Case studies
Creating a successful exit for Acuity Business Solutions
The Challenge
When the founder of Acuity Business Solutions received an unsolicited expression of interest from a potential buyer, it wasn’t something he had been actively planning for.
Acuity had built a strong reputation as a specialist consultancy serving the public sector pensions market, but there were plenty of unknowns. There was no clear view of what the company might be worth, whether a deal would be achievable or how a sale process would work in practice.
One of the biggest concerns was the assumption that any buyer would expect the founder to stay heavily involved in the business for years after a transaction. Given his desire to step away from the business, that wasn’t an attractive option.
Having never been through a sale process before, he needed experienced support to understand the options available, prepare the company properly and avoid making costly mistakes along the way.
The Solution
Garwood Growth started by helping Acuity understand what the company might be worth and whether a transaction was worth pursuing in the first place.
From there, the team worked closely with the founder to shape an approach that reflected what he wanted to achieve. Rather than assuming a standard deal structure, Garwood helped explore options that could support a full exit whilst still creating an attractive proposition for potential buyers.
Throughout the process, Garwood provided hands-on support, from preparing sale materials and approaching prospective buyers through to managing negotiations and due diligence.
Just as importantly, the team brought structure and experience to a process that was entirely new to Acuity. At every stage there was clear guidance on what needed to happen next, what buyers would be looking for and how best to present the company to the market.
This allowed the leadership team to stay focused on running the business whilst having confidence that the transaction was moving forward in the right way.
The Result
Garwood helped Acuity navigate a successful sale process and achieve the outcome its founder had hoped for.
The transaction enabled him to step away from the business whilst ensuring Acuity was well-positioned for its next phase under new ownership.
For a founder approaching a sale for the first time, the value extended beyond the transaction itself. Garwood provided the experience, challenge and support needed to navigate a process that can often feel unfamiliar, demanding and highly personal.
What began as an unexpected approach ultimately became a successful exit, giving the founder the confidence to move on to the next chapter.
