Gareth sits down with Craig Brennan to unpack how he’s grown a 60-site nursery group through patient dealmaking, strong operating cadence and a people-first culture. We get into deal structures (including vendor terms), what really moves EBITDA in childcare, how to integrate without breaking quality, and the mistakes that taught the biggest lessons. If you’re eyeing roll-ups in regulated services, this one’s a blueprint.

What you’ll learn: how to source and negotiate owner-led acquisitions, the KPIs that matter (occupancy, wage ratios, fee strategy), when to centralise vs leave local, handling staffing headwinds, and why sellers care about continuity as much as price.

Highlights include: the first “lightbulb” acquisition, spinning up a nurseries platform during Covid, six deals last year, keeping Ofsted-grade standards tight during integrations, the hardest lesson about outgrowing people, and three mistakes new buyers make.

Timestamps
[00.12] Intro and Craig’s background
[02.11] Ask For Group today
[04.47] From organic growth to first acquisition
[06.14] Professionalising the business
[10.47] Covid, regulation and safeguarding realities
[13.50] Demand, occupancy and parent expectations
[17.13] Leadership: letting go and building the team
[20.09] Debt, cash management and growth pace
[21.30] Valuations, deal flow and multiples
[24.22] Sourcing: direct to owner vs brokers
[28.49] What sellers care about beyond price
[31.14] Turnaround case study and bounce-back loans
[35.08] Headwinds: staffing, wages, ratios
[40.11] Quality and safeguarding as non-negotiables
[44.07] KPIs that move the needle
[45.19] Advice to first-time acquirers
[47.09] Wage choices, pricing and the employer brand
[48.56] Operating cadence and systems
[53.08] Closing and thanks

Guest: Craig Brennan - Chairman, SK4 Holdings; CEO & Founder, LSC; CEO & Founder, Nurtured Childcare; Owner, Cheadle Town FC.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbrennanlsc

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