here is the structure of my presentation for PE "Slide 1 Great, we've got most of what we need. Let's fill in the slide: Slide 1: The Fragmented Haulage Industry 1. Market Overview: o UK road freight transport market revenue: £XX.X billion o Number of businesses: XX,XXX 2. Growth Trajectory: o Annual growth rate: X.X% o Industry profit: £X.X billion 3. Fragmentation Evidence: o Market share of top 4 players: XX.X% o XX% of businesses have less than 5 employees 4. Our Entry Point: o "Entered in [Year] by acquiring [First Company Name]" o "Saw opportunity in highly fragmented market ripe for consolidation" 5. Key Industry Trends: o [Trend 1: e.g., "Increasing adoption of telematics"] o [Trend 2: e.g., "Shift towards more fuel-efficient fleets"] o [Trend 3: e.g., "Growing demand for last-mile delivery services"] This slide sets the stage well. It shows a large, growing market with lots of small players - perfect for your roll-up strategy. One thing to add: Can you recall the specific insight or event that led you to enter this market? A brief mention of that could add a personal touch to your story. • "Acquired first company during COVID-19 pandemic" • "Recognized haulage as a critical service while other sectors struggled" • "Saw opportunity in resilient industry with fragmented market" Now, let's draft Slide 2: Slide 2: Our Journey: Rapid Growth, Hard Lessons 1. Acquisition Timeline: o 2020: Acquired [Company 1] during COVID-19 o [Year]: Acquired [Company 2] o [Year]: Acquired [Company 3] o [Year]: Acquired [Company 4] 2. Rapid Growth: o Revenue growth: £2.8M to £11M (XXX% increase) o EBITDA growth: £300K to £2M (XXX% increase) 3. Key Challenge: o "Navigated liquidation of one acquisition" o "Learned critical lessons about due diligence and integration" 4. Lessons Learned: o "Importance of thorough due diligence" o "Need for standardized integration processes" o "Value of maintaining financial flexibility" 5. Current Position: o "Now poised for strategic growth with lessons applied" o "Seeking right partner to accelerate expansion" This slide shows your impressive growth, acknowledges challenges faced, and positions you as a battle-tested operator ready for the next phase. Does this capture your journey accurately? Any key events or lessons you want to add or emphasize? Great, let's move on to Slide 3: Building a Scalable Haulage Platform Slide 3: Current Portfolio Overview 1. Portfolio Snapshot: o 3 operating companies (briefly name or describe each) o Combined revenue: £11M o Combined EBITDA: £2M o EBITDA margin: XX% 2. Operational Metrics: o Total fleet size: XX vehicles o Key regions served: [List 2-3 main areas] o On-time delivery rate: XX% (if available) o Routes covered: [Number or description] o Average utilization rate: XX% (if available) o On-time delivery rate: XX% (if available) 3. Customer Base: o Total active customers: XX o Customer concentration: Top 5 customers = XX% of revenue 4. Unit Economics: o Revenue per vehicle: £XX,XXX o Cost per mile: £X.XX o LTV:CAC Ratio: 7:1 o Lifetime Value (LTV) per customer: £XX,XXX o Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): £X,XXX 5. Key Strengths: o [List 2-3 competitive advantages] 6. Competitive Advantages: o [List 2-3 key differentiators, e.g., "Specialized in [niche]", "Proprietary routing software"] 7. Platform Vision: o "Building foundation for scalable growth" o "Standardizing processes across portfolio" o "Investing in technology for operational excellence" Slide 4: Go-Forward Strategy 1. Consolidation and Integration: o Target cost synergies: £XXX,XXX by [Year] o Key areas: [e.g., "Fleet optimization", "Shared back-office functions"] o Expected impact on EBITDA margin: +X% points 2. Platform Building: o Implementing [Specific tech system, e.g., "ERP system"] o Standardizing [Key process, e.g., "Route planning across all units"] o Timeline: Full integration by [Quarter/Year] 3. Expanding Service Offerings: o New Service 1: [Brief description] o New Service 2: [Brief description] o Projected revenue from new services: £X.XM by [Year] 4. Customer Diversification: o Current: Top 5 customers = XX% of revenue o Target: Reduce to XX% by [Year] o Strategy: [Brief description] 5. Acquisition Strategy: o Target: X acquisitions in next 24 months o Focus areas: [e.g., "Geographic expansion", "Complementary services"] 6. Financial Targets: o Revenue goal: £XXM by [Year] o EBITDA margin target: XX% by [Year] Slide 5: Financial Projections and Growth Opportunity 1. 