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The M&A Zing

The M&A Zing

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 M&A Zing: Weekly Insights for SMB M&A, Search Funds, HoldCo Builders and Acquisition Entrepreneurs. Each week we dive-in to topics and challenges that impact SMB Succession, and explore the highs and lows of Searching, Acquiring, Owning, Operating and Exiting small and medium-sized businesses.2025 BizCrunch.co Management & Leadership Ökonomie
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  • S2 Ep8: M&A Zing (S2EP8) - Buy Side Breakdown: Driver Training, Haulage & Storage Business for Sale

    S2 Ep8: M&A Zing (S2EP8) - Buy Side Breakdown: Driver Training, Haulage & Storage Business for Sale
    Aug 27 2025
    In this week’s Buy Side Breakdown, Alfie is joined by colleague Toby Johnson to assess a logistics and transport company currently listed for sale in North West England.

    The business has three distinct revenue streams: professional driver training, haulage operations, and pallet storage; with a reported £2.5m turnover and £700k gross profit. The asking price is £1m plus fleet, plant, and equipment, raising questions about valuation, cash flow, and deal structure.

    Topics covered include:

    How to interpret gross vs. net profit in listings

    Why excluding assets from the asking price raises red flags

    The impact of industry dynamics: driver shortages, turnover, and mandatory training

    Value (and risks) of diversification across training, haulage, and warehousing

    Family-run businesses, succession, and owner-dependence

    Possible deal structures: asset-backed lending, NAV-based deals, and earnouts

    Operational questions: staff retention, accreditations, systems, and scalability

    Expansion potential in training (digitisation, college partnerships, repeat certifications)

    Ultimately, both Alfie and Toby conclude this listing raises more questions than answers, band without clearer financials, they’d call it a pass.

    Listing link: https://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/driver-training-transport-haulage-storage-warehousing-for-sale.aspx

    ⏱ Timestamps

    [00:12] Introduction & Toby joins as guest host
    [01:28] Overview of the business: driver training, haulage, storage
    [02:14] Asking price, turnover and gross profit headline numbers
    [03:29] Industry averages, gross vs. net profit questions
    [04:08] Assets excluded from asking price — a red flag?
    [05:52] Revenue mix: training vs. haulage vs. storage
    [07:05] Haulage accounts for £1.8m turnover; is training/storage meaningful?
    [08:18] UK driver shortage, COVID impact & training school value
    [09:22] Driver turnover, wages and industry challenges
    [11:12] Repeat training requirements & recurring revenue opportunity
    [12:22] Staff, capacity, and scalability of the training school
    [13:38] Full complement of staff, what does that mean?
    [14:38] Family-run, 15-year track record & industry accreditations
    [15:36] Staff retention, owner knowledge, and succession risks
    [17:52] Deal structure ideas: NAV, asset-backed lending, goodwill premium
    [20:25] Overheads, staff, and true net profit questions
    [21:20] Multiples, asset values, and valuation concerns
    [22:25] Back office systems, regulatory complexity, and efficiency
    [23:34] Expansion opportunities in training and digitisation
    [24:36] Family business dynamics & local goodwill risks
    [25:27] Why no family succession? Red flag on true profitability
    [27:02] Who this business might suit (roll-ups, industry insiders)
    [27:32] Scalability questions - training utilisation & warehousing
    [28:23] Conclusion - Buy or Pass?
    [29:56] Toby: Pass; Alfie: Pass (pending more info)
    [31:18] Final thoughts, community call, and event plug

    💬 Join the BizCrunch community to discuss live deals and swap insights with fellow acquirers: https://www.bizcrunch.co/community

    📚 Explore more resources on SMB M&A and off-market sourcing at www.bizcrunch.co

    ETA Awards: https://www.geraldedelman.com/events/eta-awards-2025-2/
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    33 Min.
  • S2 Ep8: M&A Zing (S2EP7) - Cold Outreach for Acquisitions: Connect with Owners and Unlock Off-Market Deals

    S2 Ep8: M&A Zing (S2EP7) - Cold Outreach for Acquisitions: Connect with Owners and Unlock Off-Market Deals
    Aug 21 2025
    In this special solo edition of M&A Zing, Alfie dives deep into one of the most misunderstood parts of the acquisition process: outreach.

    Finding companies to buy is only the start, earning conversations with owners is what turns research into real opportunities. In this episode, you’ll learn both the manual way to run cold outreach and the modern tools that simplify the process.

    Covered in this episode:

    - Why outreach matters more than just building lists
    - The building blocks of a good target list (manual vs. tools)
    - How to set up new domains, DNS records, and inbox warm-ups properly
    - Writing cold emails that actually get replies (the “Why them, Why now, What you want” framework)
    - Why follow-ups and letters often make the difference with retiring owners
    - Tools for sending campaigns manually or at scale
    - Legal and ethical considerations of B2B outreach under GDPR
    - How BizCrunch takes care of the technical setup so you can focus on conversations

    Whether you’re sending your very first cold email or refining a professionalised search process, this episode gives you a field guide to doing outreach the right way.

