"For established business owners looking to scale beyond operator dependency..."
Evolve Your Business Into an Investor Grade Asset...
That Performs Without Dependency, And Is Worth More Because of It
Building a high-turnover business isn’t the same as building a valuable one…
And that’s not the same as building a sellable one, even if you never sell.
Working with Derek as your Business Growth Partner
I work directly with a select few business owners to evolve their business into an investor-grade asset, while maximising its enterprise value... To give you control, scalability, and real optionality.
“Most business owners don’t lack income… they lack optionality.” Derek Mair
Most people define freedom as income and lifestyle.
But true optionality is something very different... The ability to choose how you spend your time, energy, and attention, without being required by your business.
→ Capital deployed across investment opportunities.
→ Freedom to choose how you live, lead, and give.
→ Present for your family, not consumed by the business.
→ Creating security, opportunity, and legacy for future generations.
→ Freedom that outlives you.
You’ve already built a good multi 7-figure business with managerial levels, departments, and good processes. But if you’re honest… it’s still too dependent on you:
And despite the success it’s not giving you the return in time, control, or freedom it should. At some point, growth alone stops being the answer.
If you are still ultimately operating as:
The problem-solver
The decision-maker
The strategy-initiator
Your business can’t evolve beyond you.
That’s where I come in.
Guiding the Journey: From Operator → To Owner → To Investor
Operator → earns well but is required
Owner → has choice and control
Investor → builds wealth and legacy beyond the business
Most people stop at Operator Comfort and call it freedom.
Very few build Ownership Optionality.
Almost none reach Investor Freedom.
Why do most businesses never become wealth vehicles?
Because owners are chasing growth, without realising they’re not building an asset.
The real goal isn’t just to build a successful business… it’s to build a life, and a legacy, that your business enables.
Trusted by SME's and leading organisations including:
Why Work With Me
It is not about working harder, its about changing how the business actually works, in Partnership.
Most business support focuses on symptoms:
Inconsistent sales. Firefighting operations. A team that isn’t stepping up.
And yes, we will improve those things and your margin quality.
But that’s not where the real problem sits.
I work with you at a higher level... at the root cause.
Most business owners don’t realise this…
These are the three constraints keeping their business dependent, inconsistent, and undervalued.
1. Your business has been stuctured around you
2. You’re still operating from that identity
3. You’re focused on growth, not asset building
What most people miss is this… profit isn’t the prize. It’s the outcome. The real game is the valuation multiple, how your business is designed, how independent it is from you, and how valuable it becomes as an asset over time.
That’s the difference between operating a business… and owning something that creates real wealth and choice.
Whether you want to sell or not, the goal is the same, build a business that works without you, performs consistently, and gives you the freedom to decide what comes next.
“You don’t scale a business, you scale the structural architecture of the business.
If the architecture is flawed, growth multiplies chaos, not value.”
So the real game is: Valuation Engineering
The 4 Drivers of an Investor-Grade Business©
This is what you’re really trying to build…
1
SUSTAINABILITY
IT WORKS STRUCTURALLY
Strong culture, leadership depth, and clear commercial and management rhythm.
2
PREDICTABILITY
IT PERFORMS EFFECTIVELY
Sales revenue, margins, and working capital are stable, visible, and forecastable.
3
TRANSFERABILITY
IT RUNS WITHOUT YOU
Systems-driven operations with decentralised decision making and low owner dependency.
4
OPTIONALITY
IT GIVES YOU CHOICE
You have freedom to choose what happens next - from a position of strength, not necessity.
Real Optionality Means Having the Choice To…
→ Scale the business further
→ Step back from day-to-day
→ Invest into personal wealth creation
→ Acquire new portfolio businesses
→ Bring in partners or investment
→ Succession planning or MBO
→ Automate, and integrate AI
→ Exit on your terms
The AssetGrade Process ©
There is a structured way we move from dependency to optionality.
But this isn’t a fixed programme.
It’s applied dynamically based on your business, your constraints, and your objectives.
Valuation Multiple = Sustainability × Predictability × Transferability ©
Sellability = Profit Quality × Valuation Multiple ©
True Owner Optionality = Sellability × Identity Shift ©
How We Work Together
You’ll work directly with me at strategy, structure, and decision level…we focus on what moves the business forward, performance dependency and long term value.
Alongside that, you’ll be part of a small, high-calibre group of no more than 6 experienced, progressive business owners. Think of it as your own informal board, people who challenge you, support you, and understand exactly what you’re dealing with.
Together, we collaborate, pressure-test decisions, and move forward with clarity and intent.
At the same time, we'll work with your team to strengthen the three engines that ultimately drive everything:
-
Operations Performance Engine
-
Commercial Engine
-
Wealth Engine
You’ll also have access to the full suite of systems I’ve developed, the same frameworks used to build high-performing teams, strong leadership, aligned cultures, and commercially effective businesses.
The difference is…Most people access these systems below through online programmes. You don't
We leverage them. The Business Freedom System is designed to get other business owners to where you are. They are delivered internationally through licenced affiliate partners and designed for businesses not as mature as yours.
When you work with me, you get direct access to their creator, where we selectively leverage and apply the right elements of proven systems to your business, based on where you are, what’s holding you back, and what you’re trying to achieve, in real time....
Wealth Creation System™
A structured approach to turning business performance into personal wealth, shifting to an investor grade mindset to build long-term financial independence.
Book a Strategic Call
Limited availability, I work with a small number of businesses at any one time.
About Derek Mair
Driven by passion & results
Derek Mair is a professional business builder, executive leadership consultant, author, investor, and a business valuation strategist.
Managing Partner of NOVO Leadership International and a former Chief Operating Officer with over 40 years’ experience in business growth, operational transformation, and leadership development.
During his career he has started and scaled three international manufacturing operations to nine-figure revenues across three continents, led acquisitions and turnarounds, and worked with hundreds of SME owners as a business growth partner.
Derek has personally built, invested in, and scaled multiple SMEs to exit, and has also served as Managing Director within a private equity environment, giving him first-hand insight into how investors assess business value.
Today Derek works with established multi 7-figure business owners to help them build profitable, scalable and transferable companies that create greater valuation, optionality and freedom of choice for the owner.
He specialises in improving business valuation multiples that enable portfolio acquisitions, succession planning, MBO's and exit pathway planning, with personal wealth creation.
He is also the founder of multi-recognised business and leadership development group coaching systems, including the Business Freedom System™, and corporate leadership P90XL™. He works alongside investors and Novo Leadership licences and supports world class affiliate coaching partners across the UK and wider, to deliver these programmes.
“I am not a coach or a consultant, I am whatever the business needs me to be at that time... a partner."
Other Services
Team Alignment & Strategic Workshops
Keynote Speaker
Engagements
Investments / Acquisitions / MBO's
Non Executive Directorships
Proven Results. Trusted Partnerships
A full professional reference portfolio including client introductions, is available for serious enquires
