He Built a £35M Business by Getting Out of the Way

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when you stop working in your business and start working on it?In this episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff, Emma Mills sits down with Julian Stafford, entrepreneur, sales expert and former owner of Midshire Business Systems, an SME he grew to £35 million in turnover before exiting after 21 years.Julian shares how he built a business that felt like a hobby to him, why stepping away from the day-to-day sales became a turning point in its growth, and how surrounding himself with people who were better than him helped take the business to the next level.They talk about sales training, marketing, leadership, decision-making, building a sales team, owner dependency and what actually makes a business attractive to a buyer when it comes to a business exit strategy.Julian also shares the story of his eventual exit, including the moment he walked out of a negotiation at the Belfry when the buyer's figure wasn't quite what he expected, and how he now works as a business exit coach helping other owners get ready to sell a business of their own.🎧 Hit play to hear how to build a business that can grow without you, make better decisions faster, and become genuinely ready for an exit.What you'll take away:Why stepping out of sales helped Midshire's growth accelerateHow to stop being the bottleneck in your businessWhy you need people around you who are better than youJulian's approach to making decisions quicklyHow to market a "boring" product by selling the outcomeWhy testimonials became the backbone of Midshire's marketingHow to build and manage a sales team from scratchWhat makes a business genuinely attractive to buyersHow Julian approached the three-year exit negotiation processWhy you should build a business you actually enjoy running Support the showSupport The Show--Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate--Connect with Emma!Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week.World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.ukFollow Emma on InstagramConnect with Emma on LinkedinWatch the Episodes on YoutubeEmmaMills.co.ukReviews and Feedback:Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