In this week’s episode, Jonathan sits down with his long-term legal partner, John Andrews, for a masterclass on the legal do’s and don’ts of buying a business.

With over 250 deals completed for Dealmakers clients and three decades of M&A experience, John shares the essential legal knowledge every buyer needs — especially if you’re serious about avoiding costly mistakes.

Whether you’re preparing for your first deal or scaling up your acquisition strategy, this episode gives you the legal edge to navigate deals with confidence.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why a Shareholders’ Agreement is Crucial — and why skipping it can cost you dearly later
• How to Choose the Right Lawyer — and why not all solicitors are qualified to handle M&A
• What Goes into a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) — and the key clauses that protect you
• The Three Types of Due Diligence — and how each one helps avoid nasty surprises
• The True Cost of Legal Work — from fixed fees to due diligence and abortive deal risks
• Asset Purchase vs. Share Purchase — the pros, cons, and tax implications of each
• What to Expect During the Completion Process — and why most deals are now done digitally
• The Most Common Legal Mistakes Buyers Make — and how to avoid them
• How to Avoid Overpaying or Becoming a “Motivated Buyer” — and stay in control of negotiations
• Why a Strong Legal Team on Both Sides Speeds Up the Deal — and can save you thousands

If you’ve ever wondered what your lawyer should really be doing for you — or how to make sure your deal doesn’t unravel at the last minute — this episode pulls back the curtain on the legal side of business buying.

🎧 Listen now and get legally savvy:

👉 Listen on Spotify

👉 Find all episodes at dealmakers.co.uk

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Book a Clarity Call (free, no obligation) → dealmakers.co.uk/clarity
• Jonathan’s YouTube Channel → youtube.com/@JonathanJayDealmaker
• Subscribe to the Business Buying Strategies Podcast archive → dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

If you enjoyed this Q&A format and want Jonathan to do more, let him know by leaving a comment or review!

And if you’re serious about buying your first (or next) business, book your free clarity call today: dealmakers.co.uk/clarity

In this episode, Jonathan does something a little different: a live Q&A session with listeners and aspiring dealmakers. You’ll hear real, unscripted questions from entrepreneurs across the UK (and beyond) – and Jonathan’s direct, practical answers drawn from decades of dealmaking experience.

In This Episode

• Why traditional “day-one finance + deferred consideration” deals are becoming outdated.
• The big difference between the “vanilla” advice on YouTube and the full-flavour strategies inside Mastermind.
• Should you start with a small (£500k turnover, 5 staff) business – or aim higher?
• Why franchises are often jobs masquerading as businesses (and what to do instead).
• How to buy businesses abroad (Spain, Canada, etc.) and whether the process differs from the UK.
• What percentage of people actually buy a business after joining Mastermind – and why effort is the deciding factor.
• Why brokers are a trap for first-time buyers (and what to do instead).
• The truth about legal and professional fees – and why the business you buy pays them, not you.
• A reality check: why targeting £5–10m EBITDA in 18 months is unrealistic – and what is possible.
• What to do if management buys out the owner while you’re negotiating a deal.
• Is it better to buy near you, or can you run a business from afar?

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Three-Day Foundation Programme → dealmakers.co.uk/foundation (limited to 40 people per intake).
• Book a Clarity Call (free, no obligation) → dealmakers.co.uk/clarity
• Jonathan’s YouTube Channel → youtube.com/@JonathanJayDealmaker
• Subscribe to the Business Buying Strategies Podcast archive → dealmakerspodcast.co.uk

Key Takeaway

Every question reveals the same truth: success in business acquisition isn’t about finding a “magic formula” – it’s about having the right process, guidance, and deal flow. The people who follow the system always end up buying businesses.

Listen Now

If you enjoyed this Q&A format and want Jonathan to do more, let him know by leaving a comment or review!

And if you’re serious about buying your first (or next) business, book your free clarity call today: dealmakers.co.uk/clarity

In this week’s episode of Business Buying Strategies, Jonathan speaks with Neil — a former accountant who lost his job in early 2020 and built a million-pound business in just five years.

Neil shares how he went from doing the odd tax return to running a team of 12, managing 650 clients, and completing three acquisitions in just two years. You’ll hear how he turned redundancy into opportunity, overcame the chaos of COVID, and used acquisitions — not marketing — to scale rapidly and strategically.

• How Neil built his business from scratch during lockdown

• Why acquiring 100 clients in a day beats signing 5 clients a month

• What he learned from buying a micro business — and what he did differently the next time

• The behind-the-scenes reality of two back-to-back acquisitions in 2024

• How he transformed from overworked solo founder to true business owner with a team and systems

• The mindset shift that turned Neil into a dealmaker — and future investor

• 00:30 – Intro: Meet Neil, from redundancy to dealmaker

• 04:00 – Starting a business with two months of savings

• 07:00 – His first acquisition: a micro business and proof of concept

• 11:00 – Deal two: 100 clients added in a single day

• 15:30 – Deal three: A 350-client acquisition and a management overhaul

• 21:00 – Letting go, building systems, and becoming the owner

• 26:00 – Dealing with challenges: TUPE, communication, and integration

• 30:00 – What’s next: succession, EOTs, and giving back

• 34:00 – Final thoughts: De-risking, legacy, and your next chapter

Download Jonathan’s free book: https://dealmakers.co.uk/free-book

Or explore our trainings at: https://dealmakers.co.uk

** Looking for a great acquisition lawyer in the UK? Use mine! **

If you are looking for a lawyer in the UK to help you get the deal over the line, then use my own lawyer, John Andrews. You can phone his office at (0345) 2412494 or email him at johnandrews.deallawyer@jmw.co.uk.

Ready to get started?

Here’s how you can start your business buying journey…

Download our free Business Buying Toolkit
https://dealmakers.co.uk/business-buying-toolkit

Join our Business Acquisition FastTrack programme
https://www.dealmakers.co.uk/fast

Already bought a business?

if you've already bought a business, you should be part of my Inner Circle group where we discuss raising capital, integration management, and exiting. Email Maria on hello@thedealmakersacademy.com for more information.