How Ray Burke used three acquisitions, broker led opportunities, invoice finance, sector knowledge, and focused deal flow to grow from £500,000 to £3.4 million in 12 months.
Listen to the EpisodeEpisode 176 | Runtime: 30:09 | Audio Episode
Hear the full conversation with Ray Burke on buying businesses, building acquisition confidence, using finance, and scaling through related companies in haulage, HGV repair, and engineering.
Episode
176
Runtime
30:09
Topic
Acquisition led growth
Format
Founder interview
Three practical lessons from Ray Burke's rapid acquisition led growth.
Ray lost months on a single broker led opportunity that never completed, then learned to keep multiple acquisition conversations moving so one slow seller could not stall the whole strategy.
Ray focused on haulage, HGV truck and trailer repair, and engineering related businesses where his operating background helped him assess risk, speak credibly with funders, and take action after completion.
Two acquisitions used invoice finance and one completed without external funding, showing how different deal structures can support growth when the buyer understands the assets, customers, and cash cycle.
In this episode, Jonathan Jay speaks with Ray Burke about moving from a £500,000 business to a £3.4 million group in just 12 months. Ray explains how he moved from start up style growth into acquisition led expansion, and why his background in machinery, plant hire, haulage, specialist drivers, and engineering gave him the confidence to buy companies in sectors he already understood.
The discussion covers the mistakes that cost time, including spending nine to 12 months on a broker led deal that did not complete. Ray explains why deal flow changed his results, how he approached leveraged buyouts, where invoice finance helped, and why sellers, brokers, accountants, solicitors, and funders all affect the speed and certainty of completion.
Jonathan and Ray also examine post acquisition logic, including cross selling between acquired businesses, using existing customer relationships, choosing locations strategically, and building a platform before buying more. The episode is a direct case study for operators who want to scale through acquisition rather than spend years grinding out organic growth.
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