3-Year Financial Forecast: o Revenue projection: • Year 1: £XXM • Year 2: £XXM • Year 3: £XXM o EBITDA projection: • Year 1: £XM (X% margin) • Year 2: £XM (X% margin) • Year 3: £XM (X% margin) 2. Key Growth Drivers: o Organic growth in existing business: X% per year o New services contribution: £XM by Year 3 o Planned acquisitions: X companies, adding £XM revenue 3. Capital Requirements: o Total capital needed: £XXM o Use of funds: • Acquisitions: £XM • Technology investment: £XM • Working capital: £XM • Secondary sale: £XM (for partial liquidity to current shareholders) 4. Transaction Structure: o Secondary Sale: Opportunity for partial exit for current shareholders o Recapitalization: Optimizing capital structure for growth o New Equity: £XXM for expansion and acquisitions 5. Market Opportunity: o Addressable market size: £XXB o Our current market share: X% o Target market share by Year 3: X% 6. Value Creation Levers: o Cost synergies from integration: £XM o Revenue synergies from cross-selling: £XM o Margin improvement from scale: X% points 7. Exit Potential: o Comparable company valuations: X-X times EBITDA o Potential strategic buyers: [List 2-3 types] o Target exit timeline: X-X years By explicitly mentioning the secondary sale and recapitalization, we're addressing several key points: 1. It signals to PE firms that there's an opportunity for a significant stake. 2. It shows you're open to bringing in new partners and restructuring for growth. 3. It demonstrates alignment of interests - you're taking some chips off the table but also reinvesting. This structure makes the opportunity clearer for potential investors. They can see both the growth potential and the immediate investment opportunity. Does this align with your intentions? And do you have a specific target for how much of the current ownership you're looking to sell in the secondary? Slide 6: Management Team and Partnership Needs 1. Leadership Team: o Your background: [Brief highlights of your experience and achievements] o Key team member 1: [Name, role, brief background] o Key team member 2: [Name, role, brief background] o Key team member 3: [Name, role, brief background] 2. Team Strengths: o [Key strength 1, e.g., "Deep industry expertise"] o [Key strength 2, e.g., "Proven M&A integration experience"] o [Key strength 3, e.g., "Track record of operational improvements"] 3. What We're Looking For in a Partner: o Capital: £XXM for growth and partial liquidity o Expertise: • M&A support for larger acquisitions • Operational improvement in logistics • Access to broader network in the industry o Strategic guidance: • Board-level support • Help with long-term strategic planning 4. Why Now is the Right Time: o Market consolidation opportunity o Platform built and ready to scale o Proven model with strong unit economics 5. Next Steps: o Open to discussions on structure and terms o Seeking alignment on vision and strategy o Ready for detailed due diligence This slide accomplishes several things: 1. It showcases the strength of your team. 2. It clearly outlines what you're looking for in a partner, beyond just capital. 3. It positions the opportunity as timely and strategic. Is there anything specific about your team or what you're looking for in a partner that you want to emphasize? And do you have any specific criteria for the type of PE firm you want to work with? Slide 7: Investment Highlights and Conclusion 1. Compelling Market Opportunity: o Large, fragmented market ripe for consolidation o £XX billion addressable market with X% annual growth 2. Proven Track Record: o Revenue growth from £2.8M to £11M o EBITDA growth from £300K to £2M o Successful integration of 4 acquisitions 3. Strong Unit Economics: o 7:1 LTV:CAC ratio o EBITDA margin of XX% o Clear path to improving margins through scale and synergies 4. Scalable Platform: o Standardized processes across portfolio o Technology investments driving operational efficiency o Ready for rapid expansion through M&A and organic growth 5. Clear Growth Strategy: o Targeted acquisitions in fragmented market o Expansion into value-added services o Customer diversification plan 6. Aligned Interests: o Management reinvesting alongside new partners o Seeking strategic partner for next phase of growth 7. Attractive Investment Structure: o Opportunity for secondary purchase and primary investment o Flexible on deal structure to align interests 8. Call to Action: o "Join us in building the next leader in UK haulage" o "Open to discussions and next steps" This final slide serves as a powerful summary of the key points we've covered throughout the deck. It reinforces the strength of the opportunity and leaves potential investors with a clear understanding