In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with fractional CFO Martin Mellor to unpack what it really looks like to shepherd a customer through a live M&A journey - straight from the trenches (Q2 2025). Martin shares how a managed service provider (MSP) can shift from “comfortable lifestyle business” to a serious exit opportunity, what buyers care about (EBITDA multiples, recurring revenue, and quality of earnings), and how CFO-grade clarity turns a fuzzy growth plan into a focused value-creation roadmap. Along the way, they dig into target-setting (including Martin’s memorable “6-3-3” framework), leading vs lagging indicators, and how to translate finance-speak into operational decisions that actually move enterprise value.