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  • 16: M&A Zing (Ep. 16)– Kill Messy Books - Before They Kill Your Cash Flow: Tom Griffiths

    16: M&A Zing (Ep. 16)– Kill Messy Books - Before They Kill Your Cash Flow: Tom Griffiths
    2025/05/28
    Running the company from the bank balance might feel quick, but it’s why 82 % of small firms die of “self-inflicted” cash-flow wounds.

    Former JP Morgan banker Tom Griffiths now parachutes into owner-managed businesses as a fractional CFO. He walks us through:

    - The 16 financial drivers every SME should track (revenue → gross → net → cash)
    - Spotting and fixing “messy books” before a buyer’s DD team does
    - Preparing for an earn-out without being taken for a ride
    - Why doubling revenue can leave profit flat, and when to say no to debt
    - His playbook for selling an IT-services business (and keeping the deal alive)

    If you’re growing, buying or aiming to sell within the next few years, this one’s for you.

    ⏱ Timestamps
    [00:00] Welcome back & episode outline
    [00:24] Meet Tom Griffiths—JP Morgan to Synergy CFO Solutions
    [01:32] Why he left high-finance for SMEs
    [02:56] “Cash in the bank ≠ strategy”—common owner blind spots
    [05:33] VAT, CT & other hidden cashflow traps
    [08:18] Tom’s 16-driver finance pyramid
    [12:40] Real-world messy books & quick fixes
    [14:45] Exit prep case study: cleaning the numbers before marketing
    [18:15] Forecasts, customer concentration & DD red flags
    [22:10] Earn-outs, deferred consideration & deal psychology
    [26:05] When it’s time for a fractional CFO
    [30:03] What makes a great client (and a terrible one)
    [33:00] Free 16-driver worksheet & on-demand training
    [34:05] Take-aways & how to reach Tom

    Resources & Links
    Free training + 16-Driver Worksheet
    https://synergycfosolutions.co/workshop-registration/

    Connect with Tom on LinkedIn
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomgriffiths8/

    BizCrunch Community (early episodes, live Q&A, networking)
    https://www.bizcrunch.co/community

    About M&A-Zing
    Host Gareth Hawkins—exited founder & M&A investor—dives into real UK & European SMB deals: search funds, holdcos and bootstrapped buy-outs.

    Featured News
    • UK Start-Up Loans top £1 bn (6 % fixed, £25 k per director)
    • HMRC targets disguised remuneration schemes across 1 000+ SMEs
    • Searchfunder Q1-2025: 20 ETA deals, 45 % in Europe (Spain leads)


    Thanks for watching! Like, subscribe and drop questions below - or join the BizCrunch community for the private AMA.

    #SearchFunds #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisition #FractionalCFO #SMBFinance #BizCrunch #Dealmakers
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    37 分
  • 15: M&A Zing (Ep. 15)– Debt Nightmares, SEIS Wins & The Barbell Economy with Sam Simpson

    15: M&A Zing (Ep. 15)– Debt Nightmares, SEIS Wins & The Barbell Economy with Sam Simpson
    2025/05/21
    Modern polymath Sam Simpson (CEO @ Founder Catalyst & Co-Founder @ Forge Technologies) has worn every hat: quantum physicist, £450 m buy-and-build survivor, SEIS-powered founder, angel in 30+ start-ups.
    In this episode he breaks down:

    Why an 18 % loan-note stack killed 2e2 overnight, and how that shaped his “no-debt” rule

    Turning a £20 k SEIS cheque into a 30×, tax-free exit (and what most founders miss)

    Growth-at-all-costs is dead; profitability, AI-driven efficiency & the “barbell economy” are in

    Angel vs buy-out returns, optionality, focus, and building Forge Technologies without bank debt

    ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
    0:00 Intro & welcome
    1:12 The 3 Cs – Customer, Colleague, Commercial
    5:32 2e2 collapse & debt lessons learned
    10:18 COVID wipes out an events venture
    15:04 Rock Technologies – SEIS to £100 m exit
    23:18 Founder Catalyst – powering funding rounds
    27:30 Forge Technologies – buy-and-build, no leverage
    34:00 Angel vs buy-out returns (+ SEIS/EMI tips)
    38:12 AI, profitability & the barbell economy
    44:40 Personal milestones, focus & future plans
    46:50 Key take-aways & wrap-up

    🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED
    • Founder Catalyst – SEIS/EIS & EMI platform → https://foundercatalyst.co.uk
    • Forge Technologies → https://forgetech.co.uk
    • SEIS & EMI Guides (UK Gov) → https://gov.uk
    • BGF (Business Growth Fund) → https://bgf.co.uk


    *About M&A Zing*
    Host: Gareth Hawkins – CEO & Co-Founder, BizCrunch (exited founder & M&A investor). Each week we dive into real-world SMB M&A across the UK & Europe.

    *Join the BizCrunch Community*
    Early-access episodes, live Q&A and networking for acquisition entrepreneurs & investors. Sign up → https://www.bizcrunch.co/community

    Featured News
    • Microsoft chooses a boutique London venue for Satya Nadella’s EU product launch – the inside story of an events business wiped out by COVID
    • BGF doubles down on UK tech after its nine-figure exit from Rock Technologies
    • UK Startup Loans: £25 k per founder at 6 % – why Sam Simpson still says “no PG debt”

    Thanks for watching! Please *like*, *subscribe* and drop questions below—or better yet, join our community for the private AMA.



    #SearchFunds #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisition #FounderCatalyst #ForgeTechnologies #BizCrunch #Dealmakers
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    48 分
  • 14: M&A Zing (Ep. 14)– From Bain to Botanical Walls: Sebastiaan Willen’s Self-Funded Buy-Out

    14: M&A Zing (Ep. 14)– From Bain to Botanical Walls: Sebastiaan Willen’s Self-Funded Buy-Out
    2025/05/15
    Welcome to *M&A Zing*, the weekly show for acquisition entrepreneurs, search funders and hold-co builders in the UK & Europe.

    Fresh back from a 400-strong ETA weekend at INSEAD, host Gareth Hawkins sits down with *Sebastiaan Willen*, ex-Bain consultant turned self-funded searcher, to unpack how he acquired premium artificial-green-wall maker *Vistafolia* (and why he skipped bank debt entirely).

    *Episode Timestamps*
    [00:00] Intro & INSEAD 2025 recap
    [00:56] This Week’s M&A News – Monarch Healthcare buy-out, Treasia Capital search launch, Searchfunder Q1 report
    [02:41] Meet Sebastiaan Willen (Perfectus Capital ➜ Vistafolia)
    [04:41] Ten years of deliberate skill-building at IWG (Regus) & Shopee
    [10:06] Launching a solo, self-funded search while still in Malaysia
    [13:06] Spotting Vistafolia, structuring an all-equity + seller-note deal
    [20:26] Tariff shocks, global supply-chains & keeping US sales alive
    [24:54] First 90 days as MD—culture, cloud tools & steady hands
    [30:00] Advice for new owner-operators: listen first, change slowly
    [32:20] The five-year vision: doubling Vistafolia and paying the note early
    [35:00] Upcoming Serial Acquirer Symposium (18 June, London) & wrap-up

    Guest Bio – *Sebastiaan Willen*
    Sebastiaan is Managing Director of *Vistafolia* and founder of *Perfectus Capital*. A Belgian native, he spent seven years in Asia leading BD, marketing and 1,000-person ops teams at IWG/Regus and Shopee after starting at Bain. In Feb 2025 he closed his first acquisition, funded with personal capital and a seller note, to take Vistafolia’s award-winning artificial green-wall system worldwide.

    *About M&A Zing*
    Host: Gareth Hawkins – CEO & Co-Founder, BizCrunch (exited founder & M&A investor). Each week we dive into real-world SMB M&A across the UK & Europe.

