Don’t BE for Sale: Mark Mills on Building Leverage and Maximizing Your Exit

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What does it take to build a business that buyers are willing to pay a premium for? On this episode of The Exit, Steve McGarry sits down with entrepreneur and exit expert Mark Mills OBE DL to unpack the strategies that helped him build and scale Cardpoint into a business generating nearly £100 million in annual revenue. Mark shares how an unexpected trip to New York sparked the idea for bringing independently operated ATMs to the UK, why he reverse engineered a 36 month growth plan down to a handful of critical KPIs, and how that disciplined approach helped the company come remarkably close to the ambitious targets he set.

Mark also breaks down what founders can start doing today to prepare for a successful exit, from building a repeatable customer acquisition engine to creating a clear growth plan that gives potential buyers confidence in the future of the business. He explains why founders should avoid appearing eager to sell, how continued growth can create leverage at the negotiating table, and why competition between buyers can increase both deal certainty and valuation. Plus, Mark shares a memorable story about literally walking away from a deal to protect its value and reveals the lesson he wishes he had learned earlier in his entrepreneurial career: refine your business model, stay focused, and do one thing exceptionally well.

Key Takeaways:

• Reverse engineer your growth goals
• Track the KPIs that actually matter
• Build a repeatable sales engine
• Prepare for an exit early
• Don’t BE for sale
• Grow from a position of strength
• Create competition between buyers
• Know when to walk away
• Own your market
• Focus on doing one thing exceptionally well

Personal &/or Company Bio:
Mark Mills OBE DL is an entrepreneur, business advisor, and exit expert who has spent decades building, scaling, and selling businesses. He founded Cardpoint plc in 2000 and grew the company to approximately £100 million in annual revenue and £19.8 million in EBITDA by 2006. Since 2007, Mark has used his firsthand experience to help other business owners prepare for and navigate successful exits, with a focus on accelerating growth, maximizing value, and negotiating from a position of strength. In 2022, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire, and in 2025, he was awarded an OBE for services to business and charity.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrichardmills/

Website - https://mark.co.uk/

Key Chapters:
[00:01] Welcome and Episode Preview

[02:02] Introduction to Mark Mills OBE DL and His Entrepreneurial Journey

[03:59] The Story Behind Cardpoint and Finding the ATM Opportunity

[08:34] Scaling Cardpoint and Tracking the Right KPIs

[10:43] Reverse Engineering £100 Million in Revenue

[16:48] How to Prepare Your Business for an Exit

[21:29] Knowing the Right Time to Sell

[25:52] How to Increase Your Business Valuation

[29:26] Negotiating From Strength and Knowing When to Walk Away

[31:47] Mark’s Advice to His Younger Self

[33:02] What Mark Is Working on Now

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The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/