Nick Bradley

Most founders leave millions on the table when they exit. Not because they built bad businesses - because they optimized for revenue instead of enterprise value.

I bridge the gap between founder-led businesses and investor-grade companies. I work exclusively with founders targeting 8-9 figure exits, and with PE firms and Family Offices optimizing their portfolio - applying the same strategic and operational frameworks to both.

The difference comes down to infrastructure. Buyers pay premiums for businesses that run on systems, not heroics. Where leadership is developed, not dependent on the founder. Where growth is predictable and margins are protected.

This isn’t 6-month “exit prep.” It’s 12-36 month transformation work - installing the operational rigor, financial discipline, and strategic planning that institutional buyers demand and PE sponsors require from portfolio companies.

My Background:

I spent 10 years as a Private Equity CEO and Operating Partner across 27 transactions totaling $5B+ in exits. I’ve sat on both sides of the table - building businesses and evaluating them for acquisition. I’m also the author of “Exit for Millions”, the #1 bestseller on building businesses for premium exits.

How We Work:

FOUNDERS

Building enterprise value: 12-month group mentoring program for scale-stage founders focused on creating predictable revenue, leveraged operations, and consistent cash flow.

Preparing for exit: 30-day intensive showing what your business is worth today, what it could be worth, what’s limiting value, and the roadmap to close the gap.

INVESTORS 

Operating partner engagements for portfolio companies needing growth, scale, turnaround work, or exit optimization.

Our mission: To build and install the infrastructure and discipline that compounds enterprise value.

📧 nick@highvalueexit.com

CEO & Founder, Exit Specialist / Business Scale-Up Mentor

We Help Successful CEOs, Founders, & Entrepreneurs Build High Value, High-Impact, Exitable Businesses.

​Our passion is empowering growth-minded business owners to scale rapidly towards a high-value exit and ultimately, freedom.

That’s why we’ve developed exclusive masterminds, full-service partnerships, and dedicated support to accelerate your impact, and give you back the power and control you deserve.

Our Scale-to-Sale Methodology is the result of 60+ years of combined experience with private equity firms and business transactions, designed specifically for rapid scale toward financial independence.

In working with us, you will gain the focus, direction, and momentum to intentionally and consistently grow your company’s value…

Giving you the leverage and power you need to generate rapid, impressive growth, and with it, the freedom to live your life on your terms.

Three words PE firms repeat constantly:

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

If your business doesn’t tick all three boxes, they walk.

Here’s what each actually means:

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:

Not “we had a great quarter.” But “we can forecast revenue 90 days ahead within 10% accuracy.”

Revenue isn’t random. It’s systematic. You know where it comes from and when.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:

Not “our founder landed an incredible deal.” But “our process generates 40-60 qualified leads monthly regardless of who’s running it.”

Success isn’t heroic. It’s documented. Anyone following the system gets the same result.

𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:

Not “we’re growing fast by burning cash.” But “we’re profitable at scale and our unit economics prove it.”

Growth doesn’t require founder sacrifice. The business funds its own expansion.

PE firms are militaristic about this.

Randomness is risk. Uncertainty is risk. Risk kills multiples.

I’ve watched them walk from $30M EBITDA businesses because revenue was unpredictable.

And I’ve watched them pay premium for $8M EBITDA businesses because everything was systematic.

𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? 𝗢𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲?

#PrivateEquity #BusinessSystems #PredictableRevenue #ScaleUp #InvestorGrade #SystematicGrowth #ExitStrategy

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Adam Strong

You’re brilliant at what you do. Highly credible and an expert in your field. So why does growing your M&A practice feel like a constant battle for the same handful of deals?

The market has changed. Your firm's biggest risk isn't another law firm; it's clinging to an old model while your clients are left navigating the biggest decision of their lives, alone.

As a founder who has scaled and exited, I can tell you a startling truth: only 18% of business owners ever successfully exit. Many see the process as too complex and frightening. I speak to baby boomers every week who, lacking a plan, are about to just wind down their life's work. All that blood, sweat, and tears gone.

They don't need another transactional lawyer. They need a strategic guide.

And that's where you come in.

My own journey took me from training alongside Sir Mo Farah—where I learned that strategy always beats raw hustle to building and exiting my own company. That experience gave me the blueprint for what founders actually need from their advisors.

I help M&A teams build a 'strategic exit advisory' function. It’s a framework that transforms your practice from a late-stage legal service into an early stage strategic partner.

This shift allows you to:

✅ Solve a bigger problem. Move beyond legal mechanics to guide founders through their entire exit journey, building immense trust and value.

✅ Create your own deal flow. Attract a pipeline of loyal clients by helping them prepare for an exit, long before they're on the market.

✅ Make your firm the undisputed choice. Develop the human-centric, strategic guidance that no competitor or AI platform can ever replicate.

