With the calibre of businesses Transworld has for sale, you too can escape the corporate world

When Transworld Business Advisors listed a landscape gardening business for sale, they ended up supporting one man to escape the corporate world, and step into the fresh challenge of business ownership. 

For Bryan Clarke, owner of Transworld Business Advisors of Sussex and West Surrey, releasing people’s business dreams is a key part of what he does. So, when the owner of a large landscape company was ready to sell his business to give him time to develop other business interests, he approached Transworld Business Advisors for help.

Bryan and his team of business advisors supported the owners with marketing their family-run business, without disrupting their staff and customers, until the deal was closed, and change of ownership had been finalised. “At Transworld Business Advisors, understanding our client, their business and objectives is at the heart of how we operate,” he explains. “For someone who has built up their business over 30 years, they’ve invested a lot of themselves into the business.

“On this occasion, we needed to help our client showcase the business opportunity, negotiate the deal and support both the seller and the buyer. The seller had a deep knowledge of his business in his head, whilst the buyer was more data-driven. So, we needed to manage their expectations and different approaches toward the transaction, in order to achieve the best result for both parties.”

The way in which Bryan guided the seller, and helped to market his business attracted the attention of Gary Thompson, who was looking for a way to move out of the corporate world, and run a business for himself. The prospect of buying a very-well established business, where he could apply his years of experience and to run it himself, was tantalising.

Having seen the landscape business listed on the Transworld website, Gary was interested enough to find out more about the family-run opportunity for the security of his future. “Coming from a financial background, I was keen to see the records of the business. But coming from a family-run business, the previous owner found this a challenge. Bryan was excellent in securing the right information to satisfy my questions. Without his calm assurances, I wouldn’t have been as patient, and would have walked away from the deal.”

Despite the coronavirus lockdown happening toward the end of the transaction, with Bryan’s guidance and support, the new challenges were successfully navigated, and the deal was closed. “Unfortunately, like many businesses impacted by the lockdown, my new business was also negatively affected. But through the proficiency, influence and support of Transworld, I saw the potential upon which I can build, based on how well the previous owners had done. I’m excited about working with staff, to grow my new business further. I genuinely appreciate Bryan’s confidence in helping me to take the next step in my career, and start my own business. One with such amazing potential.”