Worth $2M or $10M?

Inside my $480M acquisition mission

Matteo Turi
August 20, 2025

In partnership with

From Italy to a Nasdaq Reservation

How do you follow record-setting success? Get stronger. Take Pacaso. Their real estate co-ownership tech set records in Paris and London in 2024. No surprise. Coldwell Banker says 40% of wealthy Americans plan to buy abroad within a year. So adding 10+ new international destinations, including three in Italy, is big. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

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Inside a $48m Acquisition Campaign

Before I dive into today’s insights, I want to pause and say thank you.

This community has just passed 22,000 subscribers — founders, executives, and investors who share one thing in common: a relentless drive to build businesses that don’t just survive, but scale and sell for what they’re truly worth.

It’s proof that we’re not alone in wanting transformation, not just information.

And in that spirit, I want to share lessons from my current $480 million acquisition campaign — lessons that apply just as much to a $1M–$5M founder as they do to global deals.

Because whether you’re preparing to sell for $2M or $20M, the same principles determine your valuation.

Since March 2025, I’ve been leading a $480 million acquisition campaign to buy businesses producing essential commodities—energy, metals, and the raw materials that fuel the world.

I’m approaching these deals as an investor—not just a CFO.
That means I look at businesses through one lens:
Will this still grow if the founder disappears tomorrow?

The answer often depends on one simple tool: the High Valuation Triangle.

The High Valuation Code — Premium Membership

Financial transformation, not just information.

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What you get

Weekly Interactive Valuation Scorecards – Benchmark your business, spot gaps across IP, team, and go-global strategy, and track improvement over time.
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In-Person Meetups Every 6 Months – Regional sessions for peer learning, accountability, and deal-making.

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$179.96/year (10% off once) – Commit to growth and save.

Limited Availability: Membership is capped at 99 members only. The first 51 seats are already taken, leaving just 26 spots available.

Why now?
If valuation is your goal, momentum matters. Join today and turn the High Valuation Triangle into day-to-day execution.

The High Valuation Triangle

Every acquisition decision runs through this framework:

Intellectual Property Monetization – Have they extracted maximum value from their know-how, brand, and unique processes?
Succession Planning – Is there leadership depth so the business survives and thrives without the founder?
Going Global (or Expanding Reach) – Can the business scale beyond its current market to capture bigger opportunities?

Get all three right → premium valuation.
Miss two → often no deal.

Want to run your business like a $100m World Cup Team?

Then it is time to join our flagship program.

20 Videos, 8 hours to discover the High Valuation Triangle

Below is our YouTube video with Board Expert: Patrick Dunne (part 1 of 3)

I and Patrick have in common the Financial Times Board Director Program: He designed it, I graduated with it.

Four Stories That Prove the High Valuation Triangle

❌ Negative Example #1 – BrewDog (Scotland)

Revenue: ~£321M in 2023 (started from small local brewery)

BrewDog began as two friends brewing beer in a garage. Their early days ticked the first corner of the triangle—IP monetization—with a strong, differentiated brand that customers loved.

But over time, challenges emerged in the succession planning corner. Public reports detailed senior leadership churn and a founder-centric culture that made decision-making dependent on a small inner circle.

Even with global reach, the second and third corners of the triangle weren’t fully balanced. The brand’s valuation swings have mirrored that fragility—proof that without stable leadership depth, even a wildly successful product can face turbulence.

❌ Negative Example #2 – Heal’s (UK Furniture Retailer)

Revenue: ~£30M before sale to Tapi Carpets

Heal’s has been a household name for over a century. It had product IP in the form of unique designs and a deep reputation for craftsmanship. But it missed the Going Global / Expansion corner of the triangle, failing to adapt quickly to online retail and international growth.

Succession planning was also weak—the operational model still leaned heavily on physical store legacy and founder-era practices.

By the time it sold, Heal’s had lost the valuation premiums that a stronger triangle would have delivered. Instead of being acquired as a growth brand, it was acquired as a turnaround project.

✅ Positive Example #1 – Tracklements (UK Condiment Maker)

Revenue: ~£3M+ estimated

Tracklements began in a small kitchen, producing artisanal condiments. They mastered IP monetization by trademarking their brand, protecting recipes, and creating a product range that could be premium-priced.

They nailed succession planning—training a head of operations and putting documented processes in place so production could continue seamlessly without the founder’s direct involvement.

Finally, they executed the Going Global corner by exporting through trusted distributors, tapping into markets in Europe and Asia.

When it came time to sell, the buyer saw a low-risk, scalable business with three solid corners of the triangle. Result: a high multiple sale well above the artisanal food industry average.

✅ Positive Example #2 – Foyles (UK Bookstore Chain)

Revenue: ~£26M before being sold to Waterstones

Foyles was once just one legendary London store. They strengthened the IP monetization corner by building a distinctive brand identity, curating unique author events, and creating exclusive publishing partnerships.

For succession planning, they professionalized management—hiring experienced executives who could run daily operations independently of the founding family.

They delivered on Going Global / Expansion by launching an e-commerce platform, opening new store formats, and licensing pop-up events that extended their reach well beyond London.

When Waterstones acquired Foyles, they weren’t buying a bookshop—they were buying a ready-made growth platform. That translated into a premium valuation and a smooth integration.

Founder Takeaways – Your Action Plan

Protect What’s Unique – Register trademarks, document processes, and lock in supplier contracts.
Plan Your Exit Before You Need It – A #2 in command isn’t a luxury—it’s a valuation multiplier.
Expand Your Market Now – Even small-scale exporting or a second location signals scalability.
Balance All Three Corners – A strong brand with no leadership depth is as weak as a big team with no protected IP.
Audit Your Triangle – Score yourself out of 10 in each corner; fix the weakest one first.
Think Like a Buyer – Ask: Would I pay top dollar for this if I didn’t own it?

Below is our video with Jim Joyce, IP Superpower: Protect & Profit

One Big Announcement

The Exponential Blueprint will soon be on Amazon TV – Watch the High Valuation Triangle in action, with deep-dive case studies you can apply immediately.

M&A : The Expert Corner, From Indonesia

Culture, both national and organizational, is a crucial but often overlooked factor in M&A success. Culture isn't just about surface-level issues like dress codes or office perks; it encompasses deeply ingrained values, behaviors, and beliefs that shape how a company operates. When the underlying values and behaviors of two companies clash, it can lead to friction, employee turnover, and ultimately, a failure to achieve the deal's intended value.

The Role of Culture in Negotiations 🤝

During the negotiation phase, cultural differences can significantly impact how parties communicate, make decisions, and manage risk.

Communication Styles: Some cultures favor a direct, blunt communication style, while others prefer an indirect, more subtle approach. A mismatch can lead to misunderstandings and damage trust.
Hierarchy and Decision-Making: Cultural norms determine who holds power and how decisions are made. A top-down, hierarchical company may clash with a consensus-driven organization, causing delays and frustration.
Attitude Towards Risk: Different cultures have varying levels of risk tolerance. This affects how a deal is structured, from setting a fixed price early on to including future performance-based adjustments.
Relationship Building: In many Asian cultures, building a personal relationship and trust is a prerequisite for doing business. A purely transactional approach can be seen as disrespectful and may jeopardize the deal.

Would you like to discuss further?

Marguerite Bolze

[email protected]

Below is our recent podcast with Marguerite Bolze.

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