    *Join the BizCrunch Community*
    Early-access episodes, live Q&A and networking for acquisition entrepreneurs & investors. Sign up → https://www.bizcrunch.co/community

    Featured News
    • Odyssey Capital adds 13-home *Monarch Healthcare* to its care portfolio
    • *Treasia Capital* (Spain) launches €1–3.5 m EBIT search led by Luis Díaz Rodríguez-Arias
    • *Searchfunder News* Q1-2025 report: 20 ETA deals, 45 % in Europe (mostly Spain; UK, DE & NL follow)

    Thanks for watching! Please *like*, *subscribe* and drop questions below—or better yet, join our community for the private AMA.

    #SearchFunds #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisition #Vistafolia #BizCrunch #Dealmakers
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    47 分
  • 13: M&A Zing (Ep. 12) – Searching the Gulf: Adam Giansiracusa on UAE’s Untapped SME Goldmine

    13: M&A Zing (Ep. 12) – Searching the Gulf: Adam Giansiracusa on UAE’s Untapped SME Goldmine
    2025/05/09
    Welcome to Episode 13 of M&A Zing - the weekly show for acquisition entrepreneurs, search-funders and hold-co builders in the UK, Europe *and beyond*.

    This week we head to the United Arab Emirates to meet Adam Giansiracusa, founder of *Oryx Legacy* and one of the first traditional searchers dedicated to acquiring SMEs in the GCC.

    Adam explains why Dubai’s 4-5 % GDP growth, low taxes and 90 % expat population create first-mover conditions for deal-makers—plus how he’s navigating sparse data, WhatsApp sourcing and multi-national workforce cultures to find the right company before year-end.

    Episode Timestamps*
    [00:00] Intro & Search-Fund News
     * Frontier Development Capital launches £80 m Regional SME Debt Fund (UK)
     * Ithaca Capital returns 40 % of its fund inside Year 1 (EU)

    [00:40] Why the UAE? A £600 bn “Greater-London-sized” economy
    [02:02] Meet Adam Giansiracusa—from Monitor Deloitte to BCG Dubai
    [05:24] Five years inside a family-office PE firm: lessons in ops & strategy
    [10:00] Self-funded vs. backed search: proof-of-funds & bank-lending realities
    [14:10] Oryx Legacy thesis—education, healthcare, B2B services & tourism
    [18:35] Macro tailwinds: 1,000 newcomers/day, flight-to-safety capital flows
    [23:16] Fund-raise recap (⅔ global LPs, ⅓ GCC family offices)
    [28:05] Intermediated deal flow: only *three* active brokers in the UAE
    [31:30] Proprietary hacks—Apollo, Google Maps & gov-licence scraping
    [38:55] Diligence hurdles: pre-tax books, multi-entity structures & culture
    [44:10] Geopolitics, oil prices & why Dubai often *benefits* from instability
    [47:30] 12-month goal: identify target, enter diligence, close inside Year 2
    [49:55] Adam’s advice: secure a local anchor early & embrace emerging markets
    [52:40] Contact Adam (adam@oryxlegacy.com) & wrap-up

    *Guest Bio: Adam Giansiracusa*
    Adam is the founder of Oryx Legacy, one of the first search funds focused on buying a single SME in the United Arab Emirates. After Monitor Deloitte and an MBA at Harvard, he joined BCG in Dubai, then spent five years as Chief-of-Staff at Safanad, a global family-office PE firm with major investments in schools, healthcare and real estate. He’s now leveraging that toolkit to pioneer ETA in the Gulf.

    ---

    About M&A Zing
    *Host* – Gareth Hawkins (CEO & Co-Founder, BizCrunch; exited founder & M&A investor)
    Every week we tackle real-world SMB-M&A challenges—especially for UK, European and now GCC deal-makers.

    Join the BizCrunch Community
    Early-access to livestreams * Live post-show Q&A * Networking with other buyers & investors
    https://www.bizcrunch.co/community

    Featured News
    * Frontier Development Capital closes £80 m Regional SME Debt Fund to target succession deals under £10 m EV.
    * Ithaca Capital Partners distributes 40 % of Fund I within 12 months of closing.

    Thanks for Watching / Listening!
    If you enjoyed this episode please *like*, *subscribe* and turn on notifications. Questions? Drop them below—or join our private community for the AMA.

