Explore every episode of the podcast The Found & Funded Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 6: Backing the next generation of CEOs: Inside Orca Equity Partners | 31 Aug 2026 | 00:59:37 | |
In the Season 3 finale of the Found & Funded Podcast, Carl Lundberg is joined by Jo Cockburn and Sandy Farmer, co-founding partners of Orca Equity Partners. Orca is an entrepreneurial investment firm backing the next generation of CEO talent to acquire and grow established SMEs across the UK and Europe. Its approach spans traditional search funds, self-funded acquisitions, management buy-ins and roll-up strategies – all centred on bringing together high-quality entrepreneurs and businesses navigating ownership succession. Jo and Sandy bring extensive experience across private equity, growth investing, M&A and operating owner-managed businesses. Before launching Orca, both played key roles in developing the search fund investment proposition at Ethos Partners, giving them a front-row seat to the rapid development of entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) in Europe. In this episode, they join Carl to explore how that market is evolving, what makes an acquisition entrepreneur worth backing and where they see the biggest opportunities over the decade ahead. They discuss:
Subscribe to the Gerald Edelman channel for more episodes of the Found & Funded Podcast and insights from entrepreneurs, investors and advisers operating across the search fund and ETA space. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 6 'Backing the next generation of CEOs: Inside Orca Equity Partners' | 27 Aug 2026 | 00:01:10 | |
What does the future of entrepreneurship through acquisition look like? For the Season 3 finale of Found & Funded, Carl Lundberg sits down with Jo Cockburn and Sandy Farmer, Co-Founding partners at Orca Equity Partners, to explore the opportunities shaping the next generation of business ownership. From the rise of search capital, to the qualities that separate good acquisition entrepreneurs from exceptional ones, this episode offers practical insights from two investors at the heart of the evolving ETA market. Tune in to hear: 🔹 How Orca's investment strategy extends beyond traditional search funds. 🔹 The changing landscape for equity gap investors. 🔹 Why the UK search fund market may be approaching an inflection point. 🔹 Their outlook for the UK and European ETA ecosystem over the next 10 years. Missed Episode 5 with Professor Jan Simon? Stream it here. 👇 | |||
| Episode 5: Lessons from a leading search fund investor with Jan Simon | 14 Aug 2026 | 00:48:09 | |
In this episode of the Found & Funded Podcast, we’re joined by Jan Simon, an investor, academic, and all-round leading voice in the global search fund industry.
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| Trailer: Episode 5 'Lessons from a leading Search Funds Investor, Jan Simon' | 12 Aug 2026 | 00:01:04 | |
Jan Simon has spent his career leading, investing, teaching, and helping entrepreneurs succeed. In this episode of Found & Funded, he shares his perspective on: - What investors look for in search fund entrepreneurs If you're interested in search funds or entrepreneurship through acquisition, you won't want to miss this one. | |||
| Episode 4: Why I bought a healthcare marketing agency: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition with Ben Marcilhacy | 22 Jul 2026 | 00:55:52 | |
In this episode of The Found & Funded Podcast, host Carl Lundberg is joined by Ben Marcilhacy, CEO of HMDG. Born and raised in France, Ben’s career has taken him from Google to Harvard’s MBA programme, tech startups, and now, entrepreneurship through acquisition. After initially looking at a buy-and-build strategy in the physiotherapy space, Ben shifted away from a roll-up model and towards acquiring a single business. That journey led him to HMDG, now one of the UK’s largest healthcare marketing agencies, trusted by more than 800 clinics across physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, podiatry and other healthcare professions. In this conversation, Carl and Ben discuss:
If you’re interested in entrepreneurship through acquisition, Ben’s story may inspire you to take the plunge – this episode is absolutely packed with expert insights, giving you a glimpse behind the curtain of a successful business acquisition. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 4 'Why I bought a healthcare marketing agency: ETA with Ben Marchilhacy' | 21 Jul 2026 | 00:01:05 | |
