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From Kitchen Table to £Multi-Million Exit: Simon Morton's 18-Year Journey to Employee Ownership
What if the secret to a successful business exit isn't just about the money — but about building something worth handing over?
In this episode of The Grown Up Business Podcast, Paul Avins is joined by Simon Morton — founder of Eiffel Presentations, the man Microsoft turned to for PowerPoint expertise, and author of the new book The Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefactor.
Simon shares his remarkable 18-year journey from starting out at his kitchen table to building a multi-million-pound presentation agency with over 40 people — and ultimately exiting through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). Together, Paul and Simon unpack the realities of scaling a people-business, the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, why most presentations fail, how to build a leadership team you can trust with your legacy, and what it really takes to transition out of your business without regret.
This episode is essential listening for founders and CEOs who want to understand what a grown-up exit looks like — and how to build a business that can thrive long after you've stepped away.
Key TakeawaysWhy most presentations fail — and the five biggest mistakes people make with PowerPoint
How to shift from creating slides to crafting compelling stories that drive action
The power of visualization and goal mapping — and how one picture kept Simon from the pub and landed a million-pound client
Why building the right team is more important than scaling sales — and how to spot talent everywhere
How to know if you're just tired or actually ready to sell — and why getting that wrong could be your biggest regret
What an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is, how it works, and why it might be the smartest exit strategy you've never considered
Why you need distance from your business — physically and mentally — to lead it well
The emotional reality of exiting — grief, identity shift, and what comes after
Why building a business that can run without you is the ultimate measure of success
Simon Morton is the founder of Eiffel Presentations, a multi-award-winning presentation agency that has worked with Microsoft, Adobe, KPMG, and hundreds of leading organizations worldwide. Known as the "Prince of PowerPoint," Simon specializes in helping businesses cut through the noise and communicate with clarity, impact, and humanity. After 18 years of building Eiffel, Simon successfully transitioned the business to his team through an Employee Ownership Trust. He is the author of The Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefactor and is now focused on writing, storytelling, and helping other entrepreneurs navigate their own exit journeys.
Next StepsApply it now
Ask yourself: could my business operate — and grow — without me? If not, what's the first step to making that possible?
Get Simon's Book
Grab a copy of The Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefactor to explore whether an Employee Ownership Trust could be the right exit strategy for you.
Connect with Simon Morton on LinkedIn
Scale with Paul
If this episode resonated, Paul's work focuses on helping founders step out of the day-to-day and scale with structure and confidence.
Book a call with Paul: https://www.paulavins.com/book-a-call
Subscribe to the Scale-Up Newsletter: https://www.paulavins.com/newsletter-opt-in
About Paul Avins
Paul Avins is a scale-up business coach and founder of the Grown-Up Business framework. He works with founders and CEOs to help them move from operator to scale-up leader — building businesses that grow sustainably, scale beyond the founder, and create real enterprise value. Paul's work focuses on disciplined leadership, high-performing teams, and systems that replace chaos with clarity.
Level Up. Team Up. Scale Up. Fire Up.
View all episodes
By Paul AvinsWhat if the secret to a successful business exit isn't just about the money — but about building something worth handing over?
In this episode of The Grown Up Business Podcast, Paul Avins is joined by Simon Morton — founder of Eiffel Presentations, the man Microsoft turned to for PowerPoint expertise, and author of the new book The Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefactor.
Simon shares his remarkable 18-year journey from starting out at his kitchen table to building a multi-million-pound presentation agency with over 40 people — and ultimately exiting through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). Together, Paul and Simon unpack the realities of scaling a people-business, the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, why most presentations fail, how to build a leadership team you can trust with your legacy, and what it really takes to transition out of your business without regret.
This episode is essential listening for founders and CEOs who want to understand what a grown-up exit looks like — and how to build a business that can thrive long after you've stepped away.
Key TakeawaysWhy most presentations fail — and the five biggest mistakes people make with PowerPoint
How to shift from creating slides to crafting compelling stories that drive action
The power of visualization and goal mapping — and how one picture kept Simon from the pub and landed a million-pound client
Why building the right team is more important than scaling sales — and how to spot talent everywhere
How to know if you're just tired or actually ready to sell — and why getting that wrong could be your biggest regret
What an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is, how it works, and why it might be the smartest exit strategy you've never considered
Why you need distance from your business — physically and mentally — to lead it well
The emotional reality of exiting — grief, identity shift, and what comes after
Why building a business that can run without you is the ultimate measure of success
Simon Morton is the founder of Eiffel Presentations, a multi-award-winning presentation agency that has worked with Microsoft, Adobe, KPMG, and hundreds of leading organizations worldwide. Known as the "Prince of PowerPoint," Simon specializes in helping businesses cut through the noise and communicate with clarity, impact, and humanity. After 18 years of building Eiffel, Simon successfully transitioned the business to his team through an Employee Ownership Trust. He is the author of The Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefactor and is now focused on writing, storytelling, and helping other entrepreneurs navigate their own exit journeys.
Next StepsApply it now
Ask yourself: could my business operate — and grow — without me? If not, what's the first step to making that possible?
Get Simon's Book
Grab a copy of The Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefactor to explore whether an Employee Ownership Trust could be the right exit strategy for you.
Connect with Simon Morton on LinkedIn
Scale with Paul
If this episode resonated, Paul's work focuses on helping founders step out of the day-to-day and scale with structure and confidence.
Book a call with Paul: https://www.paulavins.com/book-a-call
Subscribe to the Scale-Up Newsletter: https://www.paulavins.com/newsletter-opt-in
About Paul Avins
Paul Avins is a scale-up business coach and founder of the Grown-Up Business framework. He works with founders and CEOs to help them move from operator to scale-up leader — building businesses that grow sustainably, scale beyond the founder, and create real enterprise value. Paul's work focuses on disciplined leadership, high-performing teams, and systems that replace chaos with clarity.
Level Up. Team Up. Scale Up. Fire Up.