For many business owners, a sale is still viewed as a single event. You build the business, sell 100 percent, take the cheque, and move on. That approach has worked for decades and, in the right circumstances, still does. However, for a growing number of quality SME businesses, particularly those with strong management teams and long term growth potential, retaining a stake can deliver a materially better outcome over time. At Mergers.co.uk , we specialise in structured trans

Complex transactions fail for one reason more than any other.Investors lose confidence. This does not usually happen because the opportunity is poor. It happens because the process is unclear, the structure is weak, or the narrative does not stand up under scrutiny. Confidence is built through discipline, not persuasion. Complexity increases risk perception Any transaction involving partial sales, roll over equity, multiple shareholders, deferred consideration, or future perf

For decades, the default M&A narrative has been straightforward. Build a business, sell it outright, and step away. That model still works in certain circumstances, but it no longer reflects how many ambitious business owners want to grow, de risk, or exit. Hybrid M&A is reshaping that landscape. Equity partnerships, partial sales, and phased exit structures are increasingly being used by owners who want access to capital and expertise while retaining a meaningful stake in wh

A partial sale gives a business access to capital, new expertise, and strategic capability without requiring the founder to step away entirely. It is a powerful route to accelerated growth and risk-sharing, but it also introduces a delicate issue: control. Voting rights are at the heart of this. If they are poorly structured, partnership conflicts soon outweigh the benefits of the deal. At Mergers.co.uk , we advise founders and investors on these structures regularly, and one