New Episode: In the Trenches- 7 Months Into Operating a £1M+ EBITDA SME

April 04, 2025
by a searcher from University of KwaZulu-Natal in United Kingdom
Most new owners rush in....New team. New strategy. New dashboards. New everything. Not Fouzan Ali.
He bought a 32-year-old building energy systems business doing over £1M EBITDA… and for the first 3 months, he just watched.
No changes. No bold moves. Just listened, asked questions, built trust. Then?
He slowly introduced change. Trackers. Systems. Apprenticeships. A bonus scheme tied to revenue (not profit). Outsourced the non-core. Doubled manufacturing capacity. Turned around a struggling division.
All in seven months.
This episode is a rare behind-the-scenes of what really happens after the acquisition dust settles.
Not theory. Not frameworks. Just one operator in the trenches. Enjoy!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mfZLyAtfBYyadvR93Ggo7?si=JesZ6kFTRXmDgvYgfyYQqg
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-the-trenches-7-months-into-operating-a-%C2%A31m/id1585550753?i=###-###-####
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For searchers based in Europe!! Buy and Build is launching the next Acquisition Accelerator in June. If you are looking to acquire the right business, quicker- you should consider joining. We have panels and presentations covering deal origination, closing deals, due diligence best practices, financial modelling, debt fundraising, equity fundraising, and more. Learn more here: https://www.buyandbuildaccelerator.com/