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BusinessEntrepreneurshipManagement

Unlocking Value

Garwood Growth

Unlocking Value is designed to give founders and owners of professional services firms more confidence when they're working toward an exit or thinking about taking on investment. 


Across six episodes, our host John Howard speaks with founders, investors and advisors about the moments that define the transaction journey - how to get ready, what to expect and how to succeed.

We cover everything from value drivers and team alignment to investor expectations and life after the deal. You’ll hear from people who’ve sold their firms, taken minority investments, stayed on, exited and started again – and from those who advise or invest in firms like yours every day.

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  • 22 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 49 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • #26
    February 24 · 49 min

    Episode 26: Venkata Nori and Hari Sethalapathy - From Zero Clients to 400 Staff: Building a Global Oracle Consultancy on Trust and Outstanding Service

    Hari Sethalapathy and Venkata Subbarayudu Nori are two of the three co-founders of Winfo Solutions, a global Oracle consulting business that has grown from three people with no clients to more than 400 staff across a dozen countries in just 11 years. Both spent years delivering major transformation programmes inside tier-one firms before deciding to create a consultancy shaped by their own values – one built on trust, outstanding service and genuine partnership with clients. The conversation covers: ● How they won early work by doing projects the big firms could not. ● How their first major breakthrough came from a client who initially said they were too small. ● How their leadership approach and structures have evolved as the business has expanded. ● Their decision to bring in external board advice and how that has helped accelerate growth. ● How a mantra of discuss, decide and deliver has been central to their success. ● Their practical experience with agent-based automation and faster product development. ● How they are approaching AI governance, security and ethical controls as AI becomes more central to the business. For founders and senior leaders building professional services firms, this is an honest conversation with two ambitious co-founders who have built something many aspire to. If you would like to hear more conversations like this, follow the show for early access to future episodes. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Venkata Nori, Co-founder at Winfo Solutions Guest: Hari Sethalapathy, Co-founder at Winfo Solutions

    • Transcript
  • #25
    February 17 · 52 min

    Episode 25: Andrew Brown - Fresh From Exit: How Founder Independence and a Great Team Secured the Deal

    In this episode, John is joined by Andrew Brown, founder of Acuity Business Solutions, a consultancy he built and led for almost 20 years before overseeing its sale to the Scandinavian group Lumera in December 2025. Garwood had the privilege of advising Andrew through the transaction. With the deal only recently completed, this conversation offers a rare, real-time perspective on what it is actually like to sell a professional services firm. Andrew did not set out to manufacture the perfect exit. He focused on building a disciplined, well-run business with deep client relationships, a strong team and minimal dependency on himself long before a sale was even under consideration. Over time, those choices translated into a business with strong buyer appeal. They discuss: • How the idea for Acuity was born on a car journey to a conference • How the firm found its niche in public sector pensions • Why Andrew chose to narrow the focus of the business • How and why he stepped back from day-to-day operations • What the due diligence process really feels like for a founder • The critical role a firm's wider team plays in a successful deal • The emotional reality of life after a deal closes This is an honest and grounded discussion about building value in a consultancy and what it takes to convert that value into a successful transaction. If you are thinking about making your firm sale-ready, whether in the near term or years from now, this episode is packed with practical lessons from someone who's just been through it. If you enjoy conversations like this, follow the show so you do not miss future episodes with leaders who have built and realised real value in our industry. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Andrew Brown, Founder of Acuity Business Solutions

    • Transcript
Showing 21–22 of 22 episodes