Graham was worried that, on his own, he would be forced to rely on businesses which were publicly advertised for sale, and this would take too long, or never happen. He found himself frustrated that advertised businesses were overpriced and “window dressed” and he was constantly in an auction process. He needed to find more, better quality opportunities and ones where the softer issues of staff, legacy and continuity of the business were at least as important as price.
Graham turned to Watersheds for discreet, expert advice. So, how did we make it happen for him?
Firstly, we found the right business, and not just any business. Using our unique networks and contacts, we proactively searched the market for opportunities that perfectly fitted Graham’s criteria, where the owners had a genuine reason to sell and wanted to preserve the legacy of the business, and had sensible views on price and structure.
We were able to introduce several opportunities that were not advertised, and Graham would simply not have been able to find himself. This gave him choice, and the ability to complete the deal he felt most comfortable with – his Management Buy In of Kenyon Road Haulage.
After the successful acquisition of Kenyon, Graham commented, “It was important for me to find the right kind of business to acquire. One that had stability and a good reputation for delivering quality service, yet still had the potential to grow. Family-run businesses are ideal for this and Kenyon ticked all the boxes. Having worked with Watersheds before, they understood precisely what I was looking for and brought some really interesting opportunities to the table before I settled on Kenyon.
“The process of acquiring a business can be quite daunting and raising finance in the current market is challenging. Watersheds were able to source a funding package that worked for all parties and enabled the deal to go ahead, guiding me through the process up to the day of completion.”
Graham invested his own cash into the acquisition to demonstrate his commitment, but this was a relatively small sum compared to the overall value of the deal. Watersheds arranged the remaining funding that was specifically tailored to this deal.
Watersheds is a specialist firm of Corporate Finance advisors which helps clients to buy and sell shares in private companies and raise money.
Unlike other advisers, we work entirely on contingent fees. We do not charge up-front fees or retainers. We are confident enough in our ability to deliver successful outcomes that we only get paid when we deliver results.