of why this is an attractive investment. Does this capture the essence of what you want to communicate? Any final points you'd like to add or emphasize? Slide 8: Risk Mitigation 1. Lessons Learned: o Brief mention of liquidation experience o Key takeaway: [e.g., "Importance of thorough due diligence"] 2. New Risk Management Processes: o [Process 1, e.g., "Enhanced financial monitoring across all units"] o [Process 2, e.g., "Standardized integration playbook for acquisitions"] o [Process 3, e.g., "Regular market and competitive analysis"] 3. Contingency Plans: o For market shifts: [Brief description] o For integration challenges: [Brief description] o For economic downturns: [Brief description] 4. Key Risk Indicators: o [KRI 1, e.g., "Customer concentration thresholds"] o [KRI 2, e.g., "Debt covenant headroom"] o [KRI 3, e.g., "Fleet utilization rates"] Slide 9: Exit Strategy 1. Potential Exit Options: o Strategic buyers: [List 2-3 types of potential acquirers] o Larger PE firms: [Characteristics of ideal next-stage investor] o Potential for IPO (if applicable) 2. Value Creation Targets: o Revenue target at exit: £XXM o EBITDA target at exit: £XXM o Target multiple: X-X times EBITDA 3. Timeline: o Anticipated hold period: X-X years o Key milestones to achieve before exit: • [Milestone 1, e.g., "Achieve £XM in revenue"] • [Milestone 2, e.g., "Complete X additional acquisitions"] • [Milestone 3, e.g., "Expand into X new regions"] 4. Positioning for Exit: o Building relationships with potential acquirers o Focusing on scalable, replicable business model o Developing strong second-tier management team These slides address two critical areas: how you're managing risks (crucial given your past experience) and your long-term vision for the company. They show you're thinking ahead and have a clear plan for value creation. Do these align with your thinking? Any specific points you want to add or modify in either of these slides? A1. Detailed Market Overview 1. Industry Statistics: o Total UK haulage market size: £XX billion o 5-year CAGR: X% o Number of companies: X,XXX o Employment figures: XXX,XXX jobs 2. Market Segmentation: o By type of haulage (e.g., general freight, specialized) o By distance (long-haul vs. short-haul) o By customer industry 3. Regulatory Environment: o Key current regulations o Upcoming regulatory changes (e.g., emissions standards) o Impact on industry costs and operations 4. Competitive Landscape: o Market share of top 5 players o Breakdown of market by company size o Key differentiators among major players 5. Industry Trends: o Technological advancements (e.g., telematics, route optimization) o Shift towards greener operations o Impact of e-commerce on demand A2. Value-Added Services Deep Dive 1. Service 1: [Name] o Detailed description o Market size and growth rate o Our competitive advantage o Revenue projection and timeline 2. Service 2: [Name] o [Same structure as Service 1] 3. Service 3: [Name] o [Same structure as Service 1] 4. Implementation Plan: o Timeline for rolling out each service o Resource requirements (personnel, technology, capex) o Expected impact on operations and financials 5. Synergies with Core Business: o How these services complement existing operations o Cross-selling opportunities Do these first two appendix slides cover the depth you're looking for? Shall we continue with the remaining three? A3. Detailed Financial Projections 1. 5-Year P&L Forecast: o Detailed revenue breakdown by service line o Cost structure (COGS, SG&A, etc.) o EBITDA and net income projections 2. Cash Flow Projections: o Operating cash flow o Capex requirements o Working capital needs o Free cash flow forecast 3. Key Assumptions: o Organic growth rates o Acquisition impact o Cost synergies realization timeline o Margin improvement factors 4. Sensitivity Analysis: o Impact of key variables (e.g., fuel prices, labor costs) o Best/base/worst case scenarios 5. Benchmarking: o Comparison to industry averages o Explanation of any significant deviations • Keep the high-level 5-year projections • Focus on key growth drivers and assumptions • Highlight critical financial metrics and ratios A4. Acquisition Criteria and Pipeline 1. Target Criteria: o Revenue range: £X-Y million o EBITDA margin: X%+ o Geographic focus o Complementary services or customer base 2. Current Pipeline: o Number of targets under consideration o Aggregate potential revenue o Expected timelines for completion 3. Integration Process: o 100-day plan outline o Key integration milestones o Resource allocation for integration 4. Historical Acquisition Performance: o