    #MergersAndAcquisitions #SearchFunds #GCC #SME #BizCrunch
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    55 分
  • 12: M&A Zing (Ep. 12) – From McKinsey to Machine Shops: Amit Rai’s Permanent-Capital Playbook

    12: M&A Zing (Ep. 12) – From McKinsey to Machine Shops: Amit Rai’s Permanent-Capital Playbook
    2025/04/30
    Welcome to Episode 12 of M&A Zing - the weekly show for acquisition entrepreneurs, search-funders, and hold-co builders across the UK & Europe. This week Gareth Hawkins sits down with Amit Rai*, co-founder & CEO of *Astra Holdings*. After strategy gigs at McKinsey, senior roles at Microsoft & Nokia, and a venture exit to Shell, Amit is now on a mission to give UK industrial SMEs a *permanent home. In just 18 months he’s closed two acquisitions (IntoDoor & Acorn Engineering) and is racing toward a 30-company, IPO-bound platform, borrowing pages from Constellation Software and the Nordic serial-acquirer model. --- #### Episode Timestamps [00:00] Introduction & Welcome [00:44] Community shout-out → Sofware (new Polish search fund) [02:00] Amit’s Career Arc – McKinsey, Microsoft, Nokia, Machine Max exit to Shell [03:55] Personal driver: watching his father’s SME close for lack of succession [04:55] Deal #1 – IntoDoor (industrial door maintenance, East Midlands) [05:55] Deal #2 – Acorn Engineerin* (hospital pipe-refurb, North-East) [07:56] Digitising the basics: websites, CRM & monthly dashboards most SMEs lack [08:52] “Professionalising Ops” – forcing 1-, 3- & 5-year planning conversations [09:59] Astra Thesis – asset-light engineering services, outside London, 6× EBITDA sweet-spot [12:10] Seller psychology: legacy → headline price, why permanent capital wins [12:58] Nordic inspiration (Indutrade, Lifco, Lagercrantz) & decentralised culture [14:55] AI on the factory floor – the intern who built a workload app with ChatGPT [26:55] Deal-flow engine: brokers, accountants, BizCrunch & word-of-mouth “good-home” rep [30:37] Ten-Year Vision – 30–40 companies, bi-monthly acquisitions, London IPO target [31:59] Fund-raising realities & why UK industrial deal-competition is still years away [38:58] Wrap-up + Serial Acquirer Symposium (18 June, London) – join us! --- Guest Bio: Amit Rai Amit Rai is Co-Founder & CEO of Astra Holdings*, a permanent-capital hold-co acquiring UK industrial service SMEs. He previously led product strategy at Microsoft & Nokia, consulted at McKinsey, and founded *Machine Max (industrial IoT telematics), which Shell acquired in 2021. Amit’s mission is to solve the UK succession gap while layering simple tech & IoT on “unsexy” engineering firms to unlock step-change productivity. --- About M&A Zing Host Gareth Hawkins – CEO & Co-Founder of BizCrunch (exited founder, M&A investor) Each week we dive into the real-world challenges of small- & mid-market acquisitions—especially in the UK & EU. --- Join the BizCrunch Community Want early access to new episodes & a private AMA with guests? Sign up here → https://www.bizcrunch.co/community Member perks • Early episode drops • Live Q&A with hosts & guests • Networking with acquirers, investors & operators --- Featured News • Sofware launches—new Poland-focused ETA search fund. • Astra Holdings completes 2nd deal (Acorn Engineering) after IntoDoor UK. • Serial Acquirer Symposium set for *18 June (London)*—tickets live now: https://lu.ma/9ijq4sw9 --- Thanks for Watching! If you enjoyed this episode, please *like*, *subscribe*, and hit the bell. Got questions? Drop them in the comments—or join our community for the private AMA. #MergersAndAcquisitions #SearchFunds #SerialAcquirer #IndustrialTech #BizCrunch
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    42 分
  • 11: M&A Zing (Ep. 11) – Buy-Side Breakdown: 3 Freehold Nurseries in North-West England

    11: M&A Zing (Ep. 11) – Buy-Side Breakdown: 3 Freehold Nurseries in North-West England
    2025/04/23
    Welcome to M&A Zing - the weekly show for acquisition entrepreneurs, search-funders, and hold-co builders across the UK & Europe. In this episode, Alfie Lambert and *Gareth Hawkins* debut our second ever Buy-Side Breakdown*: a trio of freehold nurseries in North-West England (turnover £1.26 m, EBITDA £284 k, capacity 320). We dig into Ofsted ratings, valuation maths, platform-building strategy, and ultimately decide… would *you buy or pass?

