Selling a business should not feel adversarial, and it shouldn't feel like a black box either. Below is the path, written out, with rough timelines and what each side is doing at each stage.
An informal call or coffee. No NDA. We discuss the business at a high level — what it does, why you're considering a transition, what would matter to you in a buyer. If the shape is wrong for either of us, we say so.
If both sides want to keep going, an NDA goes in place and you share three to five years of financials and a short overview. We read carefully and come back with specific questions, not a checklist. The point is to confirm fit before either side spends real time.
I come to the business — usually for a day, sometimes two. I'd like to walk the floor, meet the senior team, and see how the place actually operates. We talk about what your team would need to know, and when, to feel respected through the process.
If we've both decided to proceed, I send a Letter of Intent: price, structure, and the key terms in plain language. The LOI is non-binding except for exclusivity. If something material changes during diligence, we discuss it openly rather than re-trading at the eleventh hour.
Financial, legal, and operational. Carried out by qualified third parties working under instruction, not adversaries dispatched to find faults. Diligence is how a careful buyer becomes a confident one. The goal is no surprises on either side at close.
Capital structure is a mix of equity, senior debt, and (typically) a vendor take-back. We confirm financing in parallel with diligence so timing holds. You will know the structure before we sign, not after.
Definitive agreement, funds flow, ownership transfers. Closing should feel anticlimactic — by this point, every meaningful question has been answered. We mark the day quietly, and the work begins.
You stay on for an agreed period — typically six to twelve months — alongside the new owner. We co-sign the message to the team and to customers. The handoff is gradual on purpose. You leave when the business is ready, not when the calendar says so.
Almost every conversation we have is the kind that would do harm if it leaked. We treat it accordingly. NDAs are signed when there is a real reason to share; we don't push paper for its own sake. Site visits are scheduled in ways that don't draw attention. The team finds out when you decide they should, and we shape the announcement with you, not around you.
The first conversation is just a conversation. Nothing has to happen after it.