Selling a business can be one of the most rewarding — and stressful — milestones in an entrepreneur’s life. After years of hard work, you deserve to walk away with maximum value and minimal surprises. Yet, many business owners enter the process unprepared for the financial, tax, and emotional complexities that come with a sale.
As an M&A and tax advisory firm, we often meet owners after key opportunities to increase valuation or reduce taxes have already been missed. The good news? With proper planning, you can avoid these pitfalls and position yourself — and your business — for a successful exit.
Many owners think selling a business is a three-month process. In reality, a well-executed sale often takes 9 to 18 months from preparation to closing. Buyers perform extensive due diligence, financing can take time, and negotiations often require multiple rounds.
Our role: We guide you through every stage — from pre-sale planning to buyer negotiation — helping anticipate roadblocks and maintain momentum. A well-managed process can mean a smoother experience and a higher sale price.
One of the biggest mistakes owners make is waiting until a letter of intent (LOI) is on the table before calling their CPA or advisor. By that point, your options to minimize taxes are limited.
Key missed opportunities include:
Structuring the business to qualify for the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exclusion
Timing the sale to align with your broader tax strategy
Managing depreciation recapture or installment sale treatment
Reorganizing to make the business more appealing to buyers
Our role: We work with owners 1–3 years before a sale to design a tax-efficient exit strategy. This can often save hundreds of thousands — or even millions — in taxes.
It’s easy to fixate on the sale price and overlook deal structure. But how you get paid matters as much as how much you get paid.
Earnouts, seller financing, stock vs. asset sales, and contingent payments can drastically change your after-tax outcome and risk exposure.
Our role: We model multiple deal structures side-by-side so you understand the true after-tax proceeds — not just the headline number. We also negotiate alongside your legal team to protect your interests.
Buyers will scrutinize your financials, contracts, compliance history, and key metrics. Missing documentation, outdated agreements, or inconsistent bookkeeping can erode trust and value.
Our role: We perform a pre-sale financial due diligence — essentially a mock buyer review — to uncover red flags before they do. Cleaning up these issues in advance can speed up the sale and strengthen your negotiating position.
Selling your business is not just a financial transaction — it’s a personal one. Many owners underestimate the emotional weight of handing over control or the operational strain that a sale process puts on their team.
Our role: We help design a transition plan that aligns with your personal goals — whether that means stepping back gradually, securing roles for key employees, or positioning the company for long-term success post-sale.
Even if you’re not planning to sell for several years, starting the conversation early gives you leverage. Advance planning allows time to:
Maximize valuation drivers
Clean up financial statements
Reorganize entity structure
Plan your personal wealth and tax implications
Our role: Our M&A and tax advisory teams provide a comprehensive exit readiness assessment — a customized roadmap to prepare your business for sale on your timeline.
Selling your business is one of the most significant financial events of your life. Don’t leave it to chance. The earlier you involve a trusted M&A and tax advisor, the more options you’ll have — and the better your outcome will be.
We help business owners maximize value, minimize taxes, and transition confidently into the next chapter. Whether you’re ready to sell today or just starting to think about it, our team can guide you every step of the way.