Raising capital in 2026 means navigating more options than ever — SBA loans, angel investors, family offices, PE, revenue-based financing, and SAFE notes. The right choice depends on your stage, growth rate, and how much control you want to keep.
Most business owners spend years building value and only weeks thinking about how to protect it before a sale. Here are the seven most common value destroyers — and every one is fixable.
A business broker lists your company on marketplaces and waits. An M&A advisor runs a confidential, targeted process that creates competition. The difference is typically 15-30% more in final sale price.
Selling a business in Tennessee typically takes 6-12 months from decision to close, with the average around 8-9 months for well-prepared businesses in the $3M-$50M revenue range. Here’s the timeline by stage.
When a business and commercial real estate are sold together in a single transaction, the IRS requires both buyer and seller to agree on how the total purchase price is allocated across asset classes. This allocation is not a formality. It has direct, significant, and often opposing tax consequences for each party. Getting it right…
Healthcare businesses trade at 5x-12x EBITDA with strong PE buyer demand. Learn the unique complexities of healthcare M&A — regulatory compliance, payer contracts, provider retention, and deal structures — and how to prepare for a premium sale.
Operational readiness determines your sale price, deal structure, and transition requirements. Learn the five categories buyers evaluate — processes, people, technology, controls, and compliance — and the 90-day sprint to prepare.
Mezzanine financing bridges the gap between bank loans and equity investment, offering $1M-$15M in growth capital while preserving 90-98% of ownership. Learn how it works, when it makes sense, key terms, and who provides it.
A term sheet defines the economics and control of your capital raise. Learn how to read valuation, liquidation preferences, anti-dilution, board composition, and protective provisions — and what to negotiate before you sign.
Technology due diligence is now standard in every M&A transaction. Learn what buyers evaluate — infrastructure, cybersecurity, IP, data assets, licensing, and IT team — and how technology findings affect your business valuation.
Search funds are one of the fastest-growing buyer categories in the $1M-$10M EBITDA range. Learn how search fund acquisitions work, what searchers look for, deal structures, and whether selling to a search fund entrepreneur is right for your business.
Service businesses sell for 4x to 12x EBITDA depending on revenue quality, owner dependency, client concentration, and scalability. Learn how buyers value service businesses differently and what drives premium multiples.