I've walked away from more deals than I've closed. It's made me millions.

Most people think walking away from a deal means you've failed. That you weren't good enough.

Bollocks.

After 25 years in business, here's what I've learned: the strongest position you can have in any negotiation is being genuinely ready to walk away.

This isn't bluffing. It's not playing games. It's being truly okay if the deal doesn't happen.

When you need the deal, you've already lost. When you want the deal but don't need it, that's when you win.

So how do you get there?

Preparation. You build options before you even get to the table.

Leverage doesn't come from what you say. It comes from what you don't need. I remember negotiating with an investor worth hundreds of millions. Massive ego. He had all the power on paper. But I'd done my groundwork. I had other options. I didn't need his money, I just wanted it.

I pushed back. And I got better terms than if I'd taken the easy money.

This isn't just about money, it's about mindset. Negotiation is a lot like dating. Show up desperate, and you'll finish before you even start. Business owners walk into meetings like they're begging for sex. "Please pick me, I'll do anything." The other side can smell that desperation a mile off.

The person who wants it the least holds all the power.

Here’s how you become that person:

1. Do Due Diligence on the PERSON, Not Just the Paper.
The best deals I've done were with good people. The worst ones looked great on paper, but the person on the other side was a snake. No matter how good a deal looks, if the person is wrong, it will fall apart. I learned this the hard way. Trust your gut. Your sanity is worth more than any single deal. The cost of doing business with the wrong person is always higher than the price of saying no.

2. Shift the Game (Especially When You're the Little Guy).
You can't always match firepower, so don't try. Shift the focus. Find what the other side values that you can provide cheaply—speed, niche access, a fresh perspective. Use strategic questions, not aggression. Curiosity gives you control. Make them talk, make them explain, and often, they'll reveal their own weaknesses.

3. Stop Talking. Stop Saying "Yes" So Fast.
Nobody likes someone who talks too much on a first date. It's the same in business. Don't oversell. Ask questions, then shut up and listen. And when they make an offer, don't jump at it. Saying "yes" too quickly makes you look cheap and grateful just to be there. Take your time. Make them wait. It signals you have other options.

The best negotiations feel like a great conversation where both sides walk away feeling like they've won. That's alignment. That's the long game.

Stop prepping your talking points. Start building your options. Stop focusing on what you want; figure out what they value.

That is the preparation that kills pressure.

Are you tired of feeling like you have to take whatever you're offered?

I'm here to help change that. Book a 15-minute Negotiation Audit for £99. This isn't a sales call. It's a focused, high-value session where we'll find the biggest leak in your negotiation strategy and give you one powerful action to fix it.

This is for doers who are ready to stop leaving money on the table.