Practical guidance for small business owners preparing to sell their business — covering valuation, due diligence, deal structure, and how to close on your terms.
Buyers don't calculate value emotionally — they calculate risk. Here's how SDE, EBITDA, and the multiple actually work, the 7 things that move your multiple, and why your valuation isn't your check.
By the time a broker is involved, the shape of your deal is already being determined. Here's what actually happens in each of the six phases of a business sale — and where most sellers lose the deal before it ever starts.
Two sellers, same purchase price, one walks away with $200,000 more. The difference is deal structure — and buyers walk into every negotiation already knowing which structure benefits them.
A buyer's CPA can find more problems in your financials in two hours than you've noticed in ten years — and every one has a price tag. Here are the five steps to clean books, tax compliance, and operations before you list.
The advisor you hire shapes who sees your business, how it's positioned, and whether someone actually fights for you in negotiations. Here's how brokers and M&A advisors actually differ — and the 5 biggest hiring mistakes sellers make.
Most sellers think the buyer overview is marketing. It's not — it's controlled information strategy. Here's what belongs in a teaser, what should never appear before an NDA is signed, and how confidentiality breaks destroy deals.
A seller closed a deal, walked away with a check, and eighteen months later the buyer put a lien on their house. Here's how personal guarantees, asset titling, and reps and warranties expose sellers long after closing — and the window to fix it closes before you list.
Most professional liability policies are claims-made — meaning the moment you cancel after closing, your coverage window slams shut. Here's how tail coverage works, what it costs, and the insurance conversation every seller needs before listing.
Most sellers don't think about their data room until a buyer asks for one. By then it's too late to prepare properly. Here's what a data room is, why it matters, and when to start building yours.
Asset sale vs stock sale (or stock sale vs asset sale, asset versus stock sale, asset deal vs stock deal) — when you sell your business, the deal structure matters as much as the price. Here's what each structure means, why buyers and sellers typically want different ones, and how to negotiate from an informed position.
Buyers aren't paying for what you've built — they're paying for what the business will generate after they own it. Here's exactly what buyers look for when evaluating a small business acquisition, and how to prepare before you go to market.
Hiring a business broker is one of the most important decisions in a business sale — but most owners hire one too early and ask too few questions. Here's what to look for, when to engage one, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.
Seller's discretionary earnings — or SDE — is the number that drives your business valuation. Here's what it is, how it's calculated, and why getting it right before you go to market matters.
Most business owners know when they want to sell — but wanting to sell and being ready to sell are two different things. Here are 5 signs your business is genuinely prepared for a successful sale.