Brief case studies of past acquisitions o Lessons learned and applied 5. Funding Strategy: o Mix of debt and equity o Potential earn-out structures A5. Key Team Bios 1. Your Bio: o Extended professional background o Key achievements in haulage industry o Specific role in growth strategy execution 2. Team Member 1: o Name and position o Relevant experience and achievements o Role in executing growth strategy 3. Team Member 2: o [Same structure as Team Member 1] 4. Team Member 3: o [Same structure as Team Member 1] 5. Planned Key Hires: o Critical positions to be filled o Ideal candidate profiles 6. Board and Advisors: o Current board structure o Key advisors and their contributions These appendix slides provide a comprehensive deep dive into the key areas of your business and strategy. They offer the detailed information that investors will need for their due diligence, while keeping the main presentation focused and concise. Is there any area you'd like to expand on or any additional information you think would be valuable to include in these appendix slides? A6. Detailed 3-Statement Financial Model 1. Historical Financials (Last 3 Years): o Income Statement o Balance Sheet o Cash Flow Statement 2. Current Year Financials: o YTD actual results o Full-year projection 3. 3-Year Organic Growth Forecast: o Detailed Income Statement projections o Balance Sheet forecasts o Cash Flow Statement projections 4. Key Assumptions: o Revenue growth rates by service line o Cost structure evolution o Working capital assumptions o Capex requirements 5. Financial Ratios and Metrics: o Profitability ratios (Gross margin, EBITDA margin, Net margin) o Efficiency ratios (Asset turnover, Inventory turnover) o Liquidity ratios (Current ratio, Quick ratio) o Leverage ratios (Debt/Equity, Interest coverage) 6. Sensitivity Analysis: o Impact of key variables on financial performance o Scenario analysis (Best case, Base case, Worst case) 7. Reconciliation to Growth Strategy: o Clear notes on what's included (organic growth) and what's not (future acquisitions) o Potential upside from successful execution of acquisition strategy This detailed financial model will provide investors with a comprehensive view of your company's financial performance and prospects. It demonstrates financial acumen and transparency, which are highly valued by PE firms. A few tips for developing this model: 1. Ensure consistency across all three statements 2. Clearly label all assumptions 3. Make it easy to adjust key variables 4. Include a dashboard summarizing key metrics By providing this level of detail, you're giving potential investors the tools they need to perform their own analysis, which can speed up the due diligence process. Does this align with what you had in mind for the financial model? Any specific areas you want to emphasize or additional elements you'd like to include? A7. Traction and Key Metrics 1. Historical Growth Trends o Customer growth rate o Revenue per customer over time o Operational efficiency metrics (e.g., deliveries per vehicle, fuel efficiency) 2. Customer Metrics o Acquisition rates o Retention rates o Customer lifetime value evolution 3. Operational Improvements o Timeline of key operational enhancements o Impact on margins and efficiency A8. Competitive Landscape Analysis 1. Key Competitors Overview o Top 5-7 competitors with brief profiles 2. Comparative Analysis o Table comparing key features/services o Positioning map (e.g., price vs. service quality) 3. Our Unique Selling Proposition o Key differentiators o How we win against each type of competitor 4. Market Positioning o Our niche and how we're defending it o Areas for potential expansion A9. Business Model Deep Dive 1. Revenue Streams o Breakdown of revenue by service type o Historical and projected mix 2. Pricing Strategy o Overview of pricing model o Comparison to industry standards 3. Customer Lifecycle o Acquisition channels o Upselling and cross-selling strategies o Retention tactics 4. Unit Economics o Detailed breakdown of costs and revenue per unit (e.g., per vehicle, per delivery) o Progression of unit economics over time These additional appendix slides provide valuable context and depth to your business story, which PE firms can refer to during their due diligence process. They complement the financial and operational focus of the main deck with more granular insights into your market position and business model. Does this structure work for you? It keeps the main deck clean while providing all the additional information from the VC pitch in a format that PE firms will appreciate.".....