Episode 27: Emma Flin – How ‘Buy and Build’ Drives Growth and Value in Professional Services
Unlocking Value Podcast, episode twenty-seven In this episode, John welcomes back Emma Flin, an investment director at Sovereign Capital Partners, a private equity firm that focuses on backing and growing mid-market tech and professional services businesses. Having first spoken to Emma back in episode 3, we were keen to talk to her again and learn […]
Episode 25: Andrew Brown – Fresh From Exit: How Founder Independence and a Great Team Secured the Deal
Unlocking Value Podcast, episode twenty-five In this episode, John is joined by Andrew Brown, founder of Acuity Business Solutions, a consultancy he built and led for almost 20 years before overseeing its sale to the Scandinavian group Lumera in December 2025. Garwood had the privilege of advising Andrew through the transaction. With the deal only […]
Episode 14: Rhys Hefford – Build, Scale, Exit, Repeat: A Serial Founder’s Playbook
Building. Scaling. Exiting. Starting again, without losing yourself in the process. In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with Rhys Hefford, a serial founder who has built, scaled and sold multiple professional services businesses over the past fifteen years. Rhys has launched six firms and successfully exited two, typically taking each from start-up […]
Episode 11: Jon Grant – How to get ready to be bought…not just ready to sell
From valuations to leadership alignment: what it really means to be ready to be bought In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, we welcome Jon Grant, Tech M&A Director at Clearwater, one of Europe’s leading corporate finance firms. Jon is one of the UK’s most experienced advisors on technology and consulting deals and works […]
Episode 10: Andy Strickland – Demystifying Private Equity
How the right investment partner can drive responsible, long-term value In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with Andy Strickland, Partner at Palatine Private Equity. Andy has spent more than a decade backing ambitious Professional Services founders and management teams, often at the point where external investment is being considered for […]
Episode 9: Richard Jones – The Paradox of Difference: How to Make Senior Hires a Success
Why senior hires so often fail – and how to make leadership transitions succeed In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with leadership coach and former consultancy partner Richard Jones about one of the hardest things to get right in professional services: senior leadership transitions. On paper, it sounds simple: bring […]
Episode 6: After The Deal – What No One Tells You
What really happens once the ink is dry on a transaction In the final episode of this six-part ‘investment story’ series, we talk to a panel of experienced consultancy leaders and advisors about what really happens after a deal is done – and what no one tells you in advance. The conversation explores the emotional, […]
Episode 5: Getting Ready – What to Do Before You Press Go
What readiness really looks like when selling or seeking investment In this episode, we focus on what it really means to be ready for a deal – not just in theory, but in practice. Host John Howard is joined by two seasoned founders and a corporate finance advisor to explore what it really means to […]
Episode 4: What Buyers Look For – And What Spooks Them
How investors assess value, spot risks and decide when to walk away In this episode, we look at how investors and advisors assess a business – and what can spook them. We’re joined by an investor, a corporate lawyer and a corporate finance advisor to talk about what builds confidence during a transaction – and […]
Episode 3: What Makes a Business Valuable?
Unpacking the real drivers of high valuations in professional services In this episode, we ask a deceptively simple question: what actually makes a business valuable? Host John Howard is joined by a founder, an investor and an advisor to explore what really drives high valuations in professional services. They talk about the importance of revenue […]