What does it take to leave a career at Google, earn an MBA from Harvard, and acquire one of the UK’s largest healthcare marketing agencies? In our latest episode, Carl Lundberg sits down with Ben Marcilhacy, CEO of HMDG, to discuss his journey into entrepreneurship through acquisition and the lessons learned along the way. From abandoning a buy-and-build strategy to structuring a successful acquisition, Ben shares candid insights on: ✅ Making the leap into business ownership. ✅ The power of a strong network. ✅ Creating win-win deals with sellers. ✅ Building growth in a specialist healthcare business. If you’re curious about acquiring a company rather than starting one from scratch, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Tune in on 22 July for the full extended episode, available to watch and stream on YouTube, Apple and Spotify. | |||
| Episode 3: What investors really look for, with Ibrahim Rahim | 02 Jul 2026 | 00:44:54 | |
Season three episode three is here! This time, Carl is joined by Ibrahim Rahim, Managing Partner and co-founder of Moonbase Capital, a global investment firm backing search fund entrepreneurs to acquire and grow established businesses. Ibrahim shares his journey from growing up in Egypt and working in the family business, through to consulting at McKinsey, and ultimately founding Moonbase, after discovering the search funds model at Stanford. He brings an investors perspective to the series looking at the operational side of a search acquisition. This episode unpacks:
Listen now on all podcast streaming platforms, or watch along on YouTube! | |||
| Trailer: Episode 3 'What investors really look for with Ibrahim Rahim' | 01 Jul 2026 | 00:00:57 | |
In episode three, Ibrahim Rahim, Managing Partner at Moonbase Capital, shares a journey that moves well beyond theory. From scaling a family business in Egypt, to advising at McKinsey, and ultimately backing search fund entrepreneurs globally - this is an episode grounded in reality, unpacking what it truly takes to grow and transform a business, including the hard lessons, the near misses, and the discipline required to build lasting value. If you are interested in acquiring, scaling, or investing in businesses, this is a conversation worth your time. 'What search fund investors really look for' is dropping tomorrow. | |||
| Episode 2: How two HBS graduates built a healthcare holdco | 22 May 2026 | 00:42:39 | |
Season three episode two, 'How two HBS graduates built a healthcare holdco' with Claire Nesler and Yoni Wehbe is now live. In this episode, the Co-Founders of Kinetico Health sit down with Carl Lundberg to unpack: • Why they chose the roll-up model. • How they convinced sellers to take a chance on them. • The systems needed to manage integrations. • How they closed two acquisitions in a single day. • The long-term vision to build a 40-clinic platform. This is one of our most practical conversations yet on buying and scaling businesses, you don't want to miss it. Listen now on all podcast streaming platforms, or watch along on YouTube! | |||
| Trailer: Episode 2 'How two HBS graduates built a healthcare holdco' | 21 May 2026 | 00:00:59 | |
"You're going to have to be ready to do 20, 30, 40 deals. You’re going to have to be ready to do 20, 30, 40 integrations." From business school graduates with entrepreneurial ambitions to operators running simultaneous acquisitions, our upcoming episode with the co-founders of Kinetico Health, Claire and Yoni, explores what it really takes to succeed in the search space — from convincing sellers and managing integrations to closing two deals in a single day. Tune in tomorrow for the full episode! | |||
| Season 3 Episode 1: From JP Morgan to business owner with Linh Van Deibel | 23 Apr 2026 | 00:47:15 | |
Welcome back to a brand new season of The Found & Funded Podcast. In this first episode of season 3, we welcome Linh Van Deibel, Director of Infrastructure Design Solutions, a B2B telecom services provider. From her roots in Vietnam to the high-stakes worlds of JP Morgan and private equity, Linh eventually moved into business operations, where she led five major acquisitions for a fintech scale-up - taking them from 50 to 1,500 employees. Now, as the co-founder of Acacia Partners, she shares the raw reality of the self-funded search fund model, the mechanics of acquiring a B2B telecom services provider in 2025, and the challenges of being a female searcher in a male-dominated industry. In this episode, we discuss:
