The selling process
Selling your business is a controlled process. We manage strategy, outreach, screening, negotiation, and due diligence—so you protect your price, your terms, and your confidentiality.
Step by step
What happens, and what to expect
A disciplined, sell-side engagement keeps buyer communication structured, confidentiality intact, and leverage on your side.
Intake and strategy
We define your goals, timeline, ideal structure, and post-closing involvement, and review high-level financials, ownership, key contracts, and operational dependencies. This early planning identifies risk factors—customer concentration, lease terms, management depth, reporting quality—so you enter the market prepared and positioned to maximize value.
Valuation
A professional valuation determines what your company is likely to sell for today. We normalize earnings, review add-backs, and evaluate multiples for comparable transactions, then determine positioning. Proper valuation reduces retrades during diligence and gives you a defensible number backed by data.
Engagement agreement
We formalize scope, responsibilities, confidentiality standards, and success fees. Clarity upfront prevents confusion later, ensures buyer communication flows through a controlled channel, and signals to the market that the sale will follow a disciplined process.
Confidential Information Memorandum
The CIM presents your financial performance, operations, market position, and growth opportunities in a clear, compelling format. Alongside it we create an anonymous teaser and financial summaries—built to attract qualified buyers while protecting sensitive information.
Confidential marketing
We distribute an anonymous summary through targeted outreach, proprietary buyer networks, and strategic acquirers that match your size and industry—without exposing your identity to employees, customers, or competitors. A structured process prevents the risks that come with a public, unmanaged listing.
Buyer screening
Every prospective buyer signs an NDA and provides proof of financial capability before receiving detailed information. We assess experience, industry fit, and financing strategy. A well-screened pool shortens the timeline and increases the probability of closing.
Buyer meetings & Q&A
We coordinate structured discussions focused on strategy, operations, and growth—scheduled only after buyers meet qualification standards. Written questions are collected and organized so each buyer receives consistent, accurate information and you avoid over-sharing.
LOI negotiation
The Letter of Intent defines purchase price, structure, working capital terms, seller financing, exclusivity, and diligence scope. Price is only one component—structure and risk allocation often determine your net outcome. We negotiate to reduce post-LOI retrade risk and protect leverage.
Due diligence
Buyers verify financials, contracts, payroll, tax returns, and operations against the representations made during marketing. We organize the data room, manage requests, and maintain momentum—proactive preparation prevents unnecessary price adjustments.
Closing
Definitive agreements are executed, financing is finalized, and funds transfer—coordinated with attorneys and lenders. After funds transfer, transition planning begins, ensuring a clean handoff and a successful post-sale transition.
What buyers will ask for
Be ready, not surprised
Serious buyers invest significant capital and will verify performance, risk, and sustainability before closing. The more organized you are, the stronger your negotiating position. Expect requests across these areas:
Financial documents
Three years of P&Ls, balance sheets, and tax returns; YTD financials; AR/AP aging; general ledger; owner compensation; and add-back documentation.
Operational information
Org chart, employee roster, contractor agreements, customer concentration, key contracts, vendor and supplier relationships, and operating procedures.
Legal & compliance
Formation documents, cap table, licenses and permits, leases, loan agreements, lien searches, IP registrations, litigation summaries, and insurance history.
Customer & revenue
Revenue by customer and product line, recurring vs. non-recurring breakdown, concentration analysis, renewal terms, churn, backlog, and pricing.
Human capital & owner role
Employment and retention agreements, incentive plans, your day-to-day responsibilities, key-relationship mapping, and transition expectations.
Systems & working capital
KPI and CRM reports, inventory and AR aging, debt schedules, fixed-asset register, working-capital trends, and cash flow statements.
Clear roles
What we handle, what you handle
You should not be negotiating alone, managing outreach, and running your company at the same time—that is where leverage gets lost. Here is how responsibilities divide in a structured engagement.
We handle
Strategy and positioning
We analyze performance, growth, risk, and market conditions to position your business, define a defensible valuation range, and identify ideal buyer types.
Buyer materials
We prepare the anonymous teaser, confidential overview, and normalized earnings presentation that anticipate buyer questions and support stronger offers.
Confidential marketing
Controlled, nationwide outreach to strategic buyers, private equity, independent sponsors, and experienced operators—protecting your identity until screening is complete.
Buyer screening
NDAs, identity verification, and financial-capability checks before access expands. A qualified pool strengthens negotiation leverage.
Offer review & LOI
We evaluate structure, working capital targets, financing, earnouts, and exclusivity—negotiating to protect cash at closing and limit post-closing risk.
Due diligence coordination
We organize documentation, control information flow, and frame responses strategically to prevent retrades and protect deal certainty.
Financing & lender coordination
We coordinate with lenders so documentation is delivered efficiently and underwriting milestones are met, keeping momentum intact.
Closing coordination
We align documentation, working capital calculations, timelines, and funds flow alongside attorneys and lenders.
You handle
Strategic decisions
You decide whether to move forward, which offers to accept, and what terms are acceptable—maintaining control over pricing and final approval.
Accurate financials
You provide complete, accurate records and clear explanations of add-backs. Transparent disclosure reduces diligence friction.
Operational access
You participate in management calls and provide information when appropriate. Responsiveness supports buyer confidence and momentum.
Ongoing performance
You keep running the business effectively. Strong performance during marketing and diligence reinforces valuation.
Transition cooperation
If a deal proceeds, you support an agreed transition—training, introductions, or structured handoff support.
Confidentiality
How we protect your privacy
Premature disclosure can disrupt employees, alarm customers, weaken vendor relationships, and create competitive risk. We begin with anonymous marketing—your name, exact location, and identifying details are withheld initially. Interested parties sign an NDA and complete buyer verification before receiving sensitive information.
Information is released in stages: high-level summaries first, then detailed financials, contracts, and operational data only after screening and, typically, a signed LOI. During diligence, documents live in a secure data room with controlled access and tracking—protecting your leverage and the stability of your company.
Risk management
What can go wrong—and how we prevent it
Most failed sales break down predictably: financial inconsistencies surface during diligence, buyers attempt retrades after the LOI, confidentiality slips, or unqualified buyers consume time without closing. When a process lacks structure, leverage shifts to the buyer.
We review financial reporting before launch, normalize earnings clearly, and address gaps early so valuation holds up under scrutiny. We evaluate offers holistically, maintain competitive tension, and protect cash at closing while managing diligence and financing milestones proactively. The difference between a smooth close and a collapsed deal is process control.
Risks we manage for you
- Confidentiality leaks — staged, NDA-gated disclosure
- Buyers who can’t close — we pre-qualify financing early
- Valuation gaps — grounded, defensible pricing up front
- Diligence surprises — we prepare your file before we go to market
Who this fits
Built for owners who want it done right
This process is designed for owners of established businesses with $2M+ in annual revenue who want a structured, confidential, professionally managed exit—not a “list and hope” approach. It fits companies with consistent cash flow and documented performance.
- Owners who want national buyer exposure and competitive tension
- Owners who value confidentiality, stability, and staged information release
- Owners planning to sell within the next 6 to 24 months
Let’s get in touch
Take control of your sale.
The first step is clarity. We’ll outline your likely value range, buyer profile, timeline, and the key risks that could impact your outcome.