Exit Insights

By Darryl Bates-BrownswordBusiness Entrepreneurship

Exit Insights episodes

August 27, 2025 From Confusion to Certainty: Why It Takes 3 Years to Get Your Business Exit-Ready
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In this episode, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrington unpack why it takes three years to prepare your business for a successful exit – and why starting early can make all the difference.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why clean financials and documented governance are essential
✅ The role of intangibles like culture, IP, and brand in boosting valuation
✅ How preparation can turn chaos into clarity – and even attract unexpected offers

Whether you’re looking to exit soon or just want to future-proof your business, this episode is packed with practical insights.

Listen now and find out how to make your business more attractive to buyers – and more enjoyable to run.

🎧 https://thefabric.uk/

Take a look at the new Exit Insights YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ExitInsights
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
35 min
August 20, 2025 From Vision to Valuation: How a Business Architect Can Transform Your Exit with Kevin Harrington
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What if preparing your business for sale was like designing your dream home?
In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to unpack the role of a business architect – a professional who helps you create a clear vision, long-term plan, and the right sequence of actions to maximise your valuation and achieve your ideal exit.
Kevin explains how a business architect:
✅ Looks at your business from a shareholder-first perspective.
✅ Helps you protect personal wealth while scaling the business.
✅ Brings in the right experts – from CFOs to cyber specialists – at the right time.
With practical insights on de-risking, increasing value, and ensuring your business is truly exit-ready, this episode could be the blueprint for your next five years.
🎧 Tune in and discover how to design a business that’s built to sell – on your terms.
https://thefabric.uk/
Take a look at the new Exit Insights YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ExitInsights
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
23 min
July 16, 2025A Smarter Way to Plan Your Business Exit: From Succession Plus to Fabric with Kevin Harrington
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What happens when two like-minded firms unite to better serve business owners planning their exit?

In this special episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to share why Succession Plus has evolved into Fabric Business Solutions – and what it means for you as a business owner.

If you're looking to maximise the valuation of your business and exit on your terms, this episode unpacks:
The real reason 80% of businesses never sell
What buyers look for (hint: it’s not just your profit)
How Fabric offers a “closed ecosystem” of expert support to help you prepare for a stress-free exit

💡 “Buyers don’t want smoke and mirrors—they want to know your business can survive without you.”

Whether you're just starting to think about life after business or are already mapping your succession plan, this episode gives you the clarity and confidence to take your next step.

https://www.kevinharrington.com/2025/06/the-art-of-invisible-marketing-how-exclusive-businesses-grow-without-looking-like-theyre-selling/

