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Publishing details
HARRIMAN HOUSE LTD
3A Penns Road
Petersfield
Hampshire
GU32 2EW
GREAT BRITAIN
Tel: +44 (0)1730 233870
Fax: +44 (0)1730 233880
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.harriman-house.com
First published in Great Britain in 2011
Copyright © Smith & Williamson 2011
Published by Harriman House Ltd
The right of Guy Rigby to be identified as the Author has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.
ISBN: 978-0-85719-185-4
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book can be obtained from the British Library.
All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Publisher. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior written consent of the Publisher.
No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person or corporate body acting or refraining to act as a result of reading material in this book can be accepted by the Publisher, by the Author, or by the employer(s) of the Author.
Praise for From Vision to Exit
“An excellent primer ... I commend this book to both those who are already running an established business, and those who are minded to start one and become their own boss. It is written in a practical style, full of useful tips and pertinent questions. It is a manual that can be used very much as a reference source, to be dipped into when needed.”
— Luke Johnson, chairman of Risk Capital Partners, former chairman of Channel 4 Television
“From Vision to Exit is a must-read book for any aspiring entrepreneur.”
— James Caan, founder and CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw, former investor on Dragons’ Den
“I am often asked for advice about starting a business and I was thinking of writing it all down. Guy has saved me the effort. I will just hand out a copy of this book.”
— Nick Jenkins, founder of Moonpig.com
“An excellent work. A story of vision, passion and the journey through growth and exit. Immensely helpful and practical. This book’s got it all.”
— Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, The Black Farmer
“If you want to run your own business, you need to read this book. I thoroughly recommend it!”
— Rowan Gormley, founder of Naked Wines
“I wish I’d read this book before I started my entrepreneurial journey — I might have made it to the beach already.”
— James Lohan, founder and CEO of Mr & Mrs Smith
“As someone who has chaired nearly 500 roundtable discussions with Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs, I know it’s not easy to assimilate best practice into a book. Guy has managed to combine current insights and anecdotes with great, practicable tips. This is the book I wish I’d written: Guy’s saved me the trouble. This should be essential reading for any aspiring, high-growth entrepreneurs."
— Duncan Cheatle, founder of leading entrepreneurs club The Supper Club and the Prelude Group
“A definitive handbook and guide. Everything you’ll ever need to know about building and selling a business.”
— Kevin Stopps, managing director of Smith & Williamson
“I only wish this book had been around for me to read before setting off on my entrepreneurial journey. A very thorough and informative book that covers every aspect of going it alone.”
— Kanya King, founder and CEO of MOBO Awards
“Guy Rigby’s new book is full of practical advice and covers everything an entrepreneur would need to run their business successfully. Highly recommended!”
— Mike Southon, Financial Times columnist, best-selling business author and entrepreneur mentor
“A must-read tome for any aspiring entrepreneur. Guy unpacks entrepreneurship in an enjoyable, fascinating manner.”
— Julie Meyer, founder and CEO of Ariadne Capital, founder of Entrepreneur Country, co-founder of First Tuesday
“A top class explicit guide about how to navigate the rollercoaster ride of succeeding as an entrepreneur.”
— Peter Winslow, Group CEO, BGL Group Ltd(BGL Group are the owners of comparethemarket.com)
“This book is a business masterpiece and its principles will be sustained through the generations. I would recommend it to anyone seeking to be highly successful in business. Not only has the author provided a comprehensive guide to creating business growth, he has also given us invaluable insights into the experiences of many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.”
— Shalini Khemka, chief executive, The London Entrepreneurial Exchange
“This is a MUST read for fellow entrepreneurs on the journey. Full of pragmatic experiences of how to accelerate growth in your business. Reading this will seriously enhance your profitability and your wealth.”
— Sir Eric Peacock, chairman of Baydonhill FX, entrepreneur and serial non-executive director
“This book will be invaluable to any entrepreneur in a start up or existing business. It gives instantly useful, practical insights on every important element of making a business successful and is firmly rooted in the deep experience of Guy and fellow entrepreneurs. It will prove of benefit to many a business.”
— Alex Cheatle, CEO of Ten Group
“Guy has managed to combine years of practical experience, an extensive knowledge of the financial world and pragmatic advice into one easy-to-read volume.”
— Neal Gandhi, serial entrepreneur and investor
“To a hungry entrepreneur, this book is an invitation to a lip-smacking smorgasbord upon which to feast. Easily digestible, never dry, stuffed with sage anecdotes and wit, it can be devoured in one full-fat sitting, or you can pick and mix from the menu, depending on your appetite. The tasty top tips at the end of each chapter should become the staple diet of anyone wanting to run a healthy, growing business. It deserves a Michelin star. Bravo.”
— Tristram Mayhew, founder and Chief Gorilla, Go Ape!
About the Author
Guy Rigby is a chartered accountant and an entrepreneur. He is a natural and driven enthusiast who built and sold his own accountancy firm, as well as pursuing other commercial interests. He has been a director and part-owner of a number of different ventures, including businesses in the IT, property, defence, manufacturing and retail sectors. In an unusually varied career, he has been the senior partner of two accountancy firms, a finance director, a sales