How SME Leaders Can Unlock Hidden Company Value

17 / Feb / 2026

Ahead of our upcoming webinar, How to Build a More Valuable Business, Craig Elvin spent time with Damien Koziol, a specialist in company value creation and business exit readiness, to explore why so many UK SMEs and mid‑cap companies remain undervalued, and what founders, owners and senior leaders can do to unlock their hidden company value. Q: […]

Craig Elvin Interviewing Damien Koziol

Damien Koziol Interview

Q: Damien, when you look at SMEs and mid‑cap companies across the UK, what is the biggest misunderstanding business owners have about how company value is created?

Most people assume value is driven almost entirely by revenue and profit, but that’s only part of the story. I frequently meet businesses with strong top‑line growth that still struggle to attract investment or justify the multiple they expect. The issue is rarely performance; it’s risk.

Investors pay for predictability, stability, and transferability. If a business cannot demonstrate those things, the valuation will always suffer.

Q: When you talk about risk, what does that actually look like inside a business?

Risk shows up in places owners often overlook. It might be too much reliance on one or two key customers, dependency on the founder, inconsistent revenue, or lack of documentation. These are the red flags that cause investors to hesitate.

Q: You often talk about the “value gap”, the difference between what a business is worth today and what it could be worth. How big can that gap be?

It can be vast. Many companies have the potential to increase their valuation by 50 to 200% simply by addressing structural issues that are entirely fixable. Increasing value often doesn’t require a huge investment; it requires clarity, consistency, and tightening the areas buyers scrutinise most closely.

Q: For leaders considering a future MBO, trade sale or private equity investment, when should they start preparing?

Much earlier than they think. Ideally, two to five years before the event, but the most valuable companies behave “exit-ready” every day. Being exit-ready means being predictable, well‑structured, scalable, and not reliant on any one individual.

Q: Without giving away the full content of the webinar, can you share one area where businesses consistently miss opportunities to create company value?

Recurring revenue. Even organisations that don’t operate subscription models can introduce some form of contract, service plan or retained element. A modest recurring revenue stream can significantly boost a valuation because it tells buyers, “We know what next year looks like.”

Q: Finally, what can attendees expect from the webinar?

They’ll get clarity on the 8 key drivers of valuation, insight into where their own business may be exposed, and practical steps they can take immediately to improve their multiple. The biggest breakthroughs come when leaders begin applying the model to their own organisation.

This interview is just the starting point.

If you’re an SME or mid-cap business looking to grow, professionalise or prepare for a future event, whether that’s an MBO, trade sale, or private equity investment, you won’t want to miss this session.

👉 Register for the webinar here.

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How SME Leaders Can Unlock Hidden Company Value

Q: Damien, when you look at SMEs and mid‑cap companies across the UK, what is the biggest misunderstanding business owners have about how company value is created?

Q: When you talk about risk, what does that actually look like inside a business?

Q: You often talk about the “value gap”, the difference between what a business is worth today and what it could be worth. How big can that gap be?

Q: For leaders considering a future MBO, trade sale or private equity investment, when should they start preparing?

Q: Without giving away the full content of the webinar, can you share one area where businesses consistently miss opportunities to create company value?

Q: Finally, what can attendees expect from the webinar?

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