James Caan: How I Avoid RISK When Buying Businesses

The most successful investors in businesses do not like to take risks. Read that again. Ensuring you eliminate as much risk as possible is what the most successful acquisition entrepreneurs do. While you may gain experience and be able to secure higher levels of lending, the principle does not change: de-risking is the best strategy.

In the second part of our James Caan interview, published on YouTube today, the entrepreneur and former Dragon's Den investor reveals how he avoids risk when buying businesses — and what happened when he did not follow his own rules.

What You'll Discover

• The two reasons why any acquisition goes wrong (you can avoid both when you know how)
• Why falling in love with a business can be fatal to a profitable deal (and results in you paying more to the vendor)
• Why you should never leave a stone unturned when doing due diligence (don't make the same mistake James made)
• Why James never gives personal guarantees to this day (and why refusing to sign a PG was the only way to limit risk to your personal wealth)
• Why you need a clear integration plan in place before you integrate a new acquisition (and appoint someone with responsibility for executing it)