In this live episode from the EOA Conference in Telford, Andy explores the critical but often overlooked piece of the employee ownership puzzle: access to capital. Chris Walton from Shawbrook, a specialist SME lender, explains why the UK's EO ecosystem has historically been underserved by finance and how that's changing.

Key Takeaways:

While the tax-free incentive has driven amazing growth in UK employee ownership, it's also created a significant barrier: many transitions rely entirely on deferred consideration, with sellers waiting years to receive their money. This lack of accessible finance has held back countless transitions that could otherwise happen.

Chris explains why mainstream lenders have retreated from anything "out of the ordinary" and how Shawbrook was founded specifically to serve these underserved niches. There's nothing fundamentally different about lending to employee-owned businesses - but you do need to understand the nuances around governance, management transitions, and how businesses prepare to bring employee owners on the journey.

The conversation reveals a fascinating insight: if tax advantage is the only reason someone's going through the transition, they're probably not well-prepared for it, making it more challenging for lenders to provide finance. Chris's team looks beyond the numbers and management CVs to assess how thoughtfully businesses have considered what employee ownership actually means.

Memorable Moments:

• Why the US has both strong service providers AND strong finance, while the UK has lagged on the latter
• The importance of not being afraid of "prodding and poking" - it's part of growing up as a business
• How roughly half of Shawbrook's clients come directly through relationships and referrals
• Chris's unique answer about Victorian-era cooperative movements providing inspiration for today
• Why talking to businesses that have already made the transition is the best research you can do

Guest: Chris Walton, Shawbrook

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjwalton/
• Company: https://www.shawbrook.co.uk

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by EOT Expert by Christian Wilson – providing technical expertise and compliance support for EOT transitions and ongoing governance. Learn more at eotexpert.co.uk