Selling or Buying a Business? Here's What You Need to Know

Business transactions are complex, emotional, and high-stakes. Whether you're selling the company you built or acquiring your next opportunity, understanding the process makes all the difference.

Clean Exits
Leave your business in the right hands while protecting your legacy and employees.
Maximum Value & Privacy
Connect with serious, qualified buyers while maintaining confidentiality throughout the process.
For Buyers
Access cash-flowing businesses with verified financials and growth potential.

What Sellers & Buyers Should Know

Every successful transaction starts with education. Here are the key factors that determine whether a deal happens and how much value changes hands.

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What Makes a Business Valuable?

Your business's value isn't just about revenue. Buyers evaluate several critical factors:

  • Consistent, predictable cash flow over multiple years
  • Owner independence (does it run without you?)
  • Customer concentration and retention rates
  • Quality of financial records and systems
  • Market position and competitive advantages
  • Growth potential and scalability

When Is the Right Time to Sell?

Timing significantly impacts your exit value. Consider selling when:

  • Your business is showing consistent growth
  • You have at least 3 years of clean financials
  • Industry conditions are favorable
  • You're not under pressure or desperate
  • Operations don't depend entirely on you
  • You have 12-18 months to prepare and execute
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What Buyers Really Look For

Understanding buyer priorities helps you position your business effectively:

  • Verified financial performance and tax returns
  • Clear reasons for sale (not hidden problems)
  • Strong management team or documented processes
  • Room for them to add value and grow
  • Favorable lease terms and supplier relationships
  • Clean legal structure and limited liabilities
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For Buyers: Finding the Right Deal

Buying a business requires careful evaluation beyond just the asking price:

  • Verify all financial claims independently
  • Understand why the seller is really exiting
  • Assess the true time commitment required
  • Identify transition risks and key dependencies
  • Calculate realistic ROI based on your involvement
  • Plan for working capital needs post-acquisition

What to Expect: Start to Close

Most business sales take 6-12 months from initial preparation to closing. Here's what happens at each stage.

Months 1-2

Preparation & Valuation

Getting your house in order makes or breaks the deal. This phase involves organizing financial records, determining realistic market value, identifying issues that could derail a sale, and developing the positioning strategy. Most deals fail because sellers skip this crucial step.

Months 3-6

Marketing & Finding Buyers

Confidential outreach to qualified buyers begins. This includes creating compelling marketing materials without revealing your identity, reaching out to strategic buyers in your industry, screening inquiries to protect confidentiality, and facilitating initial conversations with serious prospects. The goal is finding buyers who are both financially capable and genuinely interested.

Months 7-9

Negotiations & Due Diligence

Once you have interested buyers, the real work begins. This phase involves negotiating price, terms, and structure, providing detailed financial and operational data, addressing buyer concerns and questions, and working through legal and financial verification. Expect this to be intensive and sometimes emotionally challenging.

Months 10-12

Closing & Transition

The final phase brings everything together including finalizing legal documents and contracts, coordinating with attorneys and accountants, closing the financial transaction, and supporting the transition period. Even after closing, most sellers provide 30-90 days of transition support to ensure success.

Guidance at Every Step

We bridge the gap between buyers and sellers, handling the complex details so you can focus on running your business and making the right decision.

Confidential Marketing

We protect your business identity while reaching qualified buyers. Your employees, customers, and competitors won't know you're considering a sale until you're ready to disclose it.

Buyer Qualification

We screen inquiries to ensure you only spend time with serious, financially capable buyers. No tire kickers, no time wasters, no information seekers.

Negotiation Support

Having someone in your corner during negotiations keeps emotions in check and helps you achieve better terms. We've seen what works and what doesn't.

For Buyers: Deal Flow

We provide access to businesses you won't find publicly listed, with verified financials and realistic seller expectations. No chasing overpriced dreams.

Transaction Coordination

We manage the countless details between acceptance and closing, keeping all parties on track, deadlines met, and problems solved before they derail the deal.

Realistic Expectations

We'll tell you the truth about your situation, even when it's not what you want to hear. Better to know now than waste months on an unrealistic outcome.

Let's Talk About Your Situation

Whether you're thinking about selling in the next year or actively looking to buy, a conversation costs nothing. We'll give you honest feedback about what to expect and whether we can help.