For many professionals, entrepreneurship isn't something they plan from the start of their careers. It comes later, after years spent building experience, developing expertise and reaching the point where another promotion no longer feels like the answer.
Buying a business has become an increasingly attractive route for people looking to make that change. Rather than starting from scratch, entrepreneurs through acquisition take over a business with customers, systems and a proven trading history already in place. While every acquisition involves risk, it can provide a more structured path into business ownership than building a new venture from the ground up.
This article follows the story of Richard Hand, a UK entrepreneur who spent more than two decades in financial services before leaving corporate life to launch an indoor leisure business. Although Richard's experience took place in Britain, the lessons he learned about managing risk, financing growth and finding renewed purpose in business ownership are just as relevant for prospective buyers in South Africa.
Alongside Richard's story, we'll also refer to findings from BusinessesForSale.com's UK Ownership Economy Index 2026. The survey reflects the views of UK adults rather than South Africans, but it offers useful insight into why experienced professionals are increasingly looking beyond traditional corporate careers.
Taking the Leap Into Business Ownership
Richard Hand spent more than 20 years in financial services and consulting, including senior roles with the UK's Big Four accounting firms, before becoming increasingly frustrated by the demands of corporate life.
Constant travel, long hours and a punishing commute between Eastbourne and London left him feeling as though he'd lost control of his work-life balance. In 2016, he decided to take a different path, leaving behind a successful corporate career to launch an indoor trampoline park business called Urban Jump.
Although the opportunity looked promising on paper, getting the business off the ground required a substantial financial commitment. Richard spent much of that year juggling his consulting career with raising finance, securing premises, overseeing the fit-out and preparing the business for launch. Much of the project was debt-funded from the outset, with loans secured against his personal assets.
Looking back, he describes the arrangement as "incredibly risky", admitting that he underestimated just how much financial exposure he was taking on. The pressure only grew when he realised he was effectively "the only person with skin in the game", meaning he would shoulder almost all of the consequences if the business failed.
Understanding the Risks Before You Begin
Part of the challenge was the nature of the business itself. Unlike many service businesses, Urban Jump required significant investment before it could generate meaningful revenue. Premises had to be secured and fitted out, specialist equipment installed, staff recruited and systems put in place long before customers started coming through the door. As a result, Richard spent years servicing debt while simultaneously trying to grow the business.
Not every entrepreneurial venture demands that level of capital investment, but his experience highlights the importance of understanding exactly what a business will require before you commit to it.
That is also one of the strongest arguments for buying an established business rather than starting one from scratch. When you acquire an existing company, you're taking over a business with customers, trading history and established processes already in place. Thorough due diligence should also give you a much clearer understanding of the company's financial position before you complete the purchase.
Acquiring a business doesn't remove risk, and financing is still often required, but it can reduce some of the uncertainty that comes with building an entirely new operation. For professionals looking to reinvent their careers, it offers the opportunity to focus on growing an existing business rather than creating every aspect of it from the ground up.
Tip: If you're considering buying a business, read our guide to financing a business acquisition for a detailed breakdown of funding options, deal structures and common mistakes first-time buyers make.
Why More Experienced Professionals Are Looking for Something Different
Richard's story highlights an important distinction. The best entrepreneurs aren't simply trying to leave corporate life behind; they're moving towards a business that offers greater purpose, independence and long-term opportunity. Without careful planning and thorough due diligence, it's possible to exchange one set of challenges for another. Done well, however, business ownership can provide a level of control that's difficult to find elsewhere.
That changing outlook is reflected in BusinessesForSale.com's UK Ownership Economy Index 2026. While the research represents UK respondents rather than South Africans, many of its findings will feel familiar to professionals who have questioned the long-term certainty of corporate careers.
According to the survey, 60% of UK adults believe corporate careers are less secure than they used to be, while 58% of people aged 45–55 believe workers are increasingly turning to business ownership after leaving corporate roles. The survey also found that 57% of UK adults believe workers over 50 face significant barriers to progressing in corporate careers, while 76% think older workers struggle to find new employment.
Although those figures are specific to the UK, they reinforce a broader reality. Experience doesn't lose its value simply because someone reaches the later stages of their career. In many cases, those years of leadership, financial knowledge and industry expertise can become some of an entrepreneur's greatest assets.
The survey also found that 82% of UK business owners said they felt fulfilled in their work, compared with 60% of employees. While those findings come from UK respondents, they reflect something business owners around the world often describe: building something of your own can provide a sense of purpose that's difficult to replicate in a traditional job.
Knowing When It's Time for the Next Chapter
Despite successfully building Urban Jump, Richard eventually reached another crossroads. After battling to keep the business afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic – and dealing with a major insurance claim that ultimately collapsed – he realised he had fallen out of love with the company he'd spent years creating.
Rather than continuing for the sake of it, he decided it was time to move on. Urban Jump was listed on BusinessesForSale.com and sold in April 2026, bringing one chapter of his entrepreneurial journey to a close.
When I asked Richard what he'd been doing since the sale, he said he'd taken time to recover and decompress after nearly a decade of running the business. Retirement briefly crossed his mind, but it wasn't an idea that lasted.
"One of the ideas was just to sit out for a while and retire," he says. "But I think that's not me."
Instead, he's already planning his next venture. The difference this time is that experience has given him a clearer understanding of what he wants from business ownership. Success is no longer about simply keeping a company afloat – it's about building something that remains rewarding to lead.
As he puts it: "I don't want to feel like I'm fighting to survive. I want to feel energised by fighting to grow."