    Timestamps:

    [00:13] Welcome & why a solo outreach deep dive
    [01:35] Using timestamps; tailoring to experience levels
    [02:49] Why outreach matters in acquisitions
    [03:07] Finding companies vs earning owner conversations
    [04:01] Rising competition (ETA) & the off‑market edge
    [04:25] Step 1: list building
    [05:17] Define precise criteria (rev/sector/geo/owner profile)
    [06:02] Free sources: Companies House, Google, associations
    [07:07] Cleaning data & finding decision‑maker emails
    [07:25] Tooling spectrum: manual ↔ premium databases ↔ BizCrunch
    [08:22] Middle ground: credit tools & trade‑offs
    [10:01] Your list quality drives campaign performance
    [10:20] Don’t blast from personal inbox; blacklisting risk
    [10:39] Setup: new domain & dedicated inboxes
    [11:05] DNS essentials: SPF, DKIM, DMARC
    [15:28] Inbox warm‑up: tools, timing, deliverability
    [18:49] Writing emails that get replies (plain‑text, concise)
    [19:14] Framework: Why them / Why now / What you want (+ Who you are)
    [22:07] Example first email to an owner
    [23:19] Follow‑ups & letters; sequencing that works
    [24:56] Staying top‑of‑mind; multiple touches
    [25:34] Sending options: manual, Gmail mail‑merge, platforms
    [27:29] Platforms & tracking; when integrated tools help
    [29:13] Letters + email = effective combo (retiring owners)
    [30:14] Legal: GDPR + PECR for B2B outreach
    [31:27] Avoid personal emails & PSC/home addresses
    [33:07] BizCrunch demo: filters → insights → list → campaign
    [35:52] You focus on copy; tech handled for you
    [36:12] Recap: outreach process in a nutshell
    [36:29] Outro & how to connect


    Join our community of acquirers and searchers to share outreach:
    https://www.bizcrunch.co/community

    Learn about DNS:
    https://www.cloudflare.com/en-gb/learning/dns/what-is-dns/

    Gmail & Sheets Mail Merge:
    https://developers.google.com/apps-script/samples/automations/mail-merge

    Connect with Alfie:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfie-lambert/
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    37 Min.
  • S2 Ep6: M&A Zing (S2EP6) - Jan-Marc Pickhan’s Playbook: Transforming UK Engineering SMEs Through Acquisition

    S2 Ep6: M&A Zing (S2EP6) - Jan-Marc Pickhan’s Playbook: Transforming UK Engineering SMEs Through Acquisition
    Aug 13 2025
    This week on M&A Zing, Gareth sits down with Jan-Marc Pickhan, a serial acquirer who has built three engineering groups - Allied Global Engineering, GE Engineering, and Suffolk ES Solutions - comprising five companies across the North West and West Midlands.

    Jan-Marc’s journey took him from a decade-long corporate career at Schneider Electric in Germany, Switzerland, and France to relocating to the UK to oversee and grow mature owner-led engineering businesses. He discusses:

    👉 Cultural transformation: moving from closed, owner-led environments to open, transparent, trust-based workplaces.

    👉 Tackling “tribal knowledge” and undocumented processes that threaten operational continuity.

    👉 Applying German precision and British grit to leadership - direct, transparent, but adaptable.

    👉 Leveraging technology and AI tools (including Microsoft Copilot) to solve problems, speed up processes, and cut costs.

    👉 Navigating the skilled labour shortage in UK manufacturing and the need to invest in training pipelines.

    👉 The reality of post-acquisition transformation: restructuring, bottleneck removal, and strategic automation.

    👉 Why getting hands-on in every role post-acquisition accelerates understanding and builds credibility with teams.

    If you’re considering acquiring a traditional SME—particularly in engineering—this episode offers candid insights into the challenges and opportunities of transforming these businesses for the future.

    Timestamps
    [00:00] Introduction to Jan-Marc Pickhan and his acquisition journey
    [01:23] From Schneider Electric to UK SME ownership
    [03:31] Overview of the three engineering groups acquired
    [05:09] Leadership style – German precision meets British grit
    [06:50] Building a culture of openness and trust
    [09:04] Fixing owner-led, “tribal knowledge” businesses
    [11:44] Common bottlenecks in back-office and production
    [14:27] Why engineering SMEs? The undervalued backbone of UK industry
    [17:20] Seller profiles and succession realities
    [19:02] Buying transformation opportunities vs. turnkey businesses
    [20:17] The ongoing journey of transformation
    [22:30] Engineering at a crossroads – traditional vs. transformative
    [26:06] Adopting AI tools like Microsoft Copilot in manufacturing
    [31:29] Skilled labour shortages and recruitment challenges
    [36:44] Advice to past self: directors should work in the business early
    [40:39] Immersive leadership – learning from the shop floor
    [44:33] Cultivating continuous improvement from within
    [45:21] Goals for the next 12 months – automation and efficiency
    [46:13] How to connect with Jan-Marc and his message for sellers

    Useful Links & Resources:

    Connect with Jan-Marc Pickhan on LinkedIn
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmarcpickhan

    Join the BizCrunch Acquisition Community
    https://www.bizcrunch.co/community
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    48 Min.
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