346) Steven Pettigrew - The Harsh Truth of Why Businesses Fail

Jan 25, 2026

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Today’s conversation is with Steven Pettigrew.

Steven is a business investor, turnaround specialist, and AI partner with deep, hands-on experience across business growth, mergers and acquisitions.

He grew up inside a large family-run business, went on to build and exit his own company, and now specialises in acquiring and fixing businesses that are underperforming as well as integrating AI to scale already successful business.

This is a grounded, no-nonsense conversation about why so many UK businesses struggle, what actually breaks when companies stall or fail, and how disciplined operators think differently about growth, acquisitions, and value creation.

Expect to learn:

What growing up inside a £35m+ family transport and waste business really teaches you about operations, people, and pressure
The biggest lessons Steven took from working in a multi-fleet, asset-heavy industry from a young age
When and why Steven decided to build — and eventually exit — his own transport delivery business
What selling a business teaches you that running one never will
Why Steven prefers acquiring businesses rather than starting them from scratch
The different ways to buy a business — and which methods actually work in the UK market
The most common reasons UK businesses fail long before they run out of money
What Steven focuses on immediately when he steps into a struggling business
How AI can be used as a partner, not a gimmick, inside real businesses
Why most owners misunderstand scale, margin, and operational leverage
Steven’s parting advice for anyone looking to get started in business acquisitions

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