RICHARD SARGEANT
Business Builder & Strategic Growth Partner to Ambitious Founders.
I don't just advise - I help build
Richard Sargeant
I've built, scaled, exited - and started over. Now I work directly with driven founders to fix what's not working, scale what is, and build businesses with clarity, control, and commercial strength. Whether through short, focused engagements or long-term partnerships - I'm in it with you.
I know the real challenges of building a business - because I've done it myself
Across 30 years, I’ve founded, scaled, exited, and rebuilt businesses across multiple industries — some turning over tens of millions, others teaching me the hardest lessons. I don’t deal in theory. I roll up my sleeves and work alongside ambitious founders to solve real problems and unlock growth.
If you're looking for honest, proven support to take your business further — I’m here to help you get there.
What I bring to the table:
Vision & Growth Strategy: Clear direction, actionable plans, and focused momentum
Financial Strength: Profit clarity, cash control, pricing strategy, and smart margins
Customer & Market: Positioning, targeting, marketing, and brand experience that cuts through
Leadership & Team: Building strong leadership and scaling culture that performs
Operations & Execution: Making things simpler, faster, and more effective
Funding & Exit: From pitching to planning your exit, with commercial eyes throughout
Hello, I'm Richard Sargeant...
My Journey So Far: Building, Scaling, and Doing It All First-Hand
Before I became a strategic partner to other founders, I spent 25+ years doing it myself — building businesses from scratch, scaling nationally, navigating exits, and learning the hard lessons along the way. Here's how it all unfolded:
1999–2006 | Co-Founder, The Estate Agents
After cutting my teeth in corporate estate agency and rising to senior management, I co-founded The Estate Agents — a multi-branch business with six offices, a lettings arm, a financial services division, and a property development operation. We grew annual revenue to over £2M before I sold my share in 2006.
2006–2017 | Founder & CEO, Handmade Burger Co
I took an idea from a single restaurant in Birmingham and built Handmade Burger Co into a 29-site national restaurant chain. With 850+ team members and £30M+ in annual turnover, the brand scaled rapidly. The business was sold in 2017. It was my proudest build and also taught me some of my biggest lessons in leadership and resilience.
2012–2014 | Co-Founder, Urban Pie
During this period, I also co-founded Urban Pie — a quick-service concept that offered freshly made pies with mash and sides. The brand quickly hit £1.25M+ in sales and expanded into multiple UK locations before we successfully exited.
Today | Strategic Partner to Founders
Now, I work shoulder-to-shoulder with business owners across sectors. I help fix what’s broken, build what’s next, and drive growth that’s actually sustainable. From high-level strategy to the operational trenches, I bring deep experience, sharp commercial insight, and sleeves-rolled-up involvement.
Whether you're scaling, stuck, or starting again — I’m here to help you move forward with clarity, pace, and confidence.
Who I've worked with
Here's just some of the entrepreneurs, owners and businesses I've worked with
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