IT is rare nowadays, for a business to go through its journey without some kind of transaction.

This could be raising new funds for expansion, making an acquisition, restructuring its shareholding, or eventually selling all or part of the business. Even the most confident and experienced business person can become unstuck when faced with the decisions surrounding a transaction – many of which are technical aspects that they would have never encountered or had reason to even consider before.

However, some business owners are, at least at the outset, sceptical about the value of a Corporate Finance Adviser.

If you have never been through a transaction before, you are entering the unknown. An adviser can manage the entire process, taking the pressure off and leaving you to do what you are good at – running your business.

We provide support to ensure you are doing the right transaction at the right time, explain what lies ahead and what will be expected of you, as well as helping you plan and prepare, whether it be financial projections, tax planning, or steps required to maximise value. We can also negotiate on your behalf, create a buffer between parties, manage an effective due diligence process, and break down the sometimes confusing, technical jargon.

Whether you are raising money, buying or selling, these are often life changing events, and they are not ones to navigate on your own. While you are good at running your business, advisers are good at running transactions. It’s what we do every day, and while no two deals are the same, we know the common problems and pitfalls to avoid.

I can guarantee that there will be some stressful times during the process. Everyone will be working hard, so often negotiations get fractious and difficult. We can have those difficult conversations for you, we can help you maintain perspective when things seem to be going awry, and we can help you to decide where things are worth negotiating, and when it is better to concede and move on.

Having an experienced adviser will help steer a transaction efficiently through its life cycle, saving not only time but money.

You can’t redo a transaction if you don’t get it right the first time, so don’t risk that happening. Before you start, I would highly recommend getting a Corporate Finance Adviser to work with you, so you can get it right from the outset. Misunderstandings, errors and mistakes could well end up costing more than our fee!

For Corporate Finance Advice please contact Chris Wright, Corporate Finance Director, at

chris.wright@armstrongwatson.co.uk or call 0113 221 1300.