Phase 2 · Strategy & Planning · From Idea to Executable Plan
Management Buyout Advisory
The management team that runs the business every day is often the best buyer of it — if they can structure and fund the acquisition.
Management buyout advisory is the guidance for the management team considering or pursuing the acquisition of the business they currently manage — from the initial assessment of whether an MBO is feasible through the financing structure, the negotiation with the selling shareholders, and the post-completion management of the business as its new owners.
The Pain We Solve
You may recognise yourself in one of these.
Three audience scenarios · because the same service produces a different transformation depending on where you are in the business journey.
Scenario 1
The management team that has been told the business is for sale and wants to explore whether they can buy it rather than see it sold to a third party
The business is going to market. The management team believes it has the skills and the commitment to run it independently, and would prefer to own it rather than work for whoever buys it. They do not know whether an MBO is financially feasible, how to approach it, or whether the seller would entertain a management bid.
Scenario 2
The management team that has been offered an MBO opportunity but has never been a buyer and is uncertain about the process and its exposure
The opportunity has been presented. The management team is interested. And they have no experience of the MBO process — the financial modelling, the debt structuring, the private equity relationship, or the legal complexities of acquiring the business they work for.
Scenario 3
The MBO team that has secured backing in principle from a private equity investor but is uncertain how to manage the relationship to protect the management's interests
The PE investor has expressed interest. The term sheet has been received. The management team does not have experience of PE relationships and does not know which of the proposed terms are standard, which are negotiable, and which would materially affect their returns and their operational freedom post-completion.
The Impact It Creates
The Moment You Will Feel the Difference.
MBO feasibility assessed — financial viability, funding availability, and process realism
MBO financing structured — debt, equity, and management co-investment
PE investor relationship managed to protect management's interests
MBO completion achieved so the management team owns the business they run
What You Receive
The Specific Deliverables.
Tangible outputs · documented, dated, and yours to keep.
- MBO feasibility assessment — value, funding requirement, and management co-investment
- Financial modelling — returns under different scenarios and debt structures
- Funding strategy — debt, private equity, and management investment
- PE investor identification and approach
- Term sheet negotiation support
- MBO completion management
The Outcome
Where You Will Be on the Other Side.
The management team completes the acquisition of the business they run — with the financing structured to give them the equity upside the risk justifies and the PE relationship structured to give them the operational freedom the business needs.
Primary Focus
Advising management teams through the feasibility, financing, and completion of the management buyout that transitions them from managers to owners.
KPI Measurement
- MBO completion vs management ambition
- Equity returns vs management investment
- PE relationship quality post-completion
- Debt structure sustainability post-MBO
- Management team performance and retention post-completion
Investment & ROI
Pricing Engineered Around the Value You Create.
Every engagement is sized against the value we believe we can create with you · the fee is always a fraction of the outcome. Four tiers · so the investment matches your stage of business.
Tier 1
Foundations
£5,000 – £15,000
Right for
Pre-startup, startup, and micro-business founders ready to build on evidence rather than instinct.
Typical Value Created
£100K+ in sharper resource allocation and avoided strategic missteps
Engagement
4 – 8 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 2
Acceleration
£15,000 – £50,000
Right for
Growing SMEs and established small businesses ready to scale a working model into the next revenue band.
Typical Value Created
£500K – £3M in faster execution and pipeline acceleration
Engagement
8 – 16 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 3
Transformation
£50,000 – £250,000
Right for
Medium enterprises and scale-stage businesses ready to commit to a multi-quarter, organisation-wide shift.
Typical Value Created
£2M – £20M in strategic value through repositioning, model redesign, and growth-system installation
Engagement
3 – 9 months
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 4
Enterprise
£250,000 – £2M+
Right for
Large enterprises, global operators, and complex organisations ready for a multi-year strategic partnership.
Typical Value Created
£10M+ in major strategic initiatives, capital deployment efficiency, and competitive repositioning
Engagement
12 months and onward
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Why We Price This Way
Every engagement is sized around the value we believe we can create with you. The fee is always a fraction of the outcome · typically 10 – 20% of the expected first-year return.
This is how we make sure pricing aligns with results. The conversation is never “what does this cost?” · it is always “what is this worth to your business?” We answer that together in the first call, transparently, and decide the right tier from there.
If we cannot articulate a credible 5–10× return for your specific situation, we will tell you in the first call. That honesty is part of why our clients trust us with the work that matters most.
Why This Conversation Matters
“The MBO is the moment when the people who built the value of a business become the owners of it. The process is complex, the risks are real, and the rewards are potentially transformational. We guide the team through the process — from the first conversation to the completion day celebration.”
A 90-minute structured strategy session · produces a usable roadmap whether you engage further or not.
More in Phase 2