https://thefabric.uk/

Take a look at the new Exit Insights YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ExitInsights
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
28 min
July 09, 2025 Inside an EOT Success Story: From Handover to Ownership with Caroline Summers
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What really happens after a business becomes employee-owned?
In this insightful episode, Caroline Summers, CEO of PBShop – a successful book distribution company – shares her five-and-a-half-year journey through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) transition. From renegotiating a sky-high valuation to building a culture of ownership among long-serving staff, Caroline walks us through the highs, the hard truths, and the powerful lessons learned.
💡 “We had to teach everyone how the business really works – warts and all – because now they’re owners too.”
Tune in to learn:
✅ How to navigate valuation in a fast-changing market
✅ Why employee engagement is key to a successful EOT
✅ The role of governance and employee councils in employee-owned businesses
Whether you're preparing your business for sale, exploring succession planning, or just curious about EOTs, this episode is packed with practical advice and inspiring leadership.
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
36 min
April 17, 2025 The Business Insights Report: Your Blueprint for a Profitable Exit with Kevin Harrington
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Most business owners have a number in mind for what they believe their business is worth - but is it realistic? In this episode of Exit Insights, host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to discuss the Business Insights Report, a powerful tool designed to help owners see their business through the eyes of a buyer.💡 Discover how this report can:✅ Identify gaps between your expected and actual business valuation✅ Provide an actionable plan to maximise value before selling✅ Highlight key intangible assets that can boost your sale price✅ Help you understand what buyers look for beyond just the numbers"If you want a buyer to offer you the number you want, you have to put the work in!" – Kevin Harrington.🔗 Listen now and take control of your exit: Get started by knowing how sellable your business is right now. Check out our Business Sellability Scorecard to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
28 min
April 10, 2025 Unlocking Private Equity: Maximise Your Exit with Adam Coffey
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In this episode, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Adam Coffey, author of The Private Equity Playbook, to explore how private equity works and why business owners need to understand it, even if they’re not planning to sell.They unpack what PE firms are looking for, how rolling over equity can lead to multiple paydays, and the growing impact of PE on business valuations.You’ll learn:What private equity is and how it operatesHow to prepare your business for a potential PE exitWhy understanding PE matters, even if you never plan to sellWhether you're years away from an exit or just getting started, this episode will help you think differently about your future strategy.🎧 Tune in now: https://succession.plus/uk/podcasts-uk/unlocking-private-equity-maximise-your-exit-with-adam-coffey/Get started by knowing how sellable your business is right now. Check out our Business Sellability Scorecard to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
47 min
April 03, 2025 Selling to an EOT: What Comes Next? with Kevin Harrington
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You've sold your business to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT—now what? Many founders think their job is done, but the reality is that the longest earn-out period often begins after the sale. In this episode of Exit Insights, Kevin Harrington and Darryl Bates-Brownsword dive into the post-exit journey, uncovering how former owners can reduce risk, accelerate payments, andensure their business thrives under new ownership.🔹 How can founders transfer critical knowledge to employee-owners?🔹 What are the biggest mistakes EOT businesses make post-sale?🔹 How can new owners shift from an employee mindset to a business ownermentality?💡 "Selling doesn’t mean stepping away overnight. If you don’t transfer your knowledge effectively, you risk the business stagnating—affecting both your pay-out and its futuresuccess."If you're an EOT trustee, a founder who has exited, or an employee-owner, this episode ispacked with insights to help you make the most of this transition.🎧 Tune in now: https://succession.plus/uk/podcasts-uk/selling-to-an-eot-what-comes-next-with-kevin-harrington/Get started by knowing how sellable your business is right now. Check out our Business Sellability Scorecard to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
35 min
March 27, 2025 From Chaos to Clarity: Designing a Business That’s Exit-Ready with Kevin Harrington
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Are you constantly solving problems, putting out fires, and feeling like your business would collapse without you? You’re not alone. Many business owners build their companies around people instead of structure - leading to inefficiencies, stress, and an unattractive business when it’s time to sell.In this episode of Exit Insights, Kevin Harrington and Darryl Bates-Brownsword explore how to flip the script. Using the analogy of a well-balanced choir, they reveal how you can design your business around functionality, ensuring the right people are in the right roles so your company runs like a well-oiled machine. Key takeaways:✅ Why traditional organisational charts don’t work for growing businesses✅ How to stop reacting and start building a structured, scalable company✅ What makes a business more valuable to potential buyersIf you want a business that thrives without you and is exit-ready when the time comes -thisepisode is a must-listen!Tune in now: https://succession.plus/uk/podcasts-uk/from-chaos-to-clarity-designing-a-business-thats-exit-ready-with-kevin-harrington/Get started by knowing how sellable your business is right now. Check out our Business Sellability Scorecard to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
24 min
March 20, 2025 Exit-Ready Essentials - How to Institutionalise for Maximum Value with Adrian Mendoza
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What makes a business irresistible to investors? Adrian Mendoza, founder of Mendoza Ventures, shares his playbook for scaling and selling businesses. Learn why institutionalising finances and governance is a game-changer, how to identify repeatable revenue streams, and why documenting your business model can make or break your exit. "The goal is to find the landmines before they blow up."Watch full episode here: https://succession.plus/uk/podcasts-uk/exit-ready-essentials-how-to-institutionalise-for-maximum-value-with-adrian-mendoza/Get started by knowing how sellable your business is right now. Check out our Business Sellability Scorecard to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
43 min
March 13, 2025 The Optimism Trap: Why Entrepreneurs Struggle with Exit Planning with Kevin Harrington
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Many entrepreneurs are natural optimists - it’s what drives them to start and grow successful businesses. But when it comes to exit planning, that same optimism can lead to overconfidence, unrealistic expectations, and costly mistakes.In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrington explore:✅ Why entrepreneurs often underestimate the challenges of selling a business✅ The biggest blind spots that can reduce your business valuation✅ How to think like a buyer and package your business for a successful exit✅ Why early planning is key to maximising value and avoiding rushed decisionsMost entrepreneurs don’t feel the pain of an unplanned exit—until it’s too late.Watch full episode here: https://succession.plus/uk/podcasts-uk/the-optimism-trap-why-entrepreneurs-struggle-with-exit-planning-with-kevin-harrington/Get started by knowing how sellable your business is right now. Check out our Business Sellability Scorecard to find out.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
✅ Discover your 'Business Sellability Score' and determine if your business is ready for sale: Business Sellability Score
🎧 Listen to the Exit Insights Podcast: Tune In
📖 Learn how to eliminate owner dependence in your business: Get your copy
❓Curious about joining Exit Factor Find Out More
🌐 Visit the Exit Factor Website: Explore
27 min

