The Letter of Intent is the most pivotal document in a business sale. Learn what LOI terms are negotiable, which provisions should be binding, how to handle working capital adjustments, and the red flags that signal trouble.
Tax planning can save or cost you 20-40% of your sale proceeds. Learn asset vs. stock sale structures, capital gains strategies, entity type implications, installment sales, QSBS exclusions, and Tennessee’s no-income-tax advantage.
EBITDA adjustments transform tax-minimized financials into true economic earnings. Learn owner compensation normalization, one-time expenses, related party transactions, and how to build a credible adjustment schedule that buyers trust.
Due diligence is where deals get repriced or killed. Here’s exactly what buyers request — organized by financial, legal, operational, insurance, and banking categories — so you can prepare before the clock starts.
When a business sale involves owned real estate, the transaction becomes significantly more complex — and the real estate component can represent 20-50% of total deal value. Here’s how to structure it for maximum proceeds.
Selling a lower middle market business typically takes 9 to 18 months from decision to close. Here’s the realistic stage-by-stage timeline — and what accelerates or delays every phase of the process.
Most M&A deals don’t die over price — they die in due diligence. Here are the five issues that consistently kill lower middle market deals, and how to prevent every one of them before you go to market.
Private equity and strategic buyers evaluate your business through fundamentally different lenses. Understanding which is right for your exit — or why you need both at the table — is one of the most consequential decisions you’ll make as a seller.
Tennessee’s no-income-tax advantage, growing buyer interest, and Nashville’s booming economy make it one of the most attractive states to sell a business. Here’s the complete guide to selling a Tennessee business — from preparation and valuation through closing — for owners with $3M–$50M in revenue.
The right buyer determines the price, deal structure, transition terms, and whether the deal closes. Here’s how to evaluate strategic buyers, private equity firms, and individual acquirers — and why a competitive process matters.