You already have the legal expertise. I provide the system to turn that expertise into the market-leading solution that anxious founders are desperately searching for.

If you’re a Managing Partner or a Founder of a M&A law firm and you're ready to stop competing on price and start winning on value, let's talk.

Send me a direct message with the word "Advisor".

Founder

>>>For Six/ Seven Figure Business Owners
Would you like to discover greater clarity and direction in your business?
Do you need more accountability to help you fast track your results?
Would you like to achieve freedom and build a business on your terms?

I SOLVE THIS.
 
The Game Changers Inner Circle is a mastermind programme for six/ seven figure business owners that are ready to scale their business. Every business is different there isn’t a one size fits all approach . Through our mastermind programme we offer insight and prospectives to challenge your ideas 💡 and way of thinking. Our programme is built on three principles human connection, collaboration and community.  
The inner circle is by VIP invitation only. Through a combination of strategy, masterminding and accountability we aim to provide our clients with the tools for creating exponential growth. Interested in learning more? Then join waiting list for more info https://www.thebusinessstrategist.global/inner-circle-application

Your law firm doesn't have a USP

You think you do.

But you sound exactly like every other firm.

• We work hard.
• We're professional.
• Our team has 150 years of combined experience.
• Established since 1987.

Here's what I've learnt in 33 years of building and exiting businesses:

To a founder preparing to exit, none of that matters.

• They don't care how long you've been around.
• They don't care how many hours you bill.
• They don't care about your team photo on the website.

They care about one thing:

Can you help them get the exit they actually want?

Look, most law firms show up at the end of the deal.

You draft documents, tick the boxes and protect the downside.

But founders don't want a legal firm that is interested in making money.

They want someone who helps them become exit-ready from day one.

Someone who understands valuation drivers.
Someone who spots the gaps before buyers do.
Someone who positions them for maximum value.

That's what a real USP looks like in a founder's eyes.

Everything else is irrelevant.

If you're a law firm ready to stop blending in and start leading exits from the beginning, our waitlist is almost full for our live workshop on February 10th in London.

It's closing at 5pm tomorrow and exclusively for 8-10 firms. Want to be one of them?

DM me "WAITLIST" and I'll send details.

I helped one founder increase his client acquisition and conversions by 50% in just a few weeks. Here’s the 5 step framework we used.

Bob (not his real name) ran a £2M consultancy.

He was brilliant at delivery and his clients loved the work.

But when it came to new business it was total chaos.

One month he'd land three clients from speaking at a conference. Next month, nothing. He was burning £8K on ads that brought in tyre-kickers. Running webinars that got 40 sign-ups and 3 show-ups.

He was doing everything but couldn't control any of it.

To fix it wasn't to add more layers.

But to create the perfect repeatable system that turned prospects into paying clients every single week.

This is what we built:

1. Ditch big events and run small workshops

Limited spaces feel exclusive. Prospects get more attention, ask better questions and interact with your presentation. It has a higher perceived value with half the effort.

2. Map the buyer journey

Workshop → £997 intro programme → £20K advisory package.

Knowing where your prospects come from and their predicted behaviour helps to test demand for the offers.

Over 50% of intro buyers converted to high-ticket. We built it that way on purpose.

3. Charge something upfront

Free gets sign-ups. Paid gets commitment. Even £29 tripled his show-up rate and separated the time wasters from the serious buyers.

4. Treat every event like data

We tracked cost per lead, show rate, conversion at every stage. Tweaked the ads, the pitch, the follow-up. Stopped guessing, started tracking what actually worked.

How do you know something is working or not without tracking the numbers?

5. Document it so anyone can deliver it

We created a series of playbooks including scripts, slides, email sequences and objection handling.

His team could run workshops without him. Same results, zero founder dependency. Bob could step back and everything still worked in fact it was better.

That's the difference between a system that lives in your head and one that actually runs the business.

If your client acquisition feels like a lottery, this works.

Which of these 5 steps are you missing in your client acquisition right now 1-5?

Take my Exit Readiness Assessment. You'll get a personalised scorecard showing exactly where you're founder-dependent and the strategic moves to build a self-managing, sellable business.

Link in my featured section.

We just got ranked #2 in the UK for best leadership/management podcasts.

And #6 for best self-help.

Feels bloody good to say that out loud.

But what really matters?

We're in 57+ countries now.
Top 1.5% globally.
Thousands of founders tuning in every week.

And it's not because we're polished or perfect.

It's because we talk about the real stuff.

The burnout. The golden cage. The exit you're scared to plan for.

I bring on founders who've been there.
Experts who actually know their stuff.
And we cut through the noise.

No fluff. No generic advice.
Just strategy, systems and stories that help you scale without losing yourself.

If you've listened, shared an episode, or told someone in your network about it—thank you.

This is for every founder who's stuck working 'in' the business and wants a way out.

