346) Steven Pettigrew - The Harsh Truth of Why Businesses Fail

Today’s conversation is with Steven Pettigrew.Steven is a business investor, turnaround specialist, and AI partner with deep, hands-on experience across business growth, mergers and acquisitions.He grew up inside a large family-run business, went on to build and exit his own company, and now specialises in acquiring and fixing businesses that are underperforming as well as integrating AI to scale already successful business. This is a grounded, no-nonsense conversation about why so many UK businesses struggle, what actually breaks when companies stall or fail, and how disciplined operators think differently about growth, acquisitions, and value creation.Expect to learn:What growing up inside a £35m+ family transport and waste business really teaches you about operations, people, and pressureThe biggest lessons Steven took from working in a multi-fleet, asset-heavy industry from a young ageWhen and why Steven decided to build — and eventually exit — his own transport delivery businessWhat selling a business teaches you that running one never willWhy Steven prefers acquiring businesses rather than starting them from scratchThe different ways to buy a business — and which methods actually work in the UK marketThe most common reasons UK businesses fail long before they run out of moneyWhat Steven focuses on immediately when he steps into a struggling businessHow AI can be used as a partner, not a gimmick, inside real businessesWhy most owners misunderstand scale, margin, and operational leverageSteven’s parting advice for anyone looking to get started in business acquisitionsInvest with Fink using CAMBRO - https://fink.money/academy/ Get my LinkedIn Guide - https://click.convertkit-mail2.com/qdux4r4dq8u7h4dxgxvalh89p0rkkb4h86ng9/08hwh9h22xp4z6tl/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb2xjYW1icm8ua2l0LmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9saW5rZWQtaW4tcGVyc29uYWwtYnJhbmQtZm9yLXNlbGxpbmc=Shop Notox Skincare using COL15 - https://www.notoxskincare.co/ Get 20 lessons from 330 CamBro Conversations - https://colcambro.kit.com/60ed1b527b Get my Sales Support - https://colcambro.kit.com/d0dceeb5ffConnect with StevenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpettigrewinvestor Insta - https://www.instagram.com/stevenpettigrewinvestor/ Connect with ColInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/col.cambro/ Email List: https://colcambro.kit.com/30bde23b0c Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ColCampbell