What does it take to go from being neglected, abused, and told you’d never succeed—to leading high-stakes multi-million-pound mergers & acquisitions?

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Leaders in Disguise, I sit down with Hutton Henry, founder of Beyond M&A, a firm that specialises in technology due diligence for investors.

But Hutton’s journey to success wasn’t easy. After losing his parents at five, he was placed in foster care, where he experienced racism, neglect, and emotional abuse. He was told every day that he was stupid, incapable, and would never get a job. His confidence was shattered - until he discovered coding at the age of eight, a skill that would eventually change his life.

Now, as a leader in the high-pressure world of mergers and acquisitions, he helps investors spot risk, unlock business value, and guide leaders through the emotional rollercoaster of selling their companies. But the resilience that got him here? That was forged in survival.

In this episode, we discuss:

•⁠ ⁠Growing up in foster care & fighting against the labels put on him

•⁠ ⁠Finding self-worth in tech & business despite early struggles

•⁠ ⁠The mental toll of selling a business and how leaders can protect themselves

•⁠ ⁠Why so many CEOs lose themselves in their companies (and how to take their identity back)

•⁠ ⁠His simple but powerful "TIE" method to navigate leadership stress

•⁠ ⁠How he turned personal trauma into a strength in the boardroom

This episode is for founders, CEOs, investors, and anyone who has ever doubted themselves - but refuses to let their past define their future.