Building a family-owned home
for enduring UK businesses
We're acquiring and growing dependable UK business for the long term, focused on preserving owner legacies and investing in the people that make them successful
What We Offer
As a self funded, husband-and-wife team building for the long term, we bring a different approach to trade buyers, financial buyers and other typical SME investors.
Skin in the game
We're investing our personal capital, not managing other people's money. This changes our incentives: we're selective, committed, and aligned with protecting what you've built. Your business becomes our family business.
Curious learners, committed builders
We're not finance people buying to flip. We love business operations: improving customer service, hiring, products and systems. We're excited to dive into your business, your industry and get our hands dirty.
In it for the long run
We currently have no outside investors demanding exits or quarterly returns. We're building a group of companies we intend to own and operate for decades.
Our Focus
We're building a family-owned group of UK businesses that we'll acquire and steward over the next decade. In 2026, we aim to acquire a profitable business and drive growth through additional energy, management capacity and investment in technology
Company Characteristics
5+ years of evidenced success, defined by profitable operations across economic cycles while maintaining positive customer relationships.
Owner Situation
Owner(s) seeking a majority or full exit due to retirement, or desire to step back from day-to-day operations.
Investment Criteria
- £350k-£750k EBITDA
- 15%+ EBITDA margins
- History of profitability (3+ years)
- Diverse customer base
- Recurring customers
Sectors of Interest
Largely industry-agnostic, with interest in:
- Essential Business Services
- Facilities Management
- Specialist Cleaning
- Fire Safety
About Serena & Mehdi
Originally from Singapore,
Serena comes from a family of entrepreneurs with her parents, siblings, and cousins all running their own enterprises.
She is an experienced client service, sales and commercial leader with 8 years experience in large-scale team and people management in both New York and London. She built and scaled two business units: first AlphaSights’ US Corporate division (serving healthcare, industrials, chemicals and technology clients among others) and then its European VC & growth equity business from scratch to 8 figures in revenue through skilful hiring, targeted client development, and operational excellence. Serena graduated from Brown University (USA).
Post acquisition, Serena will be working IN the businesses: sales and commercial execution, customer relationships, people management and hiring.
Born and raised in suburban London, Mehdi
is a passionate, entrepreneurial leader with global management experience.
He built multiple new revenue streams at AlphaSights: conceiving, launching and growing new offerings from scratch to £15m+ in annual run rate, and led countless strategic and innovation projects under direct supervision of the company’s founder-CEOs. Most recently he led expert outreach strategy, senior executive engagement, third party data partnerships and critical platform initiatives as a Senior Vice President. He was a member of the company's global leadership team and played an integral role in contributing to growing AlphaSights to over 2,000 employees in 9 offices by the time of his departure in December 2025.
Post acquisition, Mehdi will be working ON the businesses: operational improvements, product development, systems upgrades, company positioning and future bolt-ons.
Get in touch
"Espalier" refers to the technique of successfully nurturing a plant to bear fruit by tying branches to a support frame. The word itself is French and comes from the Italian spalliera, meaning "something to rest the shoulder (spalla) against". It's also the name of the street where we had our first apartment together in Kilburn, London.