by Jonathan Jay
Welcome to 10 Minute Deals — real conversations with real business buyers. In every episode, you'll hear directly from entrepreneurs who've bought businesses using the strategies taught inside Jonathan Jay's Mastermind programme. No theory. No hype. Just honest stories about how deals were found, structured, funded — and what happened next. If you've ever wondered whether buying a business is really possible… this is where you find out.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/8/2026
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June 19, 2026
<p class="MsoNormal">Neil turned a redundancy and just two months of savings into a thriving accountancy business — then used acquisition to prove the model could scale.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>GUEST</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Neil — Founder of an accountancy practice; has completed two acquisitions and is building a scalable group.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>EPISODE SUMMARY</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After multiple redundancies and with only two months of cash in the bank, Neil set up his accountancy practice and grew it organically to around £350k turnover. A chance LinkedIn message from a sole trader looking to exit led to Neil's first acquisition — a micro deal that served as proof of concept. His second, larger deal came two years later and brought with it a qualified CTA, enabling Neil to restructure his management team and free himself from technical work.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>KEY TAKEAWAYS</strong></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Starting with a micro acquisition is a legitimate strategy — the proof of concept is as valuable as the revenue it adds.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Monthly recurring revenue (direct debit-based) gives you a much clearer picture of what you're really buying.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Acquiring outside your local area is entirely possible — Neil's first acquisition was in Bournemouth, far from his base.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Half upfront, half after 12 months with clawback is a sensible structure for a small deal where client retention is the key risk.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Acquiring a CTA (chartered tax advisor) as part of a deal can solve a management layer problem and free the business owner to step back.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Intangible value — Google reviews, referrals, untapped upsell potential — often isn't on the deal sheet but is real.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>DEAL HIGHLIGHT</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">First acquisition: a small fee bank in Bournemouth, structured as 50% upfront and 50% after 12 months with a clawback clause. Most clients were retained; Neil has since grown revenue from that client base above what the deal projected.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>"If I can do it for three or four clients, why can't I do it for 30 or 40?"</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk</p>
June 12, 2026
<p class="MsoNormal">Stephen lives in France, works in the UK — and has completed four acquisitions of digital and creative agencies, two mergers, and one disposal.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>GUEST</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stephen — Former COO; now building a UK digital and creative agency group from his base in France.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>EPISODE SUMMARY</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stephen's acquisition journey began when he left a COO role at a $6m US business and discovered Jonathan Jay's webinar. Based in France, he has since completed four UK acquisitions in the digital marketing and creative agency space — sending out batches of letters, building a pipeline of 30–40 conversations, and completing his first deal with a distressed business owner. He reflects candidly on the difference between a distressed owner and a distressed business, and on the value of in-person mastermind events.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>KEY TAKEAWAYS</strong></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->You do not need to live near the businesses you buy — Stephen operates entirely remotely from France.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Sending letters in batches of 1,000 and following up consistently is the core of deal origination.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->The first call is the hardest; after six conversations, confidence builds naturally.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->There is an important distinction between a distressed owner (whose business may be healthy) and a distressed business — the former is a much better deal.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Walking away from a deal at heads of terms is entirely valid — Stephen did it on his first serious conversation.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->In-person mastermind events deliver disproportionate value: the peer network, shared experience and real-time problem-solving accelerate progress significantly.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>DEAL HIGHLIGHT</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stephen's first completed acquisition was a distressed business with a distressed owner. He structured it to limit downside: bought for £1, knowing the worst case was simply walking away and shutting it down — ensuring no significant capital was at risk.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>"When I decided to leave, I came across a webinar of yours and I'm like, oh, this is possible — didn't even realise there was an option."</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk</p>
June 5, 2026
<p class="MsoNormal">Rob pivoted from British food shops to coffee shops and completed two deals within two months of joining the programme — with more in the pipeline.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>GUEST</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rob — Canada-based acquirer targeting independent coffee shops across Ontario and the US northeast.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>EPISODE SUMMARY</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Based in Canada, Rob initially planned to acquire British food shops serving the expat community before pivoting to independent coffee shops after listening to a podcast episode featuring John Richardson. Within two months of joining the Fast Track programme, he had signed heads of terms on two deals and had a third imminent. His story is a masterclass in following the process, staying disciplined on the 30-minute initial call, and understanding your own valuation logic before you walk into a negotiation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>KEY TAKEAWAYS</strong></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Pivoting your target sector based on new information (such as a podcast) is smart, not indecisive.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->750 letters generated five to six enquiries per day — and they were still coming in weeks later.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Discipline on the 30-minute initial call is critical: it signals professionalism and filters out time-wasters on both sides.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Know your valuation multiple before you enter any conversation — Rob uses 1–1.5x for standard sites and up to 3x for strategic locations.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->Sellers who can't produce financials rarely have a real business to sell.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph"><!-- [if !supportLists]-->▸ <!--[endif]-->The lease is often more complex than the purchase agreement — always request it early, especially if there's a mortgage on the property.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>DEAL HIGHLIGHT</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rob's first deal seller — who had run the coffee shop since 2005 — wanted to return to bookkeeping. Rob offered her a separate bookkeeping role across his growing portfolio, turning the acquisition into a long-term operational relationship.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>"Stick to the process. Be confident. Do your homework. And be persistent."</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk</p>
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Welcome to 10 Minute Deals — real conversations with real business buyers.
In every episode, you'll hear directly from entrepreneurs who've bought businesses using the strategies taught inside Jonathan Jay's Mastermind programme. No theory. No hype. Just honest stories about how deals were found, structured, funded — and what happened next.
If you've ever wondered whether buying a business is really possible… this is where you find out.
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