Everything you need to know before you buy
Written for buyers, not sellers. Follow the three stage-by-stage tracks and read the opening of every guide free. Join to unlock the rest. Unsure of a term? Try the glossary.
Find
Before and during the searchSharpen your criteria, understand how deals are funded and start finding businesses worth buying.
Building your acquisition criteria
Sharp acquisition criteria save you months of wasted effort chasing the wrong businesses.
ReadHow acquisitions are funded
Most small business acquisitions are funded through a blend of debt, deferred consideration and buyer equity rather than one single source.
ReadWhere the deals actually come from
The best acquisition opportunities come from a mix of broker relationships, off-market approaches and a network built well before you need it.
ReadThe first conversation with a seller
The first call with a seller sets the tone for the whole relationship so preparation matters more than any clever question.
ReadEvaluate
Opportunity to offerPrice the business properly, test the numbers and put in an offer that gets taken seriously.
How sellers price a business
Most small business prices boil down to adjusted earnings multiplied by a multiple that reflects how much a buyer trusts the number.
ReadEvaluating a business before you engage
A good desk-based review before signing an NDA filters out most poor opportunities without spending a penny on advisers.
ReadMaking an offer that gets taken seriously
A credible offer is specific about price, structure, conditions and funding rather than a single round number in an email.
ReadRunning due diligence without losing the deal
Good due diligence is thorough but sequenced sensibly so the seller stays cooperative rather than defensive.
ReadClose
Offer to completionSurvive diligence, structure the deal and take control on day one.
Deal structure: cash, deferred and earn-outs
How a deal is structured decides who carries the risk if the business performs differently than expected after completion.
ReadGetting funding committed: a practical checklist
Getting funding from indicative interest to a committed facility takes longer than most buyers expect and needs planning against the deal timetable.
ReadCompletion and the first 100 days
Completion day is mostly paperwork and funds flow but the real work of owning the business starts the following morning.
ReadBuying from a retiring owner
A retiring owner selling for succession reasons is often the most straightforward and human deal a first-time buyer can find.
Read