🕒 Key Chapters
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| Trailer: Episode 1 'From JP Morgan to business owner with Linh Van Deibel' | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:00:59 | |
“Search is a binary process — you either make it, or you don’t." In our upcoming episode with Linh Van Deibel of Acacia Partners Ltd, we dive into the raw, unfiltered reality of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition: - No salary. - No safety net. - A year (or more) of uncertainty. - Deals falling apart — even at the 11th hour. And still… making the decision to keep going. From discovering ETA as a career path, to navigating bias and testing resilience, this is a story about betting on yourself when nothing is guaranteed. Tune in on 23 April for season three episode one, 'From JP Morgan to business owner with Linh Van Deibel', available to stream on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. https://lnkd.in/eGY_nhP9 | |||
| Episode 6 'Self-funded, self-doubt and self-belief: Darnell Irozuru's acquisition story' | 25 Jul 2025 | 00:47:54 | |
From finance to founder; trading career certainty for autonomy and long-term impact. In our season finale, Carl Lundberg is joined by Darnell Irozuru, CEO of Birch Faraday Capital and 2024 ETA Award winner, to unpack his ETA journey. Darnell’s instinct for entrepreneurship has been central to this story, starting with his own tutoring business straight out of university. Initially chasing FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early), he’s now focused on building a long-term hold-co and growing his care business sustainably. Listen along to find out how he tackled his first acquisition and overcame the challenges of deal sourcing and financing as a first time-buyer. Episode six, ‘Self-funded, self-doubt, and self-belief: Darnell Irozuru’s acquisition story’ is out now. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 6 'Self-funded, self-doubt and self-belief: Darnell Irozuru's acquisition story’ | 23 Jul 2025 | 00:01:25 | |
"I would not want to put my worst enemy through what I went through in that year, in terms of the highs and lows of getting that deal over the line." Faced with setbacks and challenges, Darnell Irozuru's first acquisition was anything but smooth. As someone who likes to hit the ground running, Darnell found himself doubting his decision to trade a sturdy 9-5 for entrepreneurship. Find out what drove Darnell to leave a stable finance career in pursuit of ownership and impact, how he fought through self-doubt to close the deal and how he plans to grow his business in a responsible and sustainable way. Episode six, 'Self-funded, self-doubt and self-belief: Darnell Irozuru's acquisition story' will be live this Friday! | |||
| Episode 5: Why I bought a white-collar business: Toby Henry's leap into ETA | 04 Jul 2025 | 00:45:18 | |
In our penultimate episode of the season, Carl Lundberg is joined by Toby Henry, CEO of Accelerator Solutions, to unpack the personal and professional driving force behind his ETA journey. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 5 'Why I bought a white-collar business: Toby Henry's leap into ETA' | 03 Jul 2025 | 00:01:21 | |
A sneak preview of what's to come in this week's episode. Inspired by his entrepreneur parents, Toby shares what drew him to the search fund model, how he's balancing legacy and leadership, and why flexibility, autonomy, and purpose continue to shape every decision he makes. | |||
| Episode 4: Building a Holdco - The Value Creation Playbook | 13 Jun 2025 | 00:52:32 | |
Sergey Sushentsev, Co-Founder of Astra Holdings, shares how a failed succession plan sparked his journey into ETA. He unpacks his deal sourcing tactics, Astra’s 3-step value creation playbook - professionalise, incentivise, digitise - and why the HoldCo model is a game-changer for long-term growth. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 4 'Building a Holdco: The value creation playbook' | 10 Jun 2025 | 00:01:04 | |
New episode coming soon! Hear from Sergey Sushentsev, Co-Founder of Astra Holdings, as he shares the personal story behind his passion for succession planning, his approach to sourcing deals, and how Astra creates value through its three-part playbook: professionalise, incentivise, and digitise. Make sure you're subscribed for when episode four drops on 13 June. | |||
| Episode 3: Switching sides: Investor to search fund operator | 30 May 2025 | 00:41:45 | |
