The Ownership Journey

James Lamb
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The Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership. Hosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs. This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with: - Business owners navigating succession and exit - Operators scaling under pressure - Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds - Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)

  1. Resilience Under Pressure: The Hard Decisions Most Founders Avoid || Angela Middleton

    4 DAYS AGO

    Resilience Under Pressure: The Hard Decisions Most Founders Avoid || Angela Middleton

    Most business owners are building without an exit in mind — and Angela Middleton built a 130-person company, placed over 30,000 people into jobs, and still had to make the hardest call of her career when Covid hit.In this episode, you'll get: - How Angela went from working class at 18 to reporting to the board — without a degree - Why she walked away from a multi-million pound acquisition offer (and what she'd do differently) - The M&A truth nobody tells first-time buyers - Why she got a six pack at 55 — and what physical resilience has to do with business survival - The one mindset shift that separates intentional builders from reactive ones (00:00) Introduction – Angela Middleton's Story Starts Here (01:21) Working Class to BP Oil: Starting at 18 Without a Degree (04:28) The Moment She Knew She Had to Leave Corporate (07:30) Starting a Recruitment Business From Scratch in 2001 (13:20) Apprenticeships vs. University Degrees: What the Stats Say (20:42) Why Starting a Business Is Easier — But Not Simpler (23:09) Personal Brand: What It Really Means for Business Owners (27:19) Remote Work, Flexibility and Managing Modern Teams (30:38) Building to 130 People — and Closing During Covid (36:10) M&A Done Well vs. M&A Done Wrong (43:52) Podcasting as a Business Tool: Angela's Two Series (46:06) Weight Training at 54, Six Pack at 55, Stronger at 63 (48:30) Body, Mind, Business: Why Physical Resilience Drives Success (56:38) Final Advice for Business Owners on the Ownership Journey Subscribe to The Ownership Journey for weekly conversations with people who've built, bought, and sold real businesses.

    1 hr
  2. From Council Estate to £100M Exit || Andrew Hulbert

    29 APR

    From Council Estate to £100M Exit || Andrew Hulbert

    Andrew Hulbert went from a council estate in Oxfordshire to selling his facilities management business for £100 million — before turning 40. This conversation covers everything he actually did to get there.How he left corporate at 27 with nothing and built Pareto FM from his bedroomThe doughnut strategy that won contracts worth hundreds of thousandsWhy he hired a CEO above himself — and what that cost him emotionallyThe £400K bad debt that nearly broke him (and what he learned)Life after exit: blood donations, planting a forest, and genuine mental freedom(00:00) Introduction – Council Estate to £100M(02:36) Andrew's Early Life & Career Beginnings(06:38) Why He Left Corporate at 27 to Start From Scratch(08:50) First Clients, Bulgari & the Doughnut Strategy(12:48) Why Facilities Management Is a £100B Hidden Goldmine(17:30) Building the Team & Scaling to £50M Turnover(25:20) Sales, Operations & Staying Close to Clients(33:00) Succession, Hiring a CEO Above Himself & Letting Go(38:00) The Exit: Acquisitions, Employee Ownership Trust & Final Sale(46:22) Setbacks, Bad Debt & The Hardest Moments in Business(54:05) Personal Branding, Networking & Winning Without Selling(01:02:00) What He Looks for in Young Entrepreneurs & Career Advice(01:07:43) Life After Exit: The Caledonian Sleeper, the Farm & Legacy(01:15:00) Investments, Mentoring & What Comes Next(01:21:00) Closing Thoughts – Anyone Can Do ThisSubscribe for weekly conversations with founders and business builders who've done it the hard way.

    1hr 24min
  3. He Bought a £12M Business (Then Sold It Fast) || Sacha Jak

    22 APR

    He Bought a £12M Business (Then Sold It Fast) || Sacha Jak

    Most business owners think acquisitions are only for big private equity firms. Sacha proves otherwise — he's built a 200-person group by buying distressed businesses, turning them around fast, and now listing his own bond on the Vienna Stock Exchange to fund the next wave.In this episode, you'll learn:- How to identify which businesses are worth acquiring (hint: staff + revenue)- The supplier audit that saved one company £50K in a week- Why recurring revenue transforms what your business is worth- How to list a corporate bond as an SME — and what it actually costs- The 5 things you need to raise capital without a personal guarantee(00:00) Introduction – Meet Sasha, Serial Acquirer (02:09) Early Entrepreneurial Roots: Selling Autographs & Running a Bike Shop (10:13) Jobs, Sales & Deciding to Back Himself (17:05) The Leveraged Buyout Mindset: Books That Changed Everything (20:47) First Acquisition: Turning Around a £1M Business in One Week (27:10) Supplier Audits, Invoice Discounting & Cash Flow Fixes (31:23) The Power of Recurring Revenue in Any Business (36:18) The Biggest Deal: A £12M Computer Business Post-Covid (40:20) Building the FM Group: Commercial Cleaning & Facilities Management (43:10) Listing a Bond on the Vienna Stock Exchange as an SME (47:00) Bond Structure, Coupon Rate & Raising £3M for Acquisitions (01:09:30) What It Costs to List a Bond (And How to Do It Yourself) Subscribe for weekly conversations with operators building real businesses

