Why I Do This Differently (The Football Philosophy)

I played professional football for 9 years. Wimbledon. MK Dons. Woking.

In football, you learn one thing above all else: you protect your teammates.

When you're on the pitch, you don't leave someone exposed. You don't sacrifice a teammate for your own gain. You don't abandon the people who've been fighting alongside you.

That's about understanding that the team is the asset.

Take away the team, you have nothing.

In 2004, I was part of the founding team when Wimbledon relocated to Milton Keynes and became MK Dons.

It was one of the most controversial moves in English football history. The club's supporters protested. The FA held hearings. The media called it a betrayal of tradition.

But what stayed with me wasn't the controversy.

It was what happened to the people.

I watched teammates get sold off - not because they weren't good enough, but because they were seen as assets to monetize. Players who'd given years to the club, reduced to line items on a balance sheet.

I watched staff get made redundant with zero relocation support. People who'd worked at Wimbledon for decades, told their services were "no longer required." No transition plan.

No severance beyond statutory minimum. Just... gone.

I grew up in Hackney in a single-parent household. I know what it's like when someone loses their income. I know what that does to a family.

And I made a promise to myself:

If I ever had the opportunity to own businesses, I would never treat people like disposable assets.

Employees aren't expenses.

They're the team.

When I watch private equity funds acquire businesses and immediately lay off 40% of the workforce, I see the exact opposite of everything football taught me.

When I watch trade buyers eliminate entire departments to "capture synergies," I see people being sacrificed for spreadsheet optimization.

I understand why they do it. Their business models require it.

But I'm playing a different game.

When I acquire a business, here's my operating philosophy:

No redundancies in the first 12 months (unless there's a performance issue that predates my ownership).

Why?

Because I need to understand how your business actually works before I start making changes.

Your team knows things that aren't in the P&L. They know which clients are difficult. They know which processes are fragile. They know where the hidden inefficiencies are.

If I walk in on day 1 and start laying people off, I lose all that knowledge.

Worse - I lose trust. The remaining team sees what I did to their colleagues, and they start updating their CVs.

I'd rather invest in training than replace with cheaper alternatives.

Your senior operations manager might be expensive. But replacing her with someone who doesn't know your clients, your systems, your culture? That's far more expensive once you factor in the transition cost.

I'd rather grow revenue than slash costs.

Most buyers optimize the denominator (cut costs to improve margin percentage).

I optimize the numerator (grow revenue to improve absolute profit).

Because I'm holding long-term, I don't need to manufacture a quick margin improvement to impress the next buyer. I can invest in growth.

I'd rather preserve your brand than dissolve it.

You've built brand equity. Customer trust. Reputation in your market.

Why would I throw that away to slap my name on your business?

I won't. The brand you built stays (with refinements if needed, but the equity remains).

Here's what I need you to understand:

If your only goal is maximising the sale proceeds, and you don't care what happens to your team, your brand, or your legacy after closing - there are buyers who'll pay more than me.

PE funds have deeper pockets. Trade buyers can justify higher multiples through "synergies" (layoffs).

I can't compete on price with buyers whose business models depend on gutting what you built.

And I won't try.

But here's what most sellers miss:

The buyer offering the biggest number on the term sheet often delivers LESS money to your pocket after tax and fees.

How?

Because all-cash deals create massive tax burdens. Because earn-outs tied to impossible targets never pay out. Because "market-leading offers" evaporate when banks say no during due diligence.

All-cash deals look big on paper but shrink after tax. Creative structures with earn-outs and seller financing often lets you keep more money, even when the headline price looks smaller."

The structure matters as much as the price.

So if you're open to a smarter structure - one that often puts MORE money in your pocket while protecting your team and preserving your legacy, then I can usually beat the highest offer you're getting.

But if you want a buyer who's structurally aligned to protect what you've built...

If you want a buyer who won't show up on day 1 with redundancy notices...

If you want a buyer who sees your team as the asset, not the expense...

If you want a buyer who'll still be running your business in 10 years (rather than flipping it to the next fund)...

I'm going to show you exactly how to evaluate buyers based on what actually matters - not just the number on the term sheet.

Before we go further, let me be clear about what I bring:

I'm an operator. I don't buy businesses to sit back and collect dividends. I run a digital marketing agency. I understand businesses because I've built one. I get involved when needed, but I hire operators to run day-to-day.

I'm selective. I acquire 2 businesses per year, maximum. This is about finding the right fits and operating them properly, not building an empire for vanity.

I prefer simple deals. I want fair structures that align our incentives. No complicated financial engineering designed to shift all risk onto you while I extract maximum value.

I want sustainable businesses. If your business is broken, I'm probably not interested. I want profitable operations with good teams. I'll invest in growth, but I'm not a turnaround specialist.

I'm a former professional footballer who learned that teams win when you protect your teammates.

I'm a business operator who's built a profitable agency and understands what it takes to run a sustainable business.

I'm someone with acquisition experience - my deal team has completed 23 acquisitions. We know how this process works.

I'm someone who can actually close - I have decision-making authority (no committees), access to capital when needed, and a track record of 90-day closes.

I'm someone who cares about legacy - yours and mine. Because in 10 years, I want to look back and be proud of what we built together.

At this point, you might be thinking:

"This sounds great, but how do I actually evaluate if a buyer is being honest about their intentions?"

Fair question.

Because here's the reality: every buyer will tell you they care about your team.

Every buyer will say they're "committed to a smooth transition" and "excited to invest in growth."

Even the PE fund that's planning 40% layoffs will tell you they "value your culture."

So how do you separate the truth-tellers from the bullshitters?

That's what I'm going to show you on the next page.

I'm going to give you the exact framework I use to evaluate acquisition opportunities—and show you how to use it to evaluate the buyers evaluating YOU.

Because if you understand how professional buyers think, you can spot the red flags before you sign the LOI.

Show Me The Buyer Evaluation Framework

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