There's a lot more to come.

Have you tuned in yet? 

P:S: Big thanks to our strategic partners Adam Benedict and Xentum Financial Planning 

P:P:S: Can your company help our listeners? Interested in becoming strategic partners? DM me for more info

This business is my baby. I'm never going to sell it.

I was speaking to a founder last week who said exactly that.

So I asked her one question:

Will staying in the business forever move you closer to your ultimate vision… or further away?

She went quiet.

Because she realised what I did years ago.

An exit isn't about walking away.

It's about building a business that can thrive without you.

You don't need to want an exit.

But you do need to build like someone who could.

Because life happens. Your health can change instantly and markets shift constantly.

And if you're still chained to the day-to-day, you'll never scale your legacy.

Over 33 years of building and exiting businesses, I've learned:

I use this 5-point audit with clients to assess exit readiness:

1. Clarity: Can your team make decisions without you? If you're unclear on direction, your team will be too.

2. Self-Mastery: Are you Chief Doer or Chief Visionary? Your role as a founder is to create new ideas, not manage the day-to-day.

3. Team: Do you trust them to run operations? If you don't trust them, you're still the bottleneck in everything.

4. Growth Engine: Can you generate leads without being involved? A business relying on one person cuts off its own blood supply.

5. Systemisation: Could you take 4 weeks off right now? Systems don't remove the human touch, they save you time and money.

Which number (1–5) is your biggest bottleneck?

P.S. How exit ready are you? Comment 'EXIT' to get access to our assessment tool

A founder told me last week:

"I want to grow. But I don't want to be visible."

"I don't want to brag and look salesy."

That's when it clicked for me.

It wasn't imposter syndrome.

It wasn't lack of time.

It was a fundamental misunderstanding of what personal branding actually is.

I know I used to think the same.

What personal branding is NOT:

- Self-promotion: Not shouting how great you are. Showing up consistently with value.

- Ego-driven: Not "look at me." Being genuinely helpful to people who need what you know.

- Inconsistency: Not posting when you feel like it. Building trust through reliability.

Personal branding isn't vanity.
It's commercial strategy.

Use the ABCDE Framework below to build your brand:

Appearance: How you show up visually matters. Your headshot, your environment, your presentation.

Does it reflect your values or are you copying what everyone else does? If you advise C-suite clients, show up like you belong in their world.

Behaviour: How people feel after they've dealt with you. Are you the same person in the room as you are online?

Do you share your struggles as well as your wins? Charisma isn't fake energy. It's real engagement.

Communication: Listen first, then speak. Your words, tone and presence should match what you heard.

When a founder tells you they're burnt out, don't pitch. Ask what's really going on. That's how you build real connection.

Digital Footprint: Google yourself. What shows up on page 1? That's your real brand. Not what you think it is.

If the first result is an outdated LinkedIn profile or nothing at all, you're invisible to the people who matter.

Environment: Who you learn from shapes who you become. Surround yourself with people that have already achieved on the journey you're about to embark upon.

Join communities where scaling and exiting is common conversation, not pipe dreams. Attend events where the conversations match where you want to be, not where you are now.

Your business won't outgrow your personal brand.

It's something you can leverage after you exit your business.

If buyers, investors or premium clients can't find you, trust you, or understand what you stand for, your business stays invisible.

And that "I don't want to brag" mindset?

That's not humility.

That's you staying small because you're worried what people might think.

If you want to grow your business through trust and authenticity, you have to put a face to your business.

Because your brand isn't what you say it is.

It's what others say when you're not in the room.

Which of the 5 areas (ABCDE) needs the most work for you right now?

Your £5M exit just became £2.8M.


I had a conversation this week with a founder who's been running his business for 15 years.

Make seven figure revenues and has been building to exit for the past three years.

And he couldn't tell me his walk away number.

Not even a ballpark figure.

Nothing.

Less than 18% of business owners ever exit.

Most don't fail at building valuable businesses.

They fail at planning what happens after.

I've advised dozens of founders through exits.

The ones who struggle are the ones who wait too long to plan.

Financial planning doesn't start when you sign the deal. It starts 18 to 24 months before.

Without a proper plan?

You'll face a 40% tax bill that wipes out your proceeds.

Personal finances tangled with business assets.

Advisors scrambling at the last minute.

I've seen founders celebrate a £5M exit.

Then realise they're taking home £2.8M after tax, debt repayment, and earn outs.

They didn't know. Nobody told them.

Build your financial exit plan early:

1. Know your walk away number (not a guess, a real figure)
2. Structure your business to minimise tax legally
3. Separate personal wealth from business assets
4. Create a wealth plan before the exit conversation starts

Financial planning isn't boring admin.

It's what determines whether you walk away with life-changing money or regret.

If you're 12 to 24 months from exit, get your numbers sorted now.

Not when the buyer's at the table.

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