Why Most Business Owners Get Finance Wrong (and How to Fix It)

Most business owners work incredibly hard… yet still misunderstand the very thing that will determine their future freedom: the true value of their business.

In this powerful episode of the ActionCOACH Podcast, James with corporate finance and M&A expert Saul Cohen to unpack the biggest financial myths holding entrepreneurs back — and why so many acquisitions fail before they ever deliver value.

If you’re scaling, thinking about acquisitions, or planning your eventual exit, this conversation is a must-watch.

🔍 What You’ll Discover in the Episode

1. The biggest myth in business finance
Most owners dramatically overestimate what their business is worth. Not out of stupidity — but because no one has taught them to think like an investor. Until you know your real valuation, you’re flying blind.

2. Why owner-managed businesses hit a ceiling
Hustle works… until it doesn’t. Somewhere between £500k–£1m turnover, effort alone stops scaling results. To break through, you must shift from hustle to structure, systems, and leverage.

3. Why “good accountants” aren’t enough
The best businesses treat finance as a department, not a compliance exercise. Timely reporting, clear KPIs, risk controls, and fast feedback loops drive better decisions — and better valuations.

4. The real reasons acquisitions fail
It’s not the numbers first.
Acquisitions collapse mainly due to:

  • ❌ People and culture misalignment

  • ❌ Poor cash flow planning

Change too much, too fast — and you’ll face resistance, disengagement, and value destruction.

5. What strategic acquisitions really look like
Smart acquirers buy with a clear outcome in mind: higher multiples, market advantage, stronger margins, or long-term exit value — not just “getting bigger.”

6. The mindset shift of elite entrepreneurs
Top performers stop thinking like operators and start thinking like investors — building assets, not just profits. That shift changes how they spend, hire, market, and grow.

🚀 The One Action That Changes Everything

Before you grow, buy, or exit — get a proper valuation.

Knowing your real number puts you back in control. It replaces hope with clarity, denial with options, and guesswork with a plan. If your exit is five years away, that knowledge could be the difference between retiring on your terms… or someone else’s.

🎧 Watch the Full Episode

If you’re serious about scaling intelligently, making acquisitions work, or building a business that’s truly valuable — this episode will challenge how you think and sharpen how you act.

👉 Watch the video below now and start running your business from the numbers, not the gut.