Customer References
I have been working with Ken and the team for the past 7 months. Whilst I am yet to acquire a business, there has been a steady flow of opportunities presented to me through this time period. I am currently at a more advanced stage with a potential seller and am hopeful to get this over the line.
I am a Senior Finance Director within a large multinational company, I therefore have a strong grasp of Finances. That being said, the personal acquisition of a business is new to me, and throughout the process I have felt very supported by Ken and the team. Ken brings with him a wealth of personal experience, and I’m very appreciative of the guidance and advice he has been able to give to me. Ken is always keen to stress the importance of building relationships with sellers, and as Ken and the team are the people that make initial contact with sellers, it’s been great that on a number of occasions I have had feedback on how professional the initial approaches have been. It’s important that their first impressions are positive.
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I would have no hesitation in recommending Ken and the team at The Business Exchange to others, and I am looking forward to making my first acquisition with them.
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RJ (Senior Finance Director within a large multinational company and Business Buyer)
I have worked with Ken, Alyn and the team at The Business Exchange (TBX) for several years and I can’t speak highly enough of them. Their honesty, integrity and practical approach in the business transfer space is refreshing and second to none.
On a previous acquisition we had received the financials from a seller. When perusing the accounts Ken identified that the seller had undervalued a proportion of their assets. Ken advised the seller of what they needed to do. Whilst the deal didn’t go ahead the trust that was built between the seller and I was fantastic. Eighteen months later the seller reapproached me to see if I was still interested in buying their business. Ken and the team are now working on a leveraged buyout (LBO).
In 2020 in the height of the lockdown Ken supported me to buy a business in the construction space from an Insolvency Practitioner (IP). Initially the business was in administration. Unfortunately, we couldn’t agree a realistic valuation for the business with the IP. Ken advised me to walk away from the opportunity with the parting comment to the IP “I am interested in the assets and if it goes into liquidation call me”. Within 8 weeks I had acquired the business assets. Although the assets didn’t come with the goodwill, we were able to quickly reinstate the goodwill. Ken’s advice had saved me tens of thousands of pounds.
Since then, the team at TBX have helped me secure an invoice factoring facility with a specialist invoice finance company. The facility unlocks cash tied up in unpaid invoices and this will be imperative for my future buy and build LBO strategy.
Buying businesses can be challenging with lots of moving parts and interaction is everything in these circumstances. How it all fits together is where TBX excel.
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CS (MD and Business Buyer)
This is the 3rd time I have used the services of Ken, Alyn and the Business Exchange. They are always straight forward, friendly and quick to react to my business and financial planning needs. With their combined business experience and knowledge, they are able to guide and provide sensible & practical advice to navigate what can be a complicated process when structuring a deal or planning for future needs in business. I look forward to working with them again in the future.
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JH (Director and Business Plan Client)
We were contacted by The Business Exchange, as we were a possible Buyer regarding a Funeral Business for sale in South Wales, as they were acting as their Broker. While The Business Exchange was not representing us as the Buyer, I am delighted to provide a reference for them. We completed the share and property purchase. They were very professional and very efficient throughout the Buying/Sale process. Their speed of response to all communication matters was excellent. As a Business Buyer, our Funeral business would highly recommend using them on all Business Sales and Business Acquisitions. They know their business. A great family firm, so pleasant to deal with.
GG (MD and Funeral Home Business Buyer)
We are registered 'first time' Business Buyers with TBX and they are introducing us to acquisition opportunities as promised, which we are pursuing. We just asked them to assist us on the deal structure and legal documentation to allow us to acquire a Commercial Cleaning business which we found and they have been excellent in their approach and very helpful indeed. We continue to use their services. A very friendly and helpful family firm. We highly recommend them to any serious Business Buyer.
A.A (Director and Business Buyer)
Happy to provide Ken and his team at TBX a testimonial. I found a business myself and TBX provided guidance on the deal structure and they helped with the offer, Heads of Terms, Share Purchase Agreement, Loan note and all the board minutes and they liaised with the Seller's Lawyer on my behalf. They offer a good service and I would recommend using them. We continue to use them now to source Acquisitions for us and to help us raise finance and purchase them.
