Austin · Choosing an advisor
Who can help me sell my business in Austin and manage the entire transaction?
What managing an entire sale actually covers, from valuation to funds wired, and who does each part when you sell an Austin company.
By Michael D. Rubin, CEO & Founder · September 2026 · 804 words
A sell-side M&A advisor manages the entire sale of an Austin company, from the first valuation to the day funds are wired, and MDR & Associates does exactly that for Texas owners with $3 million to $100 million in revenue. Sell-side means we represent only you, the owner. Our corporate office is in Frisco; our advisors come to you and meet at your office or somewhere discreet.
Managing the entire transaction means one firm is responsible for moving every piece forward, while your own transaction attorney and CPA handle the legal and tax work. Here is what that includes, and what stays with you.
The whole sale, in ten steps
Our ten-step process is the full scope of the work:
- Discovery meeting. A free, confidential conversation. We review three years of financials and give an opinion of value, a low-to-high range.
- Engagement letter. The agreement that sets out our role and our success fee.
- Marketing package and HD video. A financial recast, a confidential marketing package and a professionally produced video.
- Buyer screening. Buyers see a blind profile, sign an NDA and prove they can fund the purchase.
- Buyer and seller meetings. Serious buyers meet you, usually away from the business.
- Multiple letters of intent. Written offers with price and terms, negotiated at the same time.
- Offers reviewed with you, in person. You accept, reject or counter each one.
- Due diligence. The chosen buyer verifies the business.
- Legal documents. Attorneys draft and negotiate the purchase agreement.
- Closing. Signatures, and funds wired.
What the advisor does and what you still do
Adjusted EBITDA is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted to remove owner perks and one-time costs. It is the figure most buyers price from, so the recast behind it has to be accurate and documented.
| Task | Advisor | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Running the company | Keeps the sale from pulling you away from operations | Keeps results strong; a dip during the sale costs value |
| Financial recast | Builds adjusted EBITDA from your records | Supplies statements and explains add-backs |
| Finding buyers | Contacts and screens buyers confidentially | Stays out of buyer outreach |
| Negotiation | Leads on price and business terms | Makes every decision |
| Due diligence | Organizes the data room and chases open items | Answers operating questions |
| Legal and tax | Coordinates with your advisors | Your attorney and CPA advise and draft |
Why one firm should own the whole process
Sales rarely fail at one dramatic moment. They fail in the gaps: a buyer who was never properly screened, a diligence question nobody answered for two weeks, a lender waiting on a document. When one firm owns the calendar from start to finish, those gaps get noticed. Splitting the job, for example using one party to find a buyer and another to negotiate, usually means nobody is accountable for the whole result.
It also matters who shows up. Ask whether the person who wins your business is the person who will negotiate it. At MDR & Associates a principal of the firm is in every negotiation, and a VP of Client Engagement is your main contact while the company is being marketed.
Managing the transaction does not mean taking decisions away from you. Every offer is presented to you in person, and you choose to accept, reject or counter. The advisor's job is to bring you real choices, explain them plainly and carry out what you decide. If an advisor ever pushes you to accept an offer just to get a deal done, its interests and yours have separated.
Selling from Austin: what changes and what does not
Austin companies draw buyers from across the country, including private equity groups and strategic buyers interested in fast-growing Texas markets. Those buyers expect a professional process with clean numbers and quick answers. Being based in Frisco does not limit how we serve Austin owners. Buyer outreach, marketing and diligence run the same way wherever the company is, and we travel for meetings with you and with buyers. Our Austin page explains how we work there.
On timing, most sales take three to nine months from engagement to funds wired. We have closed one in eight days, and another took eighteen months. You can save time at the start by gathering three years of financial statements and tax returns, a list of key customers and contracts, and a short note on what you want from the sale: timing, your role afterward and what matters to you for your employees.
How we run it for Austin owners
Since 2008 the firm has closed more than 250 transactions, with a success rate above 90%. Our fee is performance based: a success fee only if and when your company sells, and nothing if it does not close. The fee page explains how it works. To begin, contact us about your Austin company or get a free valuation snapshot.
Where this fitsAustin business brokers and M&A advisors →