    1hr 18min
  4. He Went From Growing Zero To A 7-Figure Accountancy Firm || Ben Crampin

    15 APR

    He Went From Growing Zero To A 7-Figure Accountancy Firm || Ben Crampin

    He Went From Growing Zero To A 7-Figure Accountancy Firm || Ben Crampin Host: James LambThe Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership. (00:00) Introduction – Ben Harrington & Folio Partners (02:30) From Geography Grad to Consulting: Ben's Early Career (06:00) Building & Selling a Payroll Software Company (08:00) Losing a Mentor: Taking Over After David Hart's Passing (11:30) The SME Business Climate — Is the Government Helping? (13:00) Sole Trader vs Partnership vs Limited Company Explained (19:00) Retaining Profits: Why LLPs and Ltd Companies Are Taxed Differently (23:00) The UK's Succession Crisis — Two Thirds of Private Wealth at Risk (25:00) Tax Changes Every Business Owner Needs to Know Now (31:00) NIC Increases and the Hidden Hit on Younger Workers (33:00) AI in Accounting — What It Can (and Can't) Replace (36:00) Growing Through Acquisition: What Ben Looks for in a Target Firm (41:00) Holding Companies, Group Structures & Protecting Your Assets (45:00) How to Make Business Partnerships Actually WorkHosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs.This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with:- Business owners navigating succession and exit- Operators scaling under pressure- Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds- Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)We talk openly about:If you’re on the path to ownership — or already carrying it — this channel is for you.

    50 min
  5. Why Most Entrepreneurs Fail (And How to Avoid It) || Richard Woods

    8 APR

    Why Most Entrepreneurs Fail (And How to Avoid It) || Richard Woods

    (00:00) Intro & Guest Introduction (03:00) Early Business Journey (05:53) First Big Business Lessons (09:05) Learning Sales & Strategy (12:01) Division of Roles in Business (15:07) Growth Challenges & Mistakes (18:02) Scaling the Business (21:02) Content Strategy Insights (24:02) Marketing & Audience Building (27:01) Business Systems & Operations (29:59) Hiring & Team Structure (32:59) Leadership & Decision Making (36:06) Scaling Efficiently (39:04) Cutting Costs to Grow (41:59) Revenue vs Profit Mindset (45:08) Business Model Evolution (48:01) Key Turning Points (50:57) Lessons from Experience (54:01) Long-Term Vision (56:56) Future Plans & Roadmap The Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership.Hosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs.This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with:- Business owners navigating succession and exit- Operators scaling under pressure- Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds- Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)We talk openly about:If you’re on the path to ownership — or already carrying it — this channel is for you.

    1hr 17min
  6. The Exit Playbook: How Founders Grow, Scale, and Sell || Steven Pettigrew

    1 APR

    The Exit Playbook: How Founders Grow, Scale, and Sell || Steven Pettigrew

    The Exit Playbook: How Founders Grow, Scale, and SellGuest: Steven PettigrewHost: James Lamb(00:00) Intro + why Steven is “building in public” (01:38) What High Value Exit does (help founders grow, scale, exit) (02:00) The 3 “baskets” and who each offer is for (03:20) Why the same business fundamentals work across sectors (04:01) Ideal client types: home services + professional services (04:48) Why CapEx-heavy businesses are tough (and where acquisitions can help) (05:37) Growing up in a family business and learning work ethic (06:48) The reality behind the “highlight reel” of success (07:25) Stress tolerance and anxiety when not productive (07:46) Pain thresholds and operating at a higher level (08:40) Getting kids involved early and avoiding entitlement (10:53) Inside the waste-management business model (streams, margins, operations) (12:52) Why environment matters (school vs real entrepreneurial exposure) (14:28) The leap from family business to starting from scratch (15:15) Start-up lessons: getting leads, hiring, cash flow (16:48) Failed recruitment venture and the pivot back to transport (17:45) Courier business growth, but why transport margins are brutal (19:32) First taste of M&A: buying a distressed business for talent + locations (21:08) The “eggs in one basket” epiphany and building multiple assets (21:59) Learning deal structure through mentorship and doing more deals (22:56) Minority vs majority stakes and how Steven thinks about control (24:58) Vetting partners: ethics, values, and incentives (26:42) Gut feel and the questions that reveal how people operate (27:34) Nick Bradley’s shift from PE to helping founders “fight back” (29:01) Why partnerships can turn M&A into a team sport (30:09) Business ownership as an active game, not passive income (31:13) The succession gap: baby boomer exits and buyer mismatch (33:34) Why business brokers often misprice businesses (and why deals stall) (37:19) Making a business less owner-dependent before a sale (39:16) Construction sector: thin margins and chain-reaction insolvencies (41:39) Practical AI for SMEs: focus on cash, leads, and sales (43:04) Tools Steven uses: Gamma, Claude, valuation workflows (45:03) AI-powered deal sourcing workflows and follow-up at scale (47:25) Partnerships: work ethic, value add, and alignment (48:54) Living in Dubai: routine, focus, and avoiding distraction (51:25) Sleep, stress, and movement as a baseline (53:05) How Dubai accelerated the mission (53:39) Wrap-up The Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership.Hosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs.This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with:- Business owners navigating succession and exit- Operators scaling under pressure- Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds- Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)We talk openly about:If you’re on the path to ownership — or already carrying it — this channel is for you.

