How a former corporate finance leader moved into business acquisition, chose the HVAC sector, completed his first deal, secured acquisition finance, and built a plan for a 50 million turnover group.
Listen to the EpisodeEpisode 166 | Runtime: 27:38 | Audio Episode
Hear Sam Turner's practical account of leaving corporate life, selecting the HVAC market, finding his first acquisition, using lending, and planning a focused buy and build strategy.
Three practical acquisition lessons from Sam Turner's move from corporate executive to HVAC dealmaker.
Sam found that deal flow, industry insight, seller conversations, and credibility all improved once he stopped looking across random sectors and committed to HVAC and complementary services.
By working with an experienced sector contact, Sam strengthened seller confidence, improved technical conversations, and reduced the risk of appearing like a purely financial buyer.
Sam approached lenders with a wider buy and build plan, not just a single acquisition, which helped secure funding support for the first deal and future acquisitions.
In this episode, Jonathan Jay speaks with Sam Turner, a former corporate executive and finance director who left a senior role in travel and tourism to become an acquisition entrepreneur. Sam explains why he wanted more autonomy, flexibility, and direct accountability, then describes how Jonathan's programme helped him move from research mode into a clear business buying plan.
The conversation focuses on Sam's decision to target the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning market. He discusses the problem with scattergun acquisition search, the value of choosing a sector, how he used his network to find an off market opportunity, and why bringing in sector experience helped him build credibility with sellers.
Sam also breaks down the mechanics of his first deal, including heads of terms, renegotiation after updated numbers, due diligence noise, external lending, investor support, and the difference between forced integration and an autonomous business unit model. He closes by sharing his ambition to build a 50 million turnover group with around 4 million EBITDA before a potential exit.
Discover how to acquire your first business in 100 days without risking your own money. Complete the form to receive your toolkit immediately.