The SMB Show

Dee Ludlow
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🎙️ Helping entrepreneurs & dealmakers navigate SMBs & M&A | Tips, trends & real-world stories from the front linesSend in your questions to live@thesmbshow.com 

  1. 5H AGO

    Private Equity Below £20m: All The Work None of the Money

    Send a text Starting a private equity fund sounds attractive, until you run the numbers. If your fund is £20 million or smaller, the traditional 2 and 20 private equity model often fails to generate meaningful income for the fund manager, especially in the UK under FCA and AIFMD regulations. In this video, I break down the real economics of small private equity funds and explain why management fees rarely cover costs, carried interest takes years to materialise, and UK regulatory overhead makes sub-£20m funds structurally inefficient. Aspiring private equity fund managers, Operators considering raising a first-time fundInvestors curious about how PE funds really make moneyAnyone evaluating UK private equity fund structuresIf you’re thinking about starting a private equity fund in the UK, watch this before you commit capital, time, or reputation. ---------------------------------------------------- My M&A advisory firm https://5dcapitalpartners.com/ If you want to work directly with me and my team to get acquisitions done, visit https://app.iclosed.io/e/Zak5D/5d-private-strategy-session Join our Skool community https://www.skool.com/5d-program-6807 Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    5 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Helping An 8-Figure Consultant Switch From Fees To Equity Deals

    Send a text My M&A advisory firm, 5DCP, helps buyers model cash flow before and after acquisition so deals don’t fall apart post close https://5dcapitalpartners.com/ If you want to work directly with me and my team to get acquisitions done, visit https://app.iclosed.io/e/Zak5D/5d-private-strategy-session Join our Skool community https://www.skool.com/5d-program-6807 In this video, I sit down with 8 figure consultant Usman Kayani and break down how to structure consulting for equity deals properly, using real world examples to shift the mindset of consultants who want to move beyond fees and start building long-term ownership. Most consultants trade time for money. The smartest ones trade expertise for equity, but only if the deal is structured correctly. Get it wrong, and you end up underpaid, overworked, or legally exposed. Get it right, and you create asymmetric upside without taking unnecessary risk. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:50 - Current Retainer Model & Value Creation 3:42 - Client Types & Service Offerings 5:11 - The Churn Problem at 12 Months 11:12 - The 3-Month vs 12-Month Offer 12:34 - Small Business Equity Structure 14:40 - Setting Up Equity Triggers & KPIs 17:41 - Target EBITDA & Valuation Multiples 21:00 - Amplifying Returns with Hurdle Rates 24:02 - Understanding the 50/50 Hurdle Split 27:22 - Legal Framework & Value Creation Budget 28:34 - Founder Selection & Risk Management 31:00 - Founder Buyout Mechanism 32:10 - Implementation Discover Smarter Investing with the Teaminvest Wealth Builders PodcastExpert insights and proven strategies from Australia's top investors. Build your wealth.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    34 min

  3. 6D AGO

    They Lied To You...

    Send a text Nothing to say here, play the podcast... Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    5 min

  4. FEB 16

    Why This Acquisition Died at the Finish Line (Seller’s Lawyers Killed It)

    Send a text I have some time while I'm waiting for my flight at the airport, so I thought I'd walk through an acquisition we have been working on...I've since found out they sold to a competitor that we almost acquired 6 months ago! What a circus.  Work with me https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    3 min

  5. FEB 2

    Why Profitable Businesses Still Go Broke After an Acquisition (MUST LISTEN)

    Send a text https://www.youtube.com/@thesmbshow Work with me https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl  If you are a serious acquirer you can work with my team at https://5dcapitalpartners.com/  Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    6 min

  6. JAN 6

    I sold my Bitcoin to buy my first business

    Send a text 5D member Thasan joins us to tell us how he sold his btc to buy his first business.  We talk about how he acquired his first business, how he had heads of terms signed for 2x 8 figure businesses, and also how AI could affect small businesses.  This is a great episode.  Watch the interview here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0luIHDLrFmE&t=479s Discover Smarter Investing with the Teaminvest Wealth Builders PodcastExpert insights and proven strategies from Australia's top investors. Build your wealth.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    1h 7m

  7. JAN 2

    Reflecting on 2025 | Harsh Lessons

    Send a text Last year was a whirl wind, here's some lessons I learned from 2025. https://www.youtube.com/@thesmbshow Work with me https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl  5D Boardroom Live Event (Business Buying Masterclass)  1x Ticket Birmingham 7th Feb (10am-4:30pm) https://buy.stripe.com/aFa28qayAaUz9Ev1aZeME3B 1x Ticket London 8th Feb (10am-4:30pm) https://buy.stripe.com/fZubJ0dKM8Mr2c3bPDeME3z Discover Smarter Investing with the Teaminvest Wealth Builders PodcastExpert insights and proven strategies from Australia's top investors. Build your wealth.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    46 min

  8. 12/14/2025

    Q&A: EOTs, Turnarounds, Companies House, EMI Options & More

    Send a text In this Q&A session, I break down some of the most COMMON (and most confusing) topics in the UK business world, from Companies House filings to EOT structures, business turnarounds, EMI options, and much more. If you’re buying, building, or turning around businesses in the UK, this video gives you clear, practical answers you can actually use. Work with me https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl Work with me: https://go.deeludlow.com/vsl

    18 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

🎙️ Helping entrepreneurs & dealmakers navigate SMBs & M&A | Tips, trends & real-world stories from the front linesSend in your questions to live@thesmbshow.com 

Information

  • Creator
    Dee Ludlow
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The SMB Show
  • Show Website
    The SMB Show

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