About
Everyone has a unique financial journey. No matter where you are in that journey, the right strategy can help you reach your goals and create more freedom in your life.
NICE TO MEET YOU
I'm Guy Bartlett
"I buy businesses and teach others to buy businesses, because I want everyone to enjoy their lives doing what they love, with whom they love, whenever they choose.
It's that simple"
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My Story
I started out in marketing services, and ended up building up the Charles Parry Group from the mid 90's to 2003, specialising in retail and mail order direct marketing. A top 10 agency group with large, big brand clients.
I felt like I was breaking my back running that business, so much so that by the time I exited the Group in 2003, I was knackered.
Then I actually broke my back.
Out of action for quite a while, I thought "what is the Universe telling me?". I was forced to think about what I wanted lying in a hospital bed and I got a little perspective while I recovered. I realised that a business career shouldn’t be back-breaking, and I started to think about how to pin down a secure, happy future for my family, without having to slave away all the hours under the sun.
But I thought I’d need money to do it. I was torn, I wanted to acquire but needed to pay the bills. So I created a start up (well two actually), after all, I knew how to do that. I developed a building services group to pay the bills and was offered £3.2m from Venture Capitalists for the other one. Despite my best intentions, the familiar old stresses of running a business came back.
I was tired of striving and struggling to get my business to the next level. So I set about figuring out how to acquire other owner-managed businesses.
I went back into what I had learned about the acquisition process, spending more time around people in that arena and, crucially, figured out how to fund them with no big pot of money to draw on. My first deal completed in January 2006 and within just 6 months the second had gone through too. Together, I’d bought £2.7 million of business and been able to pay myself a substantial income too.
It was the year my life changed, and that was more than 15 years ago now. Since then, my knowledge, experience and team has grown exponentially. I’ve developed a fantastic team of colleagues and a panel of investors and funders to acquire owner-managed UK businesses turning over £1m - £20m a year using processes that I continue to refine today.
"I think Guy is tremendous, he's very humble, very supportive and very professional. He's a friend. I think that the relationship develops very, very quickly and he's there to help and he's genuine."
- Carl Doherty
"I really warmed to Guy, and I like his approach of looking at profitable businesses rather than buying a basket case business for £1 and turning it round. That has its place, but Guy’s approach is a less risky proposition."
- Andy Gosling
"There’s so much that I get out of the Club: access to legal help, accountancy help, insight into the pitfalls, what to look out for, what is profitable, what isn't profitable, etcetera. And Guy’s a genuine man. He gets a thrill, I think, from what he's doing, and in helping others to do it too. He's building a very, very impressive network. It's really growing, and I'm happy to be part of it."
- Paul Pearse
Why I Do It
I'm an entrepreneur, dad, mountain guide and a soldier, and I love everything about buying, owning and selling businesses. It's my number one passion (or perhaps a close second after skiing!) and I love nothing more than passing on my knowledge and experience to others.
