by John F Kettley | May 6, 2026 | Exit Strategy, Leadership, SMEs
Most business failures do not begin with a lack of work. They begin with a lack of cash control. That distinction matters because it changes where owners need to look. A business can have a decent pipeline, good people and live sites, and still get into serious...
by John F Kettley | Apr 29, 2026 | Exit Strategy, Leadership
A lot of owners say the same thing with a kind of pride: the business needs me. Sometimes that is true. It is also usually a warning sign. In founder-led construction businesses, owner dependency often gets mistaken for strength. The owner knows every client, approves...
by John F Kettley | Mar 4, 2026 | Exit Strategy
OWNER DEPENDENCEY IS THE BIGGEST HIDDEN VALUE HAIRCUT If the business can’t run without the founder, it isn’t really a business in the eyes of a buyer. It’s a job, with payroll and liabilities attached. This is one of the biggest gaps between how owners see value and...
by John F Kettley | Feb 12, 2026 | Exit Strategy
Building a business is not the same as building wealth Most business owners spend years focused on building a business. Fewer spend time thinking clearly about whether that business is actually building real world wealth. I didn’t spot the difference early in my...
by John F Kettley | Jul 18, 2025 | Exit Strategy, SMEs
How agile SMEs can rescue 2025 and gear up for a stellar year It’s July 15, 2025, and if you’re feeling like the year’s already tanked, you’re not alone. Q1 and Q2 have been sluggish across the UK. An election, a year ago froze big decisions and our ‘late’ budget...
