Businesses don’t exist in isolation. They’re built by people, and every challenge has a story behind it.
I have found that the more I understand people, the more everything else starts to make sense.
That is true in business, but it is true everywhere else too. Behind every company, every decision, and every challenge are people with their own motivations, experiences, and stories.
That is why I have always enjoyed working with founders.
Selling a business is one of the biggest decisions many entrepreneurs will ever make. Behind every company are years of sacrifice, difficult decisions, and countless stories that never appear in a financial statement. Before you can improve a business, you have to understand the people who built it.
I have always enjoyed being in the room where problems get solved. Sometimes that meant building. Sometimes it meant operating. Today it means partnering with founders and helping businesses through their next chapter. The role has changed over the years, but the part I enjoy has stayed the same.
Every business has a story. The best outcomes usually begin by taking the time to understand it.
Ask me about any of these
And you have probably signed us up for a much longer conversation.
My favourite book is The Count of Monte Cristo.
If I am walking along the Seine or through Saint-Germain with headphones on, there is a good chance I am listening to it again. Somehow, it never gets old.
My favourite city in Asia is Saigon.
It has the youthful energy of a city still discovering itself. The endless stream of motorbikes, the distinct smells and sounds, and the unpredictable monsoons that come and go as if God were flicking a light switch.
My favourite UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Alhambra.
It is the closest thing to heaven on earth I have ever experienced. It feels as though someone turned the saturation up on reality. It is indescribable, and no photograph has ever done it justice.
My favourite city in Europe is San Sebastián.
It is unapologetically proud of who it is. More Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else in the world, a language fighting to survive, FREE BASQUE painted across centuries-old buildings, and a pintxos culture that turns every evening into an adventure.
I grew up playing piano and saxophone.
Most of my childhood was spent between classical piano and wind ensemble rehearsals. These days I only play jazz. Somehow, it suits me better.
Discuss a business
If any of the above is the sort of thing you would rather talk through than read, that is the whole point.