The journey to business owner is never straight forward. In this episode that journey started due to my guest, David Longford, taking over the business from the owner just before he passed away. This transition from employee to business owner required respect and a focus on the long-term growth of the business. David talks about the process involved in taking over from an owner in these difficult circumstances. David shares how he successfully exited without an earn-out and avoided insolvency. He also highlights the need for clear communication and trust-building with potential buyers during the exit process. This episode provides valuable insights into the acquisition and exit journey.   “You’ve just got to recognise your weaknesses” – David Longford   Timestamps  01:13 - An introduction to David 02:34 - Transitioning from employee to buyer 05:54 - How David got the company shares 10:34 - The pressures you put on yourself as a new CEO 13:07 - Why no money down deals don't work 21:15 - The key thing in David's exit process 28:25 - What the sale structure looked like   Connect with David Longford: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/longford/   Connect With Julie Wilkinson LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewilkinson-accounting/ Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wasolutions YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvq6gfNoP_4dfIJulL6C6A Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonaccountingsolutions Website - https://wilkinsonaccountingsolutions.co.uk/   Before you go, don’t forget to leave a comment and review if you got something out of this episode!