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40 Years, Eight Acquisitions and a Career Built on Going With Your Gut
04/08/2026
40 Years, Eight Acquisitions and a Career Built on Going With Your Gut
Ian's media career spans four decades, two redundancies and eight acquisitions — and his advice for every deal maker is simply: take action. GUEST Ian — Media entrepreneur with 40 years' experience and eight acquisitions across video production, AV staging and photography. EPISODE SUMMARY Ian's career began as a film industry runner in Soho and wound through production companies, AV staging, broadcast equipment sales and photography. Two redundancies convinced him to control his own destiny, and he started a business with his mother's support. His first acquisition — a sets and staging division bought from a business splitting its operations — was a strategic move that unlocked major international contracts, including a £350,000 job for Motorola around the year 2000. Over 40 years he has made eight acquisitions, all in the media sector. KEY TAKEAWAYS ▸ Two redundancies were the making of Ian: they removed the option of employment and forced him to build something of his own. ▸ Your first acquisition doesn't need to be large — Ian's was £30,000, but it acted as a springboard to £350,000 contracts. ▸ Price is not the only variable: the method and timing of payment can matter as much as the number itself. ▸ A strategic acquisition — one that gives you capabilities you can cross-sell to existing clients — can pay for itself many times over. ▸ Selling a business you've lost enthusiasm for is entirely rational; but know that the most likely buyer may be closer than you think. ▸ The person you buy a business from is also a natural candidate to buy it back — seller's remorse is real, and that relationship has value. DEAL HIGHLIGHT Ian's first acquisition — a £30,000 sets and staging business — directly enabled the largest contract his company ever won: a £350,000 international event for Motorola, circa 2000. A 10x return from a single strategic deal. "Go with your gut. If you want to do something, go for it. Find a way to do it. Don't procrastinate." Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk
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