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The Cash Out Catalyst

Who is Murray?

Murray Phillips

The Cash Out Catalyst

Who Is Murray Phillips?

With over 30 years of hands-on industry experience as a consultant, speaker and authority on getting businesses ready to sell, Murray has an intimate knowledge of the numbers in the cycle of a business. He teaches his clients how to leverage his unique IP to present the numbers and structure systems in a way that allows his clients to drive higher ROI and profits in the short term while preparing themselves for a high multiple buyout.

He now helps business owners who have created a successful business to position it in a way that makes writing a big cheque a no brainer for the new owner.

Murray loves seeing these results and the joy and relief from his clients, many of who’d often given up on an exit payday and were worried about leaving their staff unemployed.

Business Exit Planning Consultant Murray Phillips
Business Exit Consultant

How It All Began

Born in the small farming town of Otorohanga in the Waikato region of New Zealand’s North Island, Murray grew up on his family’s 800-hectare farm out past the Waitomo Caves. At the age of five, his father was declared legally blind, and his family moved into town but still retained ownership and management of the farm.

Murray also had to deal with his own eye issues. An eye operation to repair a detached retina left him unable to play head contact sports (tough in a rugby mad family!) and prevented him from going down the farming path like his brothers. Instead, he left school as soon as he could to study accounting. 

Supporting his mother, who had to manage the farm, the household and go to work, in looking after the domestic duties for his father, led Murray to meet with the family accountant when his parents wanted to sell the farm. Confused that they weren’t getting the right offer, Murray, yet to discover the strategies that he’d go on to use to help so many, was unable to help his father or family accountant do anything differently, and they were forced to accept a subpar result.

A Country Boy In The Big Smoke

A new graduate in the city of Auckland, Murray quickly leveraged his degree in accountancy and farm experience to secure a job as an asset manager. Realising the corporate life wasn’t for him, he worked as a cost accountant in a few businesses before ending up in a large automotive group – quickly progressing from assistant accountant to accountant to group financial controller.

It was here that Murray was a part of his first business sale. He saw the mistakes made and the amount of cash (millions) that was left on the table due to poor communication and a failure to present the owner’s life work in a way that made the buyer feel comfortable.

I Realised That...

Seeing a business exit up close and the multitude of factors that played a part in the eventual sale price highlighted to Murray the importance of starting the sales process years before an actual sale. Ensuring the business was presented in the right way and providing the seller with the tools they needed to get the best price. This laid the foundation for the system he would hone and develop over the years through many businesses into the Cash Out Catalyst Blueprint.

A Practice In Profitability

Deciding that one of the biggest drivers to a successful sale was a profitable black box system, Murray took a job with another brand in the group. It was there he discovered the secret and, bang, led them to being in the top three most profitable automotive companies in New Zealand at the time.

After spending time contracting and bringing his unique approach to systems, processes and numbers to a variety of businesses and leaving them more profitable than he started, Murray turned his hand to residential property development, working for a friend selling house and land packages. Murray learned how to set up sales funnels and recruit potential investors effectively. The company’s success led it to expand into mortgage brokering (which Murray would help out with at peak times), construction and property management.

Having seen out a full property cycle, Murray ended up back in the automotive industry to help turn a large car dealership into a profitable venture. Twelve months later, he’d turned it completely around – much to the delight of the bank and the owner – who sold it.

Building A Business

Fast forward a few years, Murray had stepped out of employment and begun to consult with organisations right across New Zealand to drive up profits and systemise for a sale.
While successfully obtaining exits for businesses as diverse as professional services and manufacturing, he started to become frustrated with how many companies came to him hoping to sell in months or even weeks, tired, exhausted and having really given up.
It was at that point that Murray decided he could no longer rely on organisations deciding to sell and then seeking help. He needed to make sure they discovered the steps early, so they could be ready.

Business Exit Consultant
Business Exit Consultant

The Cash Out Catalyst Was Born

Today, Murray works with business owners, helping them realize they really can retire financially secure. Not by getting more revenue or profits, but instead focusing on three often neglected steps that lead to high multiples and multiple offers, positioning themselves as the true diamond in the rough for the business buyer.

With You On Your Journey To Cashing Out

Murray hates seeing business owners being turned away by business brokers because they left it too late and their business isn’t ready for sale, especially when it’s never too early and what you do to be sale ready will make you more profitable and create a simpler, happy business life.

He loves seeing business owners, even ten years before their sale date, entertaining offers while enjoying a balanced life with unguilted travel, occasionally saying yes to an offer years before they expected.

Thinking of Cashing Out?

Find out how you too can get the payday you deserve

You’ve worked hard for this day, and you deserve to get the payday you deserve. But before you take the plunge, make sure you’re prepared for all the challenges that come with cashing out.

Take our quiz to find out if you’re ready to exit your business.

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