For Business Owners & Their Advisers
A Considered Buyer for the Right Business
If you are an owner-manager thinking about what comes next — or an adviser working with a client who is — this page explains who we are, how we buy businesses, and what the process looks like in practice.
For Business Owners
You Have Built Something Worth Protecting
Most business owners spend years — often decades — building something they are proud of. When the time comes to think about stepping back, the question is rarely just about price. It is about what happens to the team, the customers, and the culture you have created.
A sale to Perseverantia is different from a trade sale or a private equity exit. We are not acquiring your business to merge it, cut costs, or flip it on. We are acquiring it to lead it — as a single, focused owner-operator committed to its long-term success.
John Maddox will step in as CEO and run the business day-to-day. There is no management committee, no portfolio of competing priorities. Just one person, fully committed to making your business thrive.
"We are not a fund with a portfolio. We are one buyer, focused entirely on one business."
What to Expect
How We Approach a Sale
Confidentiality from the outset
We understand that discretion matters. Initial conversations are entirely confidential — we will not approach your team, customers, or competitors without your knowledge and consent.
A straightforward process
We are not a large institution with layers of approval. Decisions are made quickly, and we will be transparent with you at every stage — from initial interest through to heads of terms and completion.
Respect for what you have built
We are looking for businesses with good people and strong cultures. Our intention is to preserve both — not to impose a new structure or replace the team that has made the business what it is.
Flexibility on structure
We are open to discussing deal structures that work for you — including phased transitions, earnouts, or a retained minority stake if you want to remain involved in the upside.
For Professional Advisers
Putting Us in Front of Your Client
If you are an accountant, solicitor, corporate finance adviser, or business broker working with an owner who is considering their options, we would welcome an introduction.
We are a credible, well-prepared buyer. John Maddox is a Chartered Certified Accountant with a background in business restructuring, private equity, and operational leadership. We have the professional infrastructure in place — legal, financial, and advisory — to move efficiently from introduction to completion.
We are happy to provide references, a credentials pack, or a brief introductory call before any client introduction is made. We understand that your reputation is on the line when you make a referral, and we take that seriously.
What We Are Looking For
Our Acquisition Criteria
We are focused on one acquisition. These are the parameters we are working within.
Geography
Headquartered in South East England
EBITDA
c.£500k+
Profitability
Established, profitable, owner-managed
Sectors
Quality over sector — we favour enduring competitive advantages, resilient revenues and loyal customers
Situation
Founder-led, approaching succession or transition
Background
What Is Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition?
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition — or ETA — is a model in which an experienced operator acquires and leads an established business, rather than building one from scratch. It originated at Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1984 and is now well-established in the UK.
Unlike a management buyout, the acquirer is typically an individual rather than an incumbent management team. Unlike private equity, the focus is on a single business — with the acquirer stepping in as CEO and running it directly, rather than managing it from a distance as part of a portfolio.
For business owners, the practical effect is straightforward: you are selling to a motivated individual who will be personally running your business, not to a fund that will manage it alongside dozens of others.
Common Questions
Questions We Are Often Asked
Ready to Have a Conversation?
Whether you are an owner exploring your options or an adviser considering an introduction, we would welcome a confidential discussion. There is no obligation and no pressure.