Hands-on Business Investor looking to acquire a well-established UK business.
Hi, I'm James.
I've been investing for 18 years, buying and building businesses since 2017, and I'm looking for my next acquisition.
On paper, that's a profitable business, turning over £2.5M–£10M, with a capable, loyal team that's been delivering a valuable service or product to the market for 10+ years.
The part I'm most interested in though is the heart of the business. You, the founder. How you got started. The highlights. The challenges. The people who work for you. Your customers. Your values and plans for the future.
Thinking about selling your business in the next few years? I'd like to arrange a call to explore what working together might look like.
Want to know more about me? I've included some professional and personal background information below.
Ways of working together.
My primary focus is on Acquisition. Buying a well-run established business and building it for the future. Advisory is the alternative. Leaning on my experience to help owners achieve their exit goals.
Primary Focus
Acquisition
Buying a business from an owner who is looking for a safe pair of hands to continue the legacy they've built and the value it delivers to customers.
01Acquire
Agreeing the details of the deal itself: fair valuation, clear terms, and a structure that achieves everyone's objectives while minimising risk.
02Optimise
Working within each department: identifying inefficiencies, resolving friction points, and gradually increasing sustainable output and profitability.
03Scale
Bringing complementary businesses into the group: cost efficiencies, cross-selling opportunities, and shared best practice across the wider business.
Alternative Focus
Advisory
Supporting owners to build a clear exit strategy, maximise the value of the business, and guide the sale through to completion.
01Strategise
Identifying suitable buyers to meet the owner's exit objectives: their appetite for acquisition, investment budget, and synergistic benefits.
02Maximise
Increasing the business valuation ahead of sale: financial improvements, operational efficiencies, and removing the risks for an incoming buyer.
03Exit
Supporting the sales process: engaging buyers, positioning the opportunity, and negotiating the deal through to completion.
Business background.
18+ years investment experience
9+ years acquiring & operating businesses
Strategy / Sales / Finance / Technology
10+ businesses acquired
£500k–£12M revenue range
Maximise Value Created
Timeline
2008 – 2018 Property Investment
I began investing in property during the 2008 financial crisis. While prices were falling and investors were selling, I made the decision to buy and build my property portfolio instead.
2012 – 2019 Sales Consultancy
As confidence returned to the property market, demand for investment education exploded. I continued to invest but chose to diversify into property consultancy, delivering sales, marketing and mentoring for an education company. Coincidentally, a company I'd later acquire under Assetree.
2018 – 2023 Business Acquisitions
As property prices rose, investment returns compressed, and my interest in property waned. I wanted to leverage my financial and sales experience to drive growth, and investing in businesses was the obvious choice.
This led to co-founding an investment firm called Assetree Group, which bought established businesses and grew them through operational improvements and smaller, synergistic bolt-on acquisitions.
We acquired 10+ companies, £300k–£12M in revenue, across multiple sectors from 2018 to 2022. Some were well established and stable. Others more challenged and fragile. But in all cases, we rolled up our sleeves and relished the opportunity to create value as a group.
2018Marketing£2MTurnaround
Programmatic advertising across major transportation hubs.
2019Construction£12MEstablished
High-end commercial fit-outs.
2019Engineering£4MEstablished
Commercial mechanical and electrical consultancy.
2019Leisure£1MAsset Purchase
High-end fitness studio.
2019Education£12MTurnaround
Real estate training company.
2020Construction£3MBolt-on
Office fit-out.
2021Recruitment£2.5MEstablished
Engineering and construction recruitment.
2021Engineering£1MBolt-on
Commercial mechanical and electrical consultancy.
2022Recruitment£300kAsset Purchase
Construction health and safety recruitment.
2022Engineering£1MBolt-on
Domestic M&E consultancy.
2022Law£300kTurnaround
Corporate law practice.
2023 – 2025 Exited Assetree
In 2023, I received an offer to acquire my Assetree interests, which I accepted. My wife gave birth to our first child four months later, and I took the opportunity to take a few years off to enjoy the rollercoaster that is parenting.
2026 – Present Hands-on Investor
I'm looking for my next business venture. Something traditional. That delivers physical, tangible products and services. That's been around for decades. With a solid team of people and loyal customers.
Owned by someone who is ready to retire but wants to pass the baton on to someone who will care about the business as much as they have.
Skills
What I'm good at
Strategy: Setting a clear long-term direction and making sure the day-to-day decisions actually build toward it, rather than just staying busy.
Sales: Increasing lifetime customer value by understanding how our products and services can better serve the customer's needs.
Finance: Keeping clear visibility of the numbers to make sure cashflow, P&L and balance sheet performance are all trending in the right direction.
Talent: Identifying people's strengths and matching them to the core needs of the business.
Technology: Recognising that software and AI are creating huge efficiencies for the businesses willing to embrace change instead of standing still.
What I'm not good at
Specialist Experience: My technical knowledge of a business's products and services is low, but I enjoy learning from the specialists who do that job well.
Going Slow: I believe the best way to improve is to experiment. Taking massive action, making mistakes and iterating, as quickly as possible. It's always served me well, but not everyone feels as comfortable embracing that pace of change.
Life outside of business.
Father and husband.
Exploring the world with these two wonderful humans.
Countryside living.
Living in the peaceful Leicestershire countryside.
Avid golfer.
Working on my handicap when time, weather and wife permit.
Let's have a conversation.
If you're thinking about selling your business and would like to have a conversation to explore what working together could look like, I'd love to hear from you.