About Exit Insights

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the podcast that's dedicated to helping business owners prepare for exit so you can maximise value and exit like a boss. I'm Darryl Bates-Brownsword and I want to introduce you to the…

Exit Insights podcast presented by Fabric Business Solutions. The aim of the podcast is to share the message that if you want to get the most from your life's work, maximise the valuation and exit on YOUR terms, then you will need to prepare your business so that it's ready for exit, you are exit ready and the business is attractive to be acquired. Did you know that 55% of exits are unplanned and are due to death, divorce, or disability, and for those business owners that do get to take their business to market only 20% of them end up agreeing on a deal? there are also too many deals that are never completed because the owners left before the earn-out agreement was completed. It doesn't have to be this way! You'll be interested if you are a business owner and you've been running your business for a few years now and you are at the early stages of thinking about what's next for you. You're going to be in the 1 to 30 million revenue bracket and you're likely to be based in the UK, USA, Australia, or New Zealand. You may be feeling stressed or frustrated with running the business or you may be running out of energy or simply looking to change direction. It doesn't matter why you are looking to exit or sell; this podcast will help you to identify best practices and what you have to do to orchestrate an exit on YOUR terms. We are addressing the burning issues and topics that business owners want to know about when they start to think about selling their business. Guests include experts from all areas related to the succession planning and exit planning process - from employee ownership, personal financial planning, tax, legal and through to estate planning. We're also talking to people who have already sold their businesses and tapping into what the experience was like and what they learned along the way. We ask them what they know now that they wished they knew before they started the process. We discuss the 21 Steps used by Succession Plus and developed by Craig West to help you structure your business so that you're one of the 20% of business owners who will be able to complete a successful exit. The topics will include things like: When should I start planning?What is an exit strategy and exit planningHow will I exit my business?Can I sell my business - is my business sellable - who will buy my business?How will the business be valued?What's my business worth?How can I improve the business valuation - value potential?What can I do to make it more attractive to be acquired and speed up the process?How do I prepare my business and make sure that it's exit-ready?How long will it take to prepare the business for sale?Will I have to work an earn-out period?M&A and acquisitionsOwner dependenceSystemising, systems and systematizingGrowth and scalingBrand value and IP - (Intellectual property) including intangible assetsHow do I increase the multipleI want to sell my businessCan I sell my business to my employees MBOWill I get all my money upfront?What are the risks for me when I sell my business?What will happen to the employees?What will happen to the brand?What about my legacy?How will I know that my business is exitable?When should I start exit planning?Who should I tell that I'm thinking about selling my business? If this sounds like the questions that you want answered, then I hope you enjoy listening and learning how to exit like a boss. If you like what you've heard so far, please subscribe so that you will be notified of each new episode.

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Exit Insights

Exit Insights episodes

About Exit Insights