Case study: Stonehouse Financial Services

How many clients did Stonehouse have?

330

Why did you decide to buy Stonehouse?

There were a few reasons why Stonehouse was attractive to us.

Firstly, they were based in the local area, close to our offices in Penistone. That means we can continue to provide a genuinely personal service to their clients.

Secondly, the owners of Stonehouse shared our values and we’d known the directors for many years, which means mutual trust had been developed.

Finally, the owners of Stonehouse didn’t want to sell their business to a traditional consolidator. Instead, preferring the more personal and bespoke approach that Waterbridge Wealth can offer. They also liked our modern new office premises, which can be used for client meetings, and the fact that we had four advisers who would immediately start servicing their clients.

What was the structure of the deal?

We’re open to many different deal structures.

However, this was a share purchase, which means Andy and Ian, Stonehouse’s two directors, can take a back seat, leaving us to handle everything after the acquisition is completed.

What were the most significant hurdles during the acquisition?

Every acquisition has its challenges, and this was no different.

However, both we and Stonehouse had great teams to support, guide and advise us, which meant on the day of completion, we all still had smiles on our faces.

Is Waterbridge looking to make further acquisitions?

Yes, we are.

Naturally, both sides have to be happy with the ‘fit’, but we’ll never know if we’re right for each other unless we chat.

So if you run or own an advice firm in Yorkshire, you’re thinking about retirement and you’d like to consider an alternative to a traditional consolidator, we’d love to hear from you.

Complete the form below, and we’ll be in touch.