No one likes a nasty surprise. And that certainly applies to business owners and investors. You do not want to build a strategy around exports only to find yourself in the middle of a trade war.

In the Spring edition of UK Private Company Director, Jim Keeling shares a clear message: there is always something looming – Brexit, the pandemic, Ukraine, Trump’s tariffs – but the best business owners find ways to adapt. They lead with purpose, build resilient companies and keep going, even when the headlines are full of uncertainty.

One of the things we enjoy most is meeting people with that kind of drive – who have built something real and are taking advantage of all the opportunities and supportive factors that tend to get pushed out of the headlines by the scare stories.

And when the time comes for them to sell, we like helping them find a buyer who is right for the business they have built, so that the value they have created over the years can not only be realised financially but continued into the future.

Deal volumes dipped in the first quarter of this year. But activity has not stopped, and the mood in the market is still fairly upbeat. Our latest survey shows a healthy appetite for deals, even if there is a little more caution in the air. Buyers want to feel confident – in the team, the numbers and the future growth story.

The key is preparation – and being the kind of business buyers want to own.

Read the newsletter here.