    Timestamps*
    [00:00:12] Introduction & Welcome
    [00:00:30] Co-host Banter & Show Format
    [00:01:29] This Week’s News – Spanish search-fund deals, Moonbase’s Search Fund Squared
    [00:04:08] Deal Overview – 3 freehold nurseries, key financials & capacity
    [00:04:40] UK Nursery Roll-up Landscape – Busy Bees, Kids Planet, Bright Stars
    [00:07:54] Listing Fundamentals – Revenue, EBITDA, Ofsted “Good”, staff count
    [00:10:47] Location Deep-Dive – Manchester, Wythenshawe & Hartford catchments
    [00:13:06] Freehold vs. OpCo Valuation – PropCo carve-out possibilities
    [00:15:27] Growth Levers – Premium tiers, holiday clubs, 4th-site rollout
    [00:21:00] Due-Diligence Watch-lis* – Staffing ratios, Ofsted cycles, property surveys
    [00:24:40] Deal Structures – Vendor pension leases & commercial mortgages
    [00:27:00] Buy or Pass? – Both hosts vote BUY
    [00:32:00] Next Week & Symposium Plug
    [00:34:00] Wrap-Up: “Keep on Crunching!”

    ---

    3. Episode Highlights / Quick Takeaways
    Roll-up Ready – Freehold assets + professional management = perfect nursery platform.
    PropCo-OpCo Split – Buying the operations and leasing the properties can lower entry cost.
    Growth Upside – Capacity expansion, premium “Scandi-style” tiers, and holiday clubs.
    Due-Diligence Musts – Fresh Ofsted reports, staff-tenure liabilities, deferred maintenance.
    Both Hosts Say BUY – But will you? Drop your verdict in the comments!
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    36 分
  • 10: M&A Zing (Ep. 10) – The Exiteer Playbook: Rachel Murphy on 8× Exits, NHS‑App & “The Grafter”

    10: M&A Zing (Ep. 10) – The Exiteer Playbook: Rachel Murphy on 8× Exits, NHS‑App & “The Grafter”
    2025/04/16
    Welcome to M&A Zing - the weekly show for acquisition entrepreneurs, search funders, and hold‑co builders across the UK & Europe. 🎧 THIS WEEK’S GUEST Rachel Murphy – two‑time tech founder (Progressus & Difrent, both exited), NHS‑App delivery lead, Ukraine aid volunteer, psychedelic‑retreat advocate (!) and now CEO of *The Grafter*, where she helps founders get “growth‑ready, raise‑ready, exit‑ready.” --- ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00:12] Intro & show mission [00:00:32] Guest intro – who is Rachel Murphy? [00:00:56] Rachel’s quick hello [00:01:22] Search‑Fund / ETA news • Hambro Capital (CH) search fund launch • Search Rights Capital Partners investor launch (NL) [00:02:21] Rachel’s career rewind – from contracting to ProgRes → Difrent → NHS‑App [00:04:55] Selling Difrent during COVID – the 8× EBITDA story [00:06:02] Post‑exit gap year: Ukraine front line & a psilocybin retreat [00:07:51] Founding The Grafter – growth→raise→exit framework [00:10:12] Buying (not founding) Difrent – 50 % sweat‑equity deal structure [00:13:19] Being “85 % sale‑ready” two years in [00:15:00] Exiteers explaine* – mentors with ≥2 exits [00:18:55] New “Life & Legacy” module – tackling post‑exit identity shock [00:20:35] Market shift: buyers everywhere, automation everywhere [00:23:06] Rachel’s biggest challenge today – relentless lead‑gen [00:25:01] What she’d do differently – “be ME sooner” [00:26:12] 12‑month vision – US roll‑out & the “no‑wanker” client policy [00:29:00] How to join The Grafter community [00:30:04] Rapid‑fire: lessons, books & psychedelic take‑aways [00:30:35] Rachel’s plea to UK Gov – we need an SBA‑style loan scheme [00:31:26] Wrap‑up & sign‑off – “Keep on Crunching!” --- Episode Highlights 8× EBITDA in a pandemic – how timing turbo‑charged valuation Growth‑equity swap – buying 50 % of a firm with zero cash, all strategy Exiteer mentoring – founders coached by entrepreneurs who’ve actually sold (twice) Life‑after‑liquidity – why post‑exit identity crises are real and fixable Call‑to‑action for Westminster – copy the US SBA 7(a) model or lose UK talent --- About the Host *Gareth Hawkins* – serial acquirer & deal‑maker, BizCrunch CEO 🚀 Want to watch future episodes live & join private Q&A? Apply here → https://www.bizcrunch.co/community --- 👍 Like, subscribe & hit the bell so you never miss a deal‑breakdown. 💬 Questions or feedback? Drop a comment - or join the community for deep‑dives. #MergersAndAcquisitions #SearchFunds #BizCrunch #DealFlow #HealthcareTech
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    44 分
  • 9: M&A Zing (Ep. 9) – Buy-Side Breakdown: An Online Tools Retailer

