Post by Ben Wylie

Despite a decade of building start-ups, raising tens of millions for early-stage companies - I felt some imposter syndrome when starting Mida Creek . But in the first month, I've had a number of conversations that have refined my thinking, and have furthered my conviction in the need for an AI-native brokerage serving small business owners. A few of those conversations: Ross Denton, UK Sales Lead at Blick Rothenberg - confirmed our core thesis, the quality of brokers in the SME market drops off sharply in smaller deals. There's a real gap for someone owners can actually trust. Richard Sears, Director at Kuvi Capital - deep experience acquiring and scaling businesses. Sharpened my thinking on which sectors offer the best exit outcomes for owners right now. Geoff Goss, Founder of Matamba Anonaka - we talked at length about reaching Boomer business owners. The GTM challenge is less about finding them and more about earning their trust early. Joel Edington Eddington, Founder at INSTREET CAPITAL LIMITED - made the case for "boring businesses." Unglamorous, resilient, insulated from political and economic noise - and full of scope for modernisation. Aly Taha, Managing Partner at Memphis Capital - running an impressive M&A operation in Egypt. Reinforced how central referral networks are to doing this well, wherever you are. Klyne Maharaj, Founder of Reflector - we discussed how AI can build brands that genuinely improve exit outcomes, not just look good on a pitch deck. Matthew Nash, Partner at Westwood Investment Consultancy Services - a veteran in private banking, Matt demonstrated the power of being a connector with his generosity of subsequent introductions. One of the best things about being a founder is the excuse it gives me to speak with a diverse group of business leaders - with something to learn from each of them. If you have experience relevant to Mida Creek, or know someone that does - I’d love to chat! #Brokerage #AI #SME #BusinessExit #MergersAndAcquisitions