    54 min
  7. From £1,000 Tapes to £27,000 Events: The High-Ticket Offer Ladder Explained

    25 MAR

    From £1,000 Tapes to £27,000 Events: The High-Ticket Offer Ladder Explained

    Guest: Des VadgamaHost: James Lamb(00:00:00) Intro: High-ticket seminars and deal-making conversations (00:01:02) Meet Des: 30+ years in business growth and high-performance dialogue (00:01:47) How Des got started (Tony Robbins, personal development) (00:04:08) From £1,000 tapes to £10,000 events: Dan Peña and Guthrie Castle (00:07:14) UK vs US communication styles and bridging trust (00:10:06) Lessons from Tony Robbins, Dan Peña, and Jay Abraham (00:12:03) What “power dialogues” are and why alignment matters (00:16:15) Lead flow to deal flow: LinkedIn DMs, qualification, and filtering (00:19:23) Choosing who to speak with: how people answer questions (00:21:27) “Go where the money is”: proximity, rooms, and networks (00:23:57) Doers vs consumers: execution and enjoying the journey (00:27:29) Clarity vs confusion: open questions that move deals forward (00:31:06) What business owners get wrong when preparing to sell (00:35:29) Majority vs minority stakes: control, fees, and monetising equity (00:43:33) Building a connector model: advisory + equity (Gamma Capital) (00:51:13) Why deals break down: misalignment, expectations, and pace (00:56:35) Investor expectations: why 8.5% is not enough for some (01:00:07) Better dialogue skills: do more conversations, less scrolling (01:04:26) Why dialogue is transformative (business and life) (01:06:22) Wrap-upThe Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership.Hosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs.This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with:- Business owners navigating succession and exit- Operators scaling under pressure- Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds- Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)We talk openly about:If you’re on the path to ownership — or already carrying it — this channel is for you.

    1hr 7min
  8. Why Businesses Really Fail (And How Founders Lose Everything) || Nick Simmonds

    18 MAR

    Why Businesses Really Fail (And How Founders Lose Everything) || Nick Simmonds

    Why Businesses Really Fail (And How Founders Lose Everything)Guest: Nick SimmondsHost: James Lamb00:00 Intro – When Businesses Fail00:56 Guest Introduction – Nick’s Journey to Partner03:04 Climbing the Corporate Ladder04:17 How Many Businesses Actually Fail?05:37 Why Most Business Disputes Are About Money05:54 The Reality of Being a Business Owner07:53 Why Skilled Workers Struggle Running Businesses09:25 The Loneliness of Leadership10:05 COVID Shock: When Business Suddenly Stops11:23 No Income, Rising Overheads12:12 Why Financial Pressure Creates Disputes13:21 The Role of HMRC in Business Closures14:18 Construction Industry Failures Explained16:26 Why Property Projects Collapse18:44 Why Large Companies Still Go Bankrupt20:16 The Domino Effect in Construction Supply Chains21:04 Hospitality Industry Struggles23:20 The Importance of Insolvency Systems24:05 Liquidation vs Business Rescue26:04 Can Entrepreneurs Restart After Failure?27:14 What Is Pre-Pack Administration?29:17 How Many Businesses Can Actually Be Saved?30:23 Why Business Rescue Helps Communities31:55 Understanding Moratorium Protection33:31 The Corporate Veil Explained34:44 How Business Owners Become Personally Liable36:37 The Danger of Personal Guarantees37:11 How Invoice Financing Works38:18 The Debt Problem After COVIDThe Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership.Hosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs.This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with:- Business owners navigating succession and exit- Operators scaling under pressure- Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds- Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)We talk openly about:If you’re on the path to ownership — or already carrying it — this channel is for you.

    51 min
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About

The Ownership Journey is a podcast about what really happens before, during, and after business ownership. Hosted by Entrepreneur James Lamb, the channel explores buying, building, fixing, and exiting real businesses — particularly in operator-led SMEs. This isn’t theory or guru content. It’s honest conversations with: - Business owners navigating succession and exit - Operators scaling under pressure - Acquisition entrepreneurs structuring deals, earn-outs, and turnarounds - Advisors who’ve seen what actually works (and what breaks)

Information

  • Creator
    James Lamb
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © James Lamb
  • Show Website
    The Ownership Journey

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