Darren - MD and Business Buyer
I run an Analytics & IT consulting company and within 6 months of engaging The Business Exchange, Ken and his team have found me a synergistic IT and Software company for me to acquire. The target business is above £2.4million in turnover and I am in the process of completing this transaction via a LBI (leveraged buy-in) approach - with the deal agreed already in-principle and heads of terms being reviewed. Finding an off-market opportunity requires expertise and a professional approach where the Business Exchange has proved to be experts to locate opportunities for a serious business buyer. I have also been given advice with the deal structure, financing options and the items to pay attention to for an M&A transaction. I highly recommended them and I will continue to be using them for transactions going forward
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LC - MD and Business Buyer
In late summer, we entered a business relationship with The Business Exchange to assist us in sourcing suitable synergistic businesses and/or Hotels to acquire for our EO Group, because for some months our own internal efforts had proved fruitless in this respect. I am therefore delighted that just 7 months since we embarked upon our relationship, we purchased our latest coastal Hotel acquisition (which was not formerly up for sale), thanks to the diligent acquisition search and introduction services conducted by Ken Walters and his great team. Ken actually found two suitable coastal hotels for us, but we decided to acquire just one of these hotels, because there was too much remedial work required to be completed at the second Hotel. We are delighted with the services of Ken and his team and look forward to continuing to work with them in the future
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-K - MD - of a 48 strong fleet Coach Tour Operator and Group of 21 Hotels with an annual turnover in excess of circa £42 million and around 750 employees – the only EO Travel Company in the UK.​
We are happy to provide a testimonial for The Business Exchange. After only a few months of us engaging them to source off-market UK based businesses for sale who matched our buying criterion, they have provided us with some great opportunities. We have also found their assistance on the deal structure concerning the funding element very helpful and innovative which has allowed us to move forward positively on the opportunities presented. We would recommend using them to any serious Business Buyer or Investor - a very helpful and refreshing firm.
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-James (Business Buyer/Investor - MD and Accountant)
I am delighted to provide a testimonial for The Business Exchange. We are a Training Company based in the North of England and we are expanding via acquisition. They have assisted us to find suitable sellers who are not formerly for sale on the market - which provides us with a unique opportunity to engage with the prospect seller without the interference from a broker or another buyer. It's a great 'disruptive' service. They have found synergistic businesses interested in selling and they have helped us with the deal structure and have provided us with support services on the corporate finance side too. They do what they say and are a very friendly family firm to deal with. If you want help to find and buy a business (in the right, safe way) - I can highly recommend them.
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-Craig (MD and Business Buyer)
I am very pleased to provide a testimonial for The Business Exchange. We are Accountants and business buyers. They certainly have the ability to find opportunities for a business buyer such as ourselves and have indeed assisted us to find suitable sellers (not on the market with any brokers). They have not only found businesses interested in selling that are not formally up for sale yet (which means no broker interference), but they have helped us with the deal structure and corporate finance advice too. They adopt a cautious caring approach to buying a business and they are highly recommended.
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-Shaun (Chartered Accountant and Business Buyer)
The Business Exchange were very supportive, innovative and very professional during the Sale of our business and we are very happy to provide this testimonial.
-Partner to Script To Screen Productions
Ken and his team helped us to put together a Management Buy-Out (MBO). They produced a business plan and forecasts with us. In general, they supervised the entire process. When we first met Ken there were 5 people in our team, including myself as the FD. We could personally raise £10,000 each. The owner of the business wanted £2.2 million for 100% of the shares and Ken showed us how to put the deal together using government initiated Venture Capital, Asset Finance & Invoice Discounting. His costs were also very reasonable with the majority of his fees on a no-win no-fee basis. I have no hesitation in recommending Ken and his team at The Business Exchange.
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If you are thinking of working with Ken, do not hesitate. He gets the job done.
-FD of a Company in South Wales involved in the Transport Sector
Name is Anonymous for Confidentiality Reasons
I first met Ken when our company was in financial trouble. Part of the strategy proposed by Ken was to carry out a management buy out of the Haverfordwest branch. He produced a detailed business plan, cash flow, forcasts, etc , etc. Ken then stood beside me every step of the way. We went together to meetings with the banks, the WDA, the National Assembly, etc. All very daunting for me at the time but Ken "held my hand" throughout the process. He is a true professional with a wide business knowledge. I cannot thank him enough for the help he gave me. We now have a thriving business here in Haverfordwest which without Ken would probably not exist. He's also a really nice bloke!
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If you are thinking of working with Ken, do not hesitate. He gets the job done.
