A sale opportunity can appear with little notice. Whether the business is ready for that moment usually comes down to the preparation that started before it.
Strong financials are the starting point, but buyers often look deeper, whether it’s owner dependency, customer concentration, undocumented systems, or unsecured revenue.
This piece outlines the patterns I encounter regularly, and why earlier planning can strengthen the owner’s position.
There are some valuation conversations that don’t stay like that.
You start by assessing value, and end up questioning viability.
In this piece, I reflect on how those conversations evolve, and why timing often determines whether options remain available.
👉 Read the full blog here for the complete breakdown:
Escalation doesn’t usually start with insolvency.
It starts months earlier, with tightening cash, growing ATO arrears, stretched facilities, and subtle behavioural shifts that advisers notice before anyone else.
By the time a DPN arrives or a creditor moves, options are already narrower.
I’ve set out the warning signs I see most often after late escalation, and why earlier involvement can preserve value and protect the adviser relationship.
👉 Read the full blog here for the complete breakdown
Strong revenue doesn’t always mean a healthy business.
Early in the year, I often see cash quietly tighten - debtor days drift, tax slips, overdrafts stay maxed, and pressure builds behind the scenes.
I’ve set out what I check first when revenue is masking risk, and how to stabilise the situation without damaging the client relationship.
👉 Read the full blog here for the complete breakdown
January often tells advisers more than clients are ready to hear.
Q4 reviews surface patterns early – cash tightening, compliance slipping, behaviour shifting. None of it dramatic on its own, but together it can quietly narrow options if left too long.
I’ve shared a practical, non-alarmist way to think about January warning signs and what tends to help before pressure escalates – for advisers and their clients.
Worth saving for your next review conversation.
This year, many SMEs felt pressure building from every angle. What stood out to me was how often these pressures arrived together.
Heading into 2026, I believe early action around cash flow, risk and funding flexibility is essential.
I’ve outlined the key trends and priorities I’m seeing across industries and how SME’s can prepare for 2026.
👉 Read the full blog to here for the complete breakdown.
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