We write about the things founders and business owners are actually thinking about — exit planning, valuation, leadership transition, and what the lower middle market looks like from the inside.
The biggest mistakes we see aren't financial — they're personal. Founders who haven't thought clearly about what they want after the close often end up in deals that look right on paper but feel wrong in practice.
Traditional valuation methods capture what's on the balance sheet. They rarely capture what built the balance sheet — the relationships, the reputation, the team. Here's how strategic buyers think about value differently.
The lower middle market is full of businesses that have built real things — durable, profitable, community-embedded companies that never needed a press release to prove their worth.
Most founders know they'll eventually transition out of their business. Few have actually planned for it. The gap between knowing and planning is where things go wrong — and where having the right conversation early makes all the difference.
The people who built your business deserve to be part of the conversation when you decide to sell it. Here's what to ask a prospective buyer about your team, and what the answers tell you about who you're actually dealing with.
We're happy to talk through anything — whether you're exploring a sale, thinking about your options, or just want to understand the market.