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Found & Funded, the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition podcast for searchers by search experts, where we explore the route to business ownership without having that million dollar idea.
25 Episodes
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Send us a text From finance to founder; trading career certainty for autonomy and long-term impact. In our season finale, Carl Lundberg is joined by Darnell Irozuru, CEO of Birch Faraday Capital and 2024 ETA Award winner, to unpack his ETA journey. Darnell’s instinct for entrepreneurship has been central to this story, starting with his own tutoring business straight out of university. Initially chasing FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early), he’s now focused on building a long-term hold-...
Send us a text "I would not want to put my worst enemy through what I went through in that year, in terms of the highs and lows of getting that deal over the line." Faced with setbacks and challenges, Darnell Irozuru's first acquisition was anything but smooth. As someone who likes to hit the ground running, Darnell found himself doubting his decision to trade a sturdy 9-5 for entrepreneurship. Find out what drove Darnell to leave a stable finance career in pursuit of ownership and impa...
Send us a text In our penultimate episode of the season, Carl Lundberg is joined by Toby Henry, CEO of Accelerator Solutions, to unpack the personal and professional driving force behind his ETA journey. After starting out in financial services and spending seven years in management consulting, Toby realised he wanted more from his career. Inspired by his entrepreneur parents, Toby shares what drew him to the search fund model, how he's balancing legacy and leadership, and why flexibility, ...
Send us a text A sneak preview of what's to come in this week's episode. After starting out in financial services and spending seven years in management consulting, Toby realised he wanted more from his career. Inspired by his entrepreneur parents, Toby shares what drew him to the search fund model, how he's balancing legacy and leadership, and why flexibility, autonomy, and purpose continue to shape every decision he makes. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text New episode coming soon! Hear from Sergey Sushentsev, Co-Founder of Astra Holdings, as he shares the personal story behind his passion for succession planning, his approach to sourcing deals, and how Astra creates value through its three-part playbook: professionalise, incentivise, and digitise. Make sure you're subscribed for when episode four drops on 13 June. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text Episode three has landed. Traditional searcher, Allison Stuckless, sits down with Carl Lundberg to share her journey from investment banker at JP Morgan, to stand-up comedian in the UK and then into the world of search. Plus Allison puts Carl in the hot-seat with some of her questions on the economic trajectory of the UK, managing seller expectations as a searcher, and what it takes to get a deal over the line. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text Our next guest to join Carl in the hot seat is traditional searcher, Allison Stuckless, Founder and Managing Partner of Vericor Capital. Allison shares her journey from investment banker at JP Morgan, to stand-up comedian in the UK and then into the world of search. Stay tuned for the full episode, coming on 30 May. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text 'Leave your job, become a self-funded searcher and start building relationships’ - Gareth Hawkins. In our brand new episode featuring Gareth Hawkins, CEO of BizCrunch, Carl and Gareth explore how data, technology, and a relationship-first approach are reshaping how searchers find and close deals. Whether you're an aspiring searcher, investor, or operator, this episode challenges you to think differently about how deals get done. Listen now on Apple, Spotify or watch...
Send us a text Episode two coming soon... In this brand new episode, Carl sits down with Gareth Hawkins, to dive into how deal sourcing is evolving and why traditional methods may get left behind. From data-driven strategies to the future of search, this is a must-listen for anyone in the world of acquisitions, private equity, or search funds. Be sure to tune in on Friday 16 May. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text Episode one of this brand new season kicks off with Olivier Stapylton-Smith, Director of Serv-Ice Refrigeration. Listen along as Carl and Olivier deep dive into self-funded search, initial deal pipeline, the importance of having a good support system, and balancing being an entrepreneur with having a family. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text An official first look at what's to come in episode one of season two... 👀 'A self-funded acquisition with no external equity' with Olivier Stapylton-Smith, Director of Serv-Ice Refrigeration, will be dropping on 2 May 2025. In the season two premiere, we learn more about Olivier’s self-funded search journey and explore why he chose the acquisition path after launching his own company. Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss an episode. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text "Ask for money, get advice. Ask for advice, get money." - Alex Glasner on seeking investment. Bringing you a never seen before bonus clip from episode five 'The self-funded path to success - Harvard Business School to CEO'. In this extended cut, Alex shares how he found himself with an over subscribed cap table and his best advice for those who are looking to be a more confident negotiator. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text The final episode of the season is here! Deal making, industry expertise and sourcing the right company - these are all skills this week's guest looks for as an investor in the ETA space. Joyce Mackenzie Liu, CFO and CEO of Pegafund, joins Carl behind the mic for episode six to explore how venture capital and private equity intersects with the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition, as well as how to leverage cashflow to accelerate growth. LinkedIn Instagram ...
Send us a text Joyce Mackenzie Liu is in the hot seat this week, as she and Carl explore how venture capital and private equity intersects with the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition. Comparing the differences and similarities to the search fund model, what Joyce looks for as an investor when considering backing an entrepreneur, and leveraging cashflow to accelerate growth - this is a discussion you won't want to miss! Episode six, 'How ETA is attracting venture capital and p...
Send us a text Alex Glasner acquired Workpays with an over subscribed cap table and a solid infrastructure in place. From Harvard Business School to CEO; Carl sits down with the self-funded searcher, to reveal why he undertook a search, how he approached investors and picked his cap table, what he was looking for in a business and the most valuable advice he has received along the way. Find out his secrets to success in episode five! LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text Here's a preview of what's to come. Featuring self-funded searcher, Alex Glasner, episode five explores Alex's passion for entrepreneurialism and his path to success. From working for Parliament, to becoming Managing Director of his first search acquisition, Workpays, and his strategic approach to the self-funded search process - you won't want to miss this one. Coming on 10 January... Subscribe to our YouTube to be notified LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text In this episode, featuring alongside Carl, is renowned search fund mogul, Bramley Johnson. This episode is part two of our mini series on fundraising and investment and Carl asks the questions we've all been curious about; What are your best tips for getting a deal closed? Can you share any advice for aspiring searchers? What are the key considerations for searchers looking for investment? Watch or stream episode four 'Secrets for raising your search fund: What investors ...
Send us a text Get ready for episode four... 🍿 Featuring search funds legend, Bramley Johnson, this episode is all about #investment and #fundraising. Carl asks the questions we've all been curious about; What are your best tips for getting a deal closed? Can you share any advice for aspiring searchers? What are the key considerations for searchers looking for investment? Be sure to tune in on #Apple, #Spotify or #YouTube on 20 December to hear about Bramley's journey. 🔔 P.S Have ...
Send us a text If you're a searcher at the investment stage of your journey, or an aspiring searcher curious about investment methods, this episode is for you. You'll learn about about a range of investment avenues, first hand, from a seasoned search fund adviser, such as: Debt fundingAsset backed lendingInvoice financingVendor financingEquity fundingAnd more!Thank you to Nick Wallis for joining us on this episode and sharing your expertise. LinkedIn Instagram Website
Send us a text We have hit the halfway point of the series! In episode three, Carl is joined by Nick Wallis, Head of Deal Advisory at Gerald Edelman. Nick discusses his experience in the search fund space, exploring key topics including debt funds, searcher credibility, Asset Based Lending (ABL) and the vital role of a debt adviser. They also explore options like invoice financing, vendor financing and equity funding. You don't want to miss this episode! LinkedIn Instagram...
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