Episode three has landed. Traditional searcher, Allison Stuckless, sits down with Carl Lundberg to share her journey from investment banker at JP Morgan, to stand-up comedian in the UK and then into the world of search. Plus Allison puts Carl in the hot-seat with some of her questions on the economic trajectory of the UK, managing seller expectations as a searcher, and what it takes to get a deal over the line. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 3 'Switching sides - Investor to search fund operator’ | 28 May 2025 | 00:00:59 | |
Our next guest to join Carl in the hot seat is traditional searcher, Allison Stuckless, Founder and Managing Partner of Vericor Capital. | |||
| Episode 2: Rethinking deal origination - Insights from BizCrunch’s CEO | 16 May 2025 | 00:50:49 | |
'Leave your job, become a self-funded searcher and start building relationships’ - Gareth Hawkins. In our brand new episode featuring Gareth Hawkins, CEO of BizCrunch, Carl and Gareth explore how data, technology, and a relationship-first approach are reshaping how searchers find and close deals. Whether you're an aspiring searcher, investor, or operator, this episode challenges you to think differently about how deals get done. Listen now on Apple, Spotify or watch along on YouTube. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 2 'Rethinking deal origination - Insights from BizCrunch’s CEO’ | 14 May 2025 | 00:01:10 | |
Episode two coming soon... In this brand new episode, Carl sits down with Gareth Hawkins, to dive into how deal sourcing is evolving and why traditional methods may get left behind. From data-driven strategies to the future of search, this is a must-listen for anyone in the world of acquisitions, private equity, or search funds. Be sure to tune in on Friday 16 May. | |||
| Season 2 episode 1: 'A self-funded acquisition with no external equity' | 02 May 2025 | 00:45:47 | |
Episode one of this brand new season kicks off with Olivier Stapylton-Smith, Director of Serv-Ice Refrigeration. | |||
| Trailer: Season 2 Episode 1 'A self-funded acquisition with no external equity' | 30 Apr 2025 | 00:01:13 | |
An official first look at what's to come in episode one of season two... 👀 'A self-funded acquisition with no external equity' with Olivier Stapylton-Smith, Director of Serv-Ice Refrigeration, will be dropping on 2 May 2025. In the season two premiere, we learn more about Olivier’s self-funded search journey and explore why he chose the acquisition path after launching his own company. Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss an episode. | |||
| Bonus clip: Episode 5 'The self-funded path to success - Harvard Business School to CEO' | 01 Apr 2025 | 00:06:08 | |
"Ask for money, get advice. Ask for advice, get money." - Alex Glasner on seeking investment. Bringing you a never seen before bonus clip from episode five 'The self-funded path to success - Harvard Business School to CEO'. In this extended cut, Alex shares how he found himself with an over subscribed cap table and his best advice for those who are looking to be a more confident negotiator. | |||
| Episode 6: 'How ETA is attracting venture capital and private equity investors' | 24 Jan 2025 | 00:46:07 | |
The final episode of the season is here! Deal making, industry expertise and sourcing the right company - these are all skills this week's guest looks for as an investor in the ETA space. Joyce Mackenzie Liu, CFO and CEO of Pegafund, joins Carl behind the mic for episode six to explore how venture capital and private equity intersects with the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition, as well as how to leverage cashflow to accelerate growth. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 6 'How ETA is attracting venture capital and private equity investors' | 23 Jan 2025 | 00:01:10 | |
Joyce Mackenzie Liu is in the hot seat this week, as she and Carl explore how venture capital and private equity intersects with the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition. Comparing the differences and similarities to the search fund model, what Joyce looks for as an investor when considering backing an entrepreneur, and leveraging cashflow to accelerate growth - this is a discussion you won't want to miss! Episode six, 'How ETA is attracting venture capital and private equity investors', will be available to stream tomorrow at 4pm on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. | |||
