Exit Insights

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore an important question facing UK business owners: Are the latest tax changes going to affect the value of your business, or are you overlooking bigger opportunities to improve what you could achieve from an exit? The 2026 Autumn Budget has introduced several importan...

Send us Fan Mail Are You Selling Your Business Because You're Ready to Exit or Because You've Had Enough?  In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore a question every business owner should be willing to ask: Are you selling your business because you've achieved what you wanted, or because running it has become...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Mark Mills, an entrepreneur who built and sold a cash machine business operating across the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, reaching almost £100 million in annual revenue before an exit valued at approximately $250 million. But Mark's biggest lessons didn't come from the growth alo...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore a powerful concept every ambitious business owner needs to understand: Every time your business triples in size, the infrastructure that got you there may no longer be enough to take you further. Many business owners believe that growing revenue automatically means...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Guy Bartlett of Fidelis Advisory to explore how business owners can use strategic acquisitions to accelerate growth, increase business value and create a more successful exit. For many business owners, growth means winning more customers, increasing sales and expanding organically. But what h...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore a question every business owner should be willing to ask: Would you buy your own business for the price you're asking? Many business owners assume the biggest challenge in selling is finding a buyer. But sometimes, the real problem is much closer to home. The...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Dr Michael Filosi , an Australian dentist and former practice owner, to explore a challenge faced by many professional service business owners: How do you move from being the person who delivers the service to becoming the owner of a business that can operate, grow and eventually sell without...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore a question every business owner should be asking long before they plan to exit: Why would someone buy your business instead of building what you have themselves? Many owners focus on revenue, EBITDA and traditional valuation multiples. Those numbers matter. But the...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore what business owners should really be focusing on when economic conditions are uncertain. Interest rates are elevated. Costs are rising. Confidence is under pressure. Hiring decisions are becoming harder. And every day brings another headline telling business owner...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Henna Patel, a business owner who successfully planned, grew and eventually sold her business, to explore one of the most important questions every owner should be asking long before they are ready to exit: Can your business continue to perform when you are no longer running it? Many business...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by John Franklin Wiley , founder of Exit Factor Scottsdale Metro, to explore one of the most overlooked realities of selling a business: You are not only selling to the buyer. You are also selling to the person financing the buyer. Many business owners spend years thinking about how to make thei...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explain the structured process successful business owners use to prepare for exit. Many owners assume exit planning begins when they're ready to sell. The reality? The businesses that achieve the best outcomes follow a proven process years before they ever enter the m...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to discuss one of the biggest questions every business owner should ask themselves: "Will my business provide the retirement I've worked so hard for?" For many business owners, their business is their pension. Yet surprisingly few know what it's actually w...

Send us Fan Mail Why You Should Start Preparing Your Business for Exit Three Years Before You Plan to Sell In the latest episode of the Exit Insights Podcast , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore one of the biggest misconceptions among business owners: "I'm not planning to sell yet, so I don't need to prepare my business." The reality is that the bu...

Send us Fan Mail Most business owners think exit planning begins when they're ready to sell. Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrington explain why that's backwards. In this episode of the Exit Insights Podcast, they introduce the VORTEX model , a practical framework that helps business owners maximise business valuation, reduce owner dependence and create a business that delivers weal...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Exit Insights podcast Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to break down the most common patterns behind successful business exits — drawn from over 190 episodes and real-world experience working with business owners. Listen in as we discuss: 🔹 Why starting your exit planning too late is one of the biggest reasons 80% of businesses ne...

Send us Fan Mail   In the latest episode of the Exit Insights podcast Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by corporate finance specialist Jack Minns to explore how early planning can significantly increase business value and help owners exit on their terms. Listen in as we discuss: 🔹 Why waiting until you're ready to sell could cost you hundreds of thousands of pounds 🔹 How a simple change in...

Send us Fan Mail “I don’t want to sell yet, so why should I start planning now?” In this episode of Exit Insights , host Darryl Bates-Brownsword and co-host Kevin Harrington dig deep into why early exit planning is about more than just preparing for a sale – it’s about building a stronger, more profitable business today. They break down: The hidden cost of owner dependence Why waiting until you fe...

Send us Fan Mail If stepping away from your business fills you with dread, chances are you're suffering from owner dependence – and buyers can smell it a mile away. In this episode of Exit Insights , Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Kevin Harrington explore what owner dependence really means, how to spot the red flags, and what practical steps you can take to fix it. You’ll discover: The hidden co...

Send us Fan Mail In this final episode of our Intangible Assets series on Exit Insights , host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore the asset that brings everything together: scale . Together, they unpack: Why building a scalable business is essential – even if you never plan to expand How most business owners fall into the “technician trap” The six intangible assets th...

Send us Fan Mail What’s your route to market – and is it helping or hurting your business valuation? In this episode of Exit Insights, Darryl Bates-Brownsword and marketing strategist Kevin Harrington break down how to turn your marketing system into a valuable intangible asset. From understanding why relying on a single channel is risky, to learning how to build a predictable, scalable marketing...

Send us Fan Mail Are you ready to step back from the daily grind of running your business – without everything falling apart? In this episode of Exit Insights , host Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore how documenting your systems and processes not only makes your business easier to run, but significantly increases its value. 💬 “The only way to show you’re in control...

Send us Fan Mail Could you walk away from a thriving business without selling it? This week on Exit Insights , Dawn Farrow shares her extraordinary journey from professional dancer to founder of a fast-growing marketing agency – and why she chose to shut it down just before the pandemic hit. Dawn opens up about: The emotional toll of burnout and identity crisis The challenges of owner-dependence i...

Send us Fan Mail Your people could be your greatest intangible asset – or your biggest blind spot. In this episode of Exit Insights , Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore the crucial role that people and culture play in business valuation, exit preparation, and long-term sustainability. If you're thinking about succession planning or want to increase the attractive...

Send us Fan Mail If your revenue stopped tomorrow, would your business survive? More importantly – would anyone want to buy it? In this episode of the Exit Insights podcast, Darryl Bates-Brownsword is joined by Kevin Harrington to explore how the structure and quality of your revenue impacts your business valuation and exit options. 💡 You’ll learn: Why buyers favour subscription and contracted in...