An interview with William Kendall
William Kendall, serial entrepreneur and organic farmer, talks about his experience in the art of selling a business.
When William Kendall entered the New Covent Garden Soup Company, it was turning over less than GBP2 million a year. So, he dedicated himself to transforming it into the household name it is today, which boasted sales in excess of GBP20 million when it was sold in 1998.
After the sale of New Covent Garden, Kendall had no firm plan for his next steps, so he searched for the next perfect business opportunity. He found this in the form of Green & Black's, an organic chocolate company where he found a passion for both the product and the business.
There is life after exit. There are always other business opportunities out there.
With one sale under his belt, Kendall thought he was prepared to start the exit process again when he decided to sell Green & Black's. This time, however, the exit process proved trickier.
Here, William discusses how he overcame a myriad of challenges, and passes on his top tips to help other entrepreneurs prepare their business for a sale that works for everyone.