-Mike Hansen
Director
Thomsons (Pembrokeshire) Limited
As a former Director of PVC Recycling Ltd with its subsequent sale of the business to Rehau (an international large UPVC manufacturer and retailer) I would be delighted to give a reference to Ken Walters and his firm The Business Exchange & his other corporate finance niche firm WRS. Ken Walters was approached by ourselves and was working with our company PVC Recycling Ltd to assist with corporate finance, general financial advice and with raising finances to grow our business with a view to ultimately selling it on to a synergistic buyer. His professionalism and expertise has been invaluable to the business through a very difficult recession and is the reason that we have kept working with Ken for so long. Ken's approach as a partner is not invasive to the business, he understands team structure and quickly analyses the needs of the business in question and works for the Directors and not instead of the Directors. Ken is extremely fair with time and cost and will work tirelessly to help the business to achieve its goals.
Ken’s character is very compassionate and kind. He views the people within the business with respect and importance and always looks beyond the numbers. This trait covers a very determined and strong business mind, able to handle the smallest of SME to the largest corporate entity, he has great respect within the industry. Ken's reputation is high and we know that he is approached regularly by many different types of organisations to work with them. We are constantly asked who has helped us along the way with raising our finances and help in selling the business on and we never hesitate to recommend Ken.
If he read this he would probably be rather embarrassed, but, in reality we cannot praise him enough. The truth of it is for our family business, without his input, we would probably not have survived and been able to take our business forward today with the eventual sale to Rehau.
We recommend that you engage with Ken Walters to raise funds for your project or to sell your business, we are confident that you will have much success.
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-Joanne Murray
Former Director of PVC Recycling Limited
Operations Manager of PVCR Ltd (wholly owned by Rehau)
Mr Walters has worked as a contractor on the INSPIRE Project, for 2 years as a trainer and mentor in a consultancy capacity. The INSPIRE Project is part of the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The work that Mr Walters has conducted has been carried out on demand, as and when project participants require specialist advice and consultancy.
Mr Walters specialised in providing Risk and Corporate Finance advice for SMEs. He was involved with the delivery of specialist workshops on these topics and was responsible for meeting with project participants to carry out one to one mentoring. The workshops were designed as well as delivered by Mr Walters and he has also significantly contributed towards the project's legacy in the form of a book called `The INSPIRE Best Practise Guide — an Innovation Mindset'.
The project catered for new start up companies, SMEs and third sector organisations. Mr Walters' standard of work was exceptional and this was reflected in the feedback from the clients and from the external evaluation that was carried out on the project. His conduct was exemplary and of the highest professional standard, which greatly contributed to the overall success of the project. His commitment to the project was reflected by his actions, which went above and beyond the expected for the client's welfare.
We would without any doubt use the Business Exchange for future projects.
- David G Thomas
Manager Bridge Innovation Centre
Project Director INSPIRE Project
I have worked with Ken Walters via the Business Exchange and his other businesses for many years. I run my own consultancy business called “Principle Partners” and as such I have worked with Ken to sell a number of businesses since I’ve known him.
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Together, we have found and valued businesses in the print and related trades (as this is my main background) and we have produced the required valuation; sale memorandum and marketing strategy for each business we have sold.
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It is fair to say that I have no hesitation in providing a reference for Ken and his business “The Business Exchange”. Ken understands the business valuation process very well indeed and adopts a targeted approach to sell businesses i.e. he is able to identify potential buyers who also have the money, approach them in the correct manner and then put the deal together.
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If you are selling your business or buying a business, Ken’s knowledge and experience in the business transfer market place is second to none.
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Ken also has a corporate finance background which led him into business sales and mergers many years ago, therefore, he has a fundamental knowledge of how to finance the final deal structure for a buyer or seller.
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- Ian Brown
Principle Partners UK Ltd
Managing Director
I have no hesitation in providing a good reference for Ken and his firm - The Business Exchange. Ken has helped my firm to identify two target businesses to buy and has been instrumental in assisting us in putting the deals together and thus he has helped us add over circa £2million annual sales turnover to our business due to these acquisitions.
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Our group turnover is now circa £4million p.a. Ken is seen as our Corporate Finance and Acquisitions Specialist.
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- Mr Damien Jones
JDJ
Managing Director
Our Disclaimer: None of the above client testimonials or references in any way represent the “average” or “typical” experience of our clients. In fact, as with any product or service, we know that some clients purchase our service but never use it or maximise our assistance, and therefore get no results whatsoever. Therefore, the client stories and testimonials we are sharing can neither represent nor guarantee the current or future experience of other past, current or future clients of The Business Exchange. Rather, these stories and testimonials represent what is possible with our assistance and service. Each of these unique stories and/or testimonials, and any and all results reported in these stories by individual clients, are the culmination of numerous variables, many of The Business Exchange cannot control, including business pricing, target market conditions, the sellers product/service quality, offer, customer service, personal initiative, and countless other tangible and intangible factors.
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