Video Blog: Straight Answers to the Questions Owners Ask Before Selling

By Michael D. Rubin, CEO & Founder · Updated September 2026 · 720 words

Owners thinking about a sale tend to ask the same questions first: why hire an advisor, will it stay confidential, is my company sellable, is now the right time, and am I obliged to accept an offer. Short, direct answers to each are below. Our video library lets you hear owners who have sold, and the people who would run your sale, in their own words.

Why use an M&A advisory firm at all?

Because a buyer negotiating alone with an owner almost always wins that negotiation. An advisor prepares the financial recast and marketing materials, finds and screens buyers, keeps your name private, creates competition among several offers and manages due diligence while you keep running the company. For a $3 million to $100 million business, the difference between one offer and several competing ones usually outweighs the fee.

An advisor also protects your time. Screening curious or underfunded buyers, answering routine questions and scheduling meetings would otherwise land on you just when the business needs your full attention. And someone who has sold many companies knows which terms matter most at each stage, and which ones are worth giving up.

Will my sale stay confidential?

It should be the first commitment any advisor makes. Buyers first see a blind profile that describes the company without naming it. Only after signing a confidentiality agreement and proving they can fund a purchase do they learn who you are. Employees, customers and suppliers are told when you decide, which is usually close to closing.

Inside the company, you choose who needs to know and when. Many owners bring in one trusted manager, often the controller, to help gather information, and tell everyone else once the deal is certain. Buyer meetings can be held away from the premises or after hours, so nothing looks unusual to staff or customers.

What makes a company a good candidate for sale?

Buyers pay most for companies with steady or rising profits, records that reconcile for at least the last three years, a team that can run things without the owner, and no single customer holding the business hostage. A company does not need to be perfect; it needs to be understandable and believable. Weaknesses that are known and explained cost far less than weaknesses a buyer discovers.

Be clear about your own motivation as well. Every buyer asks why you are selling, and a simple, honest answer, such as retirement or wanting to reduce your personal risk, reassures them far more than a vague one.

When is the right time, and must I accept an offer?

The best time to sell is while results are improving, not after they peak or begin to slide, because buyers pay for the trend they can see. Personal readiness matters as much: a sale takes energy, and burned-out owners tend to let performance drift during the process. Our guide on when to sell your business covers both sides.

You are never obliged to accept an offer. You can accept, reject or counter every one. A letter of intent is generally non-binding on price, although it may contain binding terms such as exclusivity and confidentiality, which your attorney should review before you sign.

How long does it take, and who handles it?

Most sales take three to nine months from engagement to funds wired. We have closed one in eight days, and another took eighteen months. What drives the timeline is mostly readiness: how quickly the marketing package can be prepared, how organized the records are for due diligence and how fast the buyer's financing comes through. At MDR & Associates a principal of the firm sits in every negotiation, and our VP of Client Engagement is your main contact while the company is marketed. You can meet them on our team page.

Where to start with us

What sets any firm apart is its record more than its promises, so ask for named transactions and read what former clients say about the experience; ours are on the testimonials page. Since 2008 the firm has closed 250+ transactions with a success rate above 90%, and our fee is paid only if your company sells. If one of these questions is holding you back, ask it directly: book a confidential conversation and a principal will answer it for your company specifically.

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Questions owners ask next

Do I need to have decided to sell before we talk?

No. Many owners begin with a confidential discovery meeting to learn what the company is worth and what a sale would involve, and decide afterward. The conversation commits you to nothing, and it often shows which improvements would raise the price if you choose to wait.

What will I find in the video library?

Owners talking about their sales, the marketing films produced for companies the firm has taken to market, and short films from the people who would run your sale. Together they show what the process looks like from the seller's chair better than a written description can.