my business? If this sounds like the questions that you want answered, then I hope you enjoy listening and learning how to exit like a boss. If you like what you've heard so far, please subscribe so that you will be notified of each new episode.
Episodes
190 episodes
The Exit Advantage: Why Building a Sellable Business Starts Today with Kevin Harrington
“I don’t want to sell yet, so why should I start planning now?”In this episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword and co-host Kevin Harrington dig deep into why early exit planning is about more ...
Let Go to Grow: Breaking Free from Owner Dependence with Kevin Harrington
If stepping away from your business fills you with dread, chances are you're suffering from owner dependence – and buyers can smell it a mile away.In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrin...
Building a Scalable Business: From Technician to Entrepreneur with Kevin Harrington
In this final episode of our Intangible Assets series on Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore the asset that brings everything together: scale.Together, they u...
Distribution Channels: The Untapped Intangible Asset in Exit Planning with Kevin Harrington
What’s your route to market – and is it helping or hurting your business valuation?In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and marketing strategist Kevin Harrington break down how to turn your marketing system into a va...
From Chaos to Control: The Exit-Boosting Power of Documented Processes with Kevin Harrington
Are you ready to step back from the daily grind of running your business – without everything falling apart?In this episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore ho...
From Curtain Call to Boardroom: Knowing When to Move On with Dawn Farrow
Could you walk away from a thriving business without selling it?This week on Exit Insights, Dawn Farrow shares her extraordinary journey from professional dancer to founder of a fast-growing marketing agency – and why she...
From Transactional to Transformational: Building a Team That Drives Exit Value with Kevin Harrington
Your people could be your greatest intangible asset – or your biggest blind spot.In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore the crucial role that people and culture play in...
Why Not All Revenue Is Equal: What Buyers Really Want with Kevin Harrington
If your revenue stopped tomorrow, would your business survive? More importantly – would anyone want to buy it?In this episode of the Exit Insights podcast, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore ...
Intangible Assets: Why Positioning Is a Business Game-Changer with Kevin Harrington
Most business owners focus on the numbers they can see – balance sheets, P&L, cash flow. But what about the value that doesn’t show up on your financial statements?In this episode, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harringto...
Start with the End in Mind: Chris Everard on Building Exit-Ready Businesses
Chris Everard knows what it takes to build a business that sells. After starting and successfully exiting seven companies, he’s now helping others do the same as a Business Architect at Fabric Business Solutions.In this episode of Exi...
Systemise to Scale: How to Grow Without Becoming a Corporate Clone with Kevin Harrington
Is your business growing – or just getting busier?In this episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore how SME business owners can achieve scalable growth without copying...
SME vs Corporate: Finding the Right Growth Path with Kevin Harrington
If you’re a business owner looking to scale, maximise your valuation, or plan your exit – this episode is a must-listen.Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to discuss why many SMEs lose their edge when they try to behav...
Weaving Business and Wealth: The Fabric Approach to Exit Planning
Most business owners have heard of an IFA or a wealth manager. But what’s a family office – and why is it a game-changer when preparing for a business exit?In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is join...
The Starting Point: Why Every Exit Begins with a Current State Assessment
Before you can maximise the value of your business or plan your succession, you need to know exactly where you stand today.In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrington break down the importance ...
Beyond the Numbers: What Really Drives Business Valuation
What really drives business valuation – and how do you make your company truly exit-ready? In this episode of the Exit Insights podcast, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by regular guest Kevin Harrington to explore the crucial differences...
From Cookies to Cash-Outs: Real Lessons in Building a Business That’s Exit-Ready
What if you discovered you weren’t building a business, but a lifestyle job – just when it was time to sell?Brandon Harris, serial entrepreneur and now business architect at Fabric, joins Exit Insights to share his jo...
From Confusion to Certainty: Why It Takes 3 Years to Get Your Business Exit-Ready
In this episode, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrington unpack why it takes three years to prepare your business for a successful exit – and why starting early can make all the difference.You’ll learn:✅ W...
From Vision to Valuation: How a Business Architect Can Transform Your Exit with Kevin Harrington
What if preparing your business for sale was like designing your dream home? In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to unpack the role of a business architect – a professional ...
A Smarter Way to Plan Your Business Exit: From Succession Plus to Fabric with Kevin Harrington
What happens when two like-minded firms unite to better serve business owners planning their exit? In this special episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to share why ...
Inside an EOT Success Story: From Handover to Ownership with Caroline Summers
What really happens after a business becomes employee-owned?In this insightful episode, Caroline Summers, CEO of PBShop – a successful book distribution company – shares her five-and-a-half-year journey through an Employee Ownership Trus...
The Business Insights Report: Your Blueprint for a Profitable Exit with Kevin Harrington
Most business owners have a number in mind for what they believe their business is worth - but is it realistic? In this episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to discuss the Business Insights Report, a...
Unlocking Private Equity: Maximise Your Exit with Adam Coffey
In this episode, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Adam Coffey, author of The Private Equity Playbook, to explore how private equity works and why business owners need to understand it, even if they’re not planning to sell.They unpack what PE f...
Selling to an EOT: What Comes Next? with Kevin Harrington
You've sold your business to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT—now what? Many founders think their job is done, but the reality is that the longest earn-out period often begins after the sale. In this episode of Exit Insights, Kevin Harrington and ...
From Chaos to Clarity: Designing a Business That’s Exit-Ready with Kevin Harrington
Are you constantly solving problems, putting out fires, and feeling like your business would collapse without you? You’re not alone. Many business owners build their companies around people instead of structure - leading to inefficiencies, stress,...
Exit-Ready Essentials - How to Institutionalise for Maximum Value with Adrian Mendoza
What makes a business irresistible to investors? Adrian Mendoza, founder of Mendoza Ventures, shares his playbook for scaling and selling businesses. Learn why institutionalising finances and governance is a game-changer, how to identify repeatabl...