    9: M&A Zing (Ep. 9) – Buy-Side Breakdown: An Online Tools Retailer
    2025/04/09
    Welcome to **M&A Zing**—the weekly show for acquisition entrepreneurs, search funders, and holdco builders across the UK & Europe. In this episode, Alfie Lambert and Gareth Wilkins try out a new format called a “Buy-Side Breakdown.” They pick a real company listed for sale—a 30-year-old online tools retailer—and walk through its financials, risks, and growth potential. Would **you** buy or pass?

    **Timestamps:**
    [00:00:12] **Introduction & Welcome**
    [00:00:30] **This Week’s News**
    • Ethos Partners spin-out → Orca Equity
    • Matchers Search Capital closes round
    • Sokolovsky (France) gains top-tier backers
    • Our Legacy Fund (UAE) raises for GCC deals
    • Tembo Search Partners (Germany) launches
    • FT Advisor insights: UK small-caps at a discount

    [00:09:40] **Buy-Side Breakdown**
    • Online Tools Retailer: Key Stats (1.2M turnover, 230k EBITDA)
    • Valuation Thoughts: Goodwill & Stock at Book Value
    • Platform Risk: Heavy Reliance on Amazon/eBay
    • Potential Growth Levers & Operational Questions
    • Is This a BUY—or a PASS?

    [00:30:40] **Wrap-Up & Sign-Off**
    • Join the conversation: Would you buy or pass?
    • “Keep on Crunching!”


    Episode Highlights

    • Platform Risk – The pros and cons of relying on Amazon and eBay

    • Inventory Value – How to approach stock valuations and negotiations

    • Growth Upside – Whether it’s DTC brand-building, geographic expansion, or optimizing eCommerce

    • Buy or Pass? – Gareth leans “buy,” Alfie says “pass”—listeners get the casting vote!

    Have questions or feedback? Drop them in the comments, or join our BizCrunch Community for private AMAs and deep-dive resources on SMB M&A.

    About M&A Zing

    Hosted by:

    • Alfie Lambert – Co-Founder of BizCrunch (multiple-time startup founder, outreach & marketing specialist)

    • Gareth Wilkins – Co-Founder & CEO of BizCrunch (serial acquirer, M&A investor with multiple exits)

    Each week, they explore the real-world stories of small and mid-market acquisitions—especially in the UK & EU.

    Join the BizCrunch Community

    Want to attend our livestream recordings (and private Q&A)?
    Sign up here: [Your Community Link]

    Community Perks

    • Early access to new episodes

    • Live Q&A with hosts & guests

    • Networking with acquirers & investors

    Thanks for Watching!

    Please like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. Got questions? Drop them in the comments—or join our community for exclusive events.

    #MergersAndAcquisitions #SearchFunds #BizCrunch #DealFlow #UKSMB
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    32 分