| Episode 5 'The Self-Funded Path to Success: Harvard Business School to CEO' | 10 Jan 2025 | 00:49:10 | |
Alex Glasner acquired Workpays with an over subscribed cap table and a solid infrastructure in place. From Harvard Business School to CEO; Carl sits down with the self-funded searcher, to reveal why he undertook a search, how he approached investors and picked his cap table, what he was looking for in a business and the most valuable advice he has received along the way. Find out his secrets to success in episode five! | |||
| Trailer: Episode 5 'The Self-Funded Path to Success: Harvard Business School to CEO’ | 08 Jan 2025 | 00:01:10 | |
Here's a preview of what's to come. From working for Parliament, to becoming Managing Director of his first search acquisition, Workpays, and his strategic approach to the self-funded search process - you won't want to miss this one. Coming on 10 January... Subscribe to our YouTube to be notified | |||
| Episode 4: 'Secrets for raising your search fund: What investors look for' | 20 Dec 2024 | 00:48:26 | |
In this episode, featuring alongside Carl, is renowned search fund mogul, Bramley Johnson. This episode is part two of our mini series on fundraising and investment and Carl asks the questions we've all been curious about; What are your best tips for getting a deal closed? Can you share any advice for aspiring searchers? What are the key considerations for searchers looking for investment? Watch or stream episode four 'Secrets for raising your search fund: What investors look for' now. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 4 'Secrets for raising your search fund: What investors look for' | 18 Dec 2024 | 00:01:10 | |
Get ready for episode four... 🍿 Featuring search funds legend, Bramley Johnson, this episode is all about #investment and #fundraising. Carl asks the questions we've all been curious about; What are your best tips for getting a deal closed? Can you share any advice for aspiring searchers? What are the key considerations for searchers looking for investment? Be sure to tune in on #Apple, #Spotify or #YouTube on 20 December to hear about Bramley's journey. 🔔 P.S Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Head to the link in our bio. 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@TheFoundandFundedPodcast/playlists | |||
| Episode 3: Securing investment: Maximising Search Fund Investment Success | 06 Dec 2024 | 00:45:52 | |
If you're a searcher at the investment stage of your journey, or an aspiring searcher curious about investment methods, this episode is for you. You'll learn about about a range of investment avenues, first hand, from a seasoned search fund adviser, such as:
Thank you to Nick Wallis for joining us on this episode and sharing your expertise. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 3 'Securing Investment: Maximising Search Fund Investment Success' | 04 Dec 2024 | 00:01:08 | |
We have hit the halfway point of the series! In episode three, Carl is joined by Nick Wallis, Head of Deal Advisory at Gerald Edelman. Nick discusses his experience in the search fund space, exploring key topics including debt funds, searcher credibility, Asset Based Lending (ABL) and the vital role of a debt adviser. | |||
| Episode 2: Building Your Search Fund: From Aspiration to Reality, with guest Adam Johnson | 22 Nov 2024 | 00:44:14 | |
Tune in and get excited! | |||
| Trailer: Episode 2 'Building Your Search Fund: From Aspiration to Reality' | 20 Nov 2024 | 00:01:02 | |
Here's a preview of what's to come in our second episode of The Found & Funded Podcast! 🗣️🎙️ Joined by Adam Johnson, CEO of Water Direct, Carl digs deep and asks the questions we've all been wanting answers to... Who made up your cap table? If you could go back, is there anything you would have changed? Was it always smooth sailing for you? Adam tells all, from how his deal died (more than once), to the one piece of advice for entrepreneurs that has stuck with him. 👀 | |||
| Episode 1: Demystifying Search Funds, with guest William Abell | 08 Nov 2024 | 00:37:01 | |
In the first episode to kick off the season, Carl alongside guest William Abell, explores the search fund model. From configuring your cap table, common pitfalls with deal mechanics, to seeking out the target. | |||
| Trailer: Episode 1 'Demystifying Search Funds' | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:01:07 | |
Here's a preview of what's to come in our first episode of The Found & Funded Podcast! 🗣️🎙️ | |||