The company
This client is a full-service workplace design and build consultancy helping businesses across the UK create first-class working environments. The business operates as a true turnkey provider and has delivered numerous projects ranging in size, complexity, and budget for some of the UK's leading organisations.
Built over nearly two decades, the business has grown from a specialist consultancy into a comprehensive design and build operation, combining creative excellence with rigorous project delivery. Currently at a £35m turnover, it's an established, owner-led business with real scale and a strong track record.
The challenge
For a founder-led business at £35m turnover, the decision to pursue an exit is rarely straightforward. The business was performing well with solid revenue, a strong client base, and a delivery model that had been refined over many years. But what it hadn't done was prepare itself to be seen through the eyes of a buyer. For a business this size, getting their exit prep wrong doesn't just slow the process down. It leaves significant money on the table.
That’s why the founders came to The Grafter to make sure that didn't happen.
Engagement with The Grafter
The engagement opened with an intensive 8-hour business diagnostic, a thorough assessment of the business designed to surface where it stood, where the gaps were, and what needed to happen before any exit process could begin. From there, we progressed into the Grow Raise Exit programme, focusing specifically on exit preparation:
- CIM: Confidential Information Memorandum drafted to present the business clearly and compellingly to prospective buyers
- Data room: Full data room built and organised, giving buyers clean, accessible information and reducing friction in due diligence
- Financials and valuation: Detailed financial modelling and valuation work to establish a robust and defensible view of the business's worth
- Exit positioning: Work throughout the programme to ensure the business was positioned to attract the right type of buyer at the right valuation
The outcome
The business is now in the middle of an active exit process. Multiple prospective offers have been received, and conversations are ongoing. The process is live, and while nothing has completed yet, the foundations built through the engagement mean the business is entering those conversations from a position of readiness.
This client came to The Grafter wanting to be exit-ready. If you're thinking about an exit and haven't started preparing, the gap between where you are today and where you need to be is where most founders leave money on the table. If you’re currently in a similar position, it may be worth having a conversation with our team.
