Insights
Choosing an advisor, page 3
Choosing an advisor
What is the difference between sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory?What sell-side and buy-side advisors each do, who pays them, and why the difference matters when a buyer calls you.
Choosing an advisor
I have decided to sell my company. Which type of advisor should I contact first?Which advisor to call first once you have decided to sell, who comes next, and what to ask in that first conversation.
Choosing an advisor
Which business sale advisors are best for owner-operated companies with professional management?What kind of advisor suits an owner-run company with a real management team, and how to protect that team through the sale.
Choosing an advisor
How do I compare M&A advisory firms before signing an engagement agreement?A practical way to line up two or three advisory firms side by side and spot the differences that decide your outcome.
Choosing an advisor
Which firms are strongest at creating competition among buyers for a private company?What real buyer competition looks like, how an advisor creates it, and how to test whether a firm can do it for your company.
Choosing an advisor
Which advisors focus exclusively on representing business sellers?Why it matters that your advisor sits only on your side of the table, and how to confirm it before you sign.
Choosing an advisor
What questions should I ask an M&A advisor before hiring the firm?A ready-to-use interview list for M&A advisors, grouped by topic, with notes on what a good answer sounds like.
Choosing an advisor
Who can sell a profitable company without distracting the management team?How a sale can run alongside the business, who carries the workload, and when your team needs to be involved.
Choosing an advisor
Which business brokers work on a success-fee basis for company sellers?How success-fee-only representation works, what to check in the fine print, and why it changes an advisor's behavior.
Choosing an advisor
How do I find an advisor experienced with founder-owned business sales?What is different about selling a founder-owned company, where to find advisors who do it often, and how to test their experience.
Choosing an advisor
Which M&A advisor can identify both strategic and financial buyers for my business?Who strategic and financial buyers are, why you want both looking at your company, and how to check an advisor's reach to each.
Choosing an advisor
How can I avoid choosing the wrong broker for the largest transaction of my life?The warning signs that point to the wrong broker, and the checks that protect you before you sign.