Straight-talking conversations about what happens before, during and after a deal

Whether you’re planning a future exit, considering investment, or just want to understand what makes a professional services firm truly valuable – this six-part series is for you.

Hosted by John Howard, Unlocking Value brings together candid conversations with founders, investors and advisors who’ve been through the journey. Across six episodes, we explore the real questions that shape outcomes: should we even do a deal, are we aligned, what drives valuation, and what happens after the ink is dry?

🎧 All six episodes are available to stream below.

📘 Want to learn more about how investment transactions work in professional services? Download our free Unlocking Value ebook. It’s your step-by-step guide to what’s involved and what you should consider, whether you’re thinking about selling, getting ready for external investment or just exploring your options. You’ll find it here.

 

 

In this opening episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, we go right back to the first big question founders face: should we even do a deal? Host John Howard is joined by four guests with direct experience of weighing up whether to sell, take on investment or stay the course. They talk candidly about what led them to consider a transaction, how they judged the right time, what kind of deal felt right – and what they’ve learned along the way. 

This episode is packed with real-world insight for anyone starting to think about what a deal might mean and whether it’s the right move at all.

Want to learn more about how investment transactions work in professional services? Download Garwood Growth’s free Unlocking Value book. It’s your step-by-step guide to what’s involved and what you should consider, whether you’re thinking about selling, getting ready for external investment or just exploring your options. You’ll find it here.

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Marc Schmid, Founder and Director at Redmoor Health
Guest: Alison Schmid, Co-founder and Director at Redmoor Health
Guest: Mat Oram, CEO and Co-founder at AdviseInc
Guest: Rob Garner, Executive Chair at AdviseInc. Founder and Partner at Garwood Growth

 

 

In this episode, we explore one of the biggest hidden success factors in any deal: alignment between shareholders.

We’re joined by four founders who’ve lived through the challenge of keeping ambitions, personalities and timelines aligned as their businesses evolved – and as the prospect of a transaction came into view. They share honest, practical advice about how to navigate the hard conversations, balance head and heart, and keep your culture intact without derailing the deal.

This episode is full of valuable insight for anyone leading a firm with multiple owners or thinking about what it takes to get ready for a transaction – together.

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Gita Singham-Willis, Co-founder of Cadence Innova
Guest: Jane Barrett, Co-founder of Cadence Innova
Guest: Neil Sharp, Co-founder of PEN Partnership
Guest: Richard Vale, Co-founders of PEN Partnership

 

 

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 quality, market positioning and delivery maturity – and why investors care just as much about what’s ahead as what’s already been built. Along the way, the guests share real-world examples of how they’ve made their businesses more attractive by focusing on the things that genuinely create value.

If you want to understand what buyers are really looking for – and how to build a business that stands out – this episode is for you.

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Minos Ataliotis, Founder and CEO at CloudRock
Guest: Emma Flin, Investment Director at Sovereign Capital Partners
Guest: Rob Garner, Founding Partner at Garwood Growth

 

 

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 what can cause it to break down. From messy data and vague narratives to unexpected risks that emerge late in the process, they share what buyers really watch for and what separates strong deals from aborted ones.

If you want a clearer picture of how buyers think and how to avoid common pitfalls, this episode will give you a practical inside view.

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Alex Thomson, Partner at Growth Capital Partners
Guest: Frank Shephard, Partner and Global Head of Corporate at DWF
Guest: Paul Lines, Partner at Garwood Growth

 

 

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 be ready for a transaction process. Together, they dig into the systems, behaviours, and blind spots that shape outcomes – sometimes years before a transaction takes place. This conversation offers practical advice on getting ahead of the curve, managing risk, and setting your business up for the best possible valuation and process.

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Mark Robinson, Co-founder of Edenbrook and Kimble/Kantata
Guest: Sean Hoban, Co-founder of Edenbrook and Kimble/Kantata
Guest: James Barraclough, Co-founder and Partner at Elucid Partners

 

 

In the final episode of this 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, cultural and operational challenges founders and owners can face once the dust settles. We discuss everything from from shifts in identity and purpose through to leadership transitions, people dynamics and integration into new teams and roles. This is a candid, practical conversation about what founders and other leaders wish they’d known, and what it really takes to succeed in the post-deal world.

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Mark Campbell, Former CEO of Hedra and Senior Vice-President at RGP
Guest: Richard Jones, Board Advisor and Leadership Coach, Former Partner at Moorhouse Consulting
Guest: Anna Cornwallis, Managing Director at Stratton HR

 

Ready to explore what’s next for your firm?

If you’re thinking about investment, exit or building long-term equity value, we’d love to help. Get in touch with the Garwood team to start a conversation – and don’t forget to download the Unlocking Value eBook for a practical, step-by-step guide to navigating the journey.