Seller Discretionary Earnings (SDE): What It Is and How to Calculate It
If you are selling a small business, there is one number that matters more than almost any other. It is called seller’s discretionary earnings, usually shortened to SDE. It is the foundation of how small businesses are valued, and understanding it is essential to understanding what your business is worth. Most business owners have never […]
How to Prepare a Business for Sale: The Complete Guide
Selling a business is not something that happens overnight. The owners who walk away with the highest sale prices are rarely the ones who decided to sell and listed within weeks. They are the ones who spent 12 to 24 months getting their business genuinely ready before a single buyer ever saw it. Preparation is […]
Business Exit Strategy: How to Plan Your Exit the Right Way
Every business owner exits their business eventually. The only question is whether that exit happens on their terms, at a time of their choosing, and for a price that reflects what they built, or whether it happens reactively under pressure for far less than the business is worth. A business exit strategy is the plan […]
How to Find a Buyer for My Business: A Complete Guide
Finding a buyer is the part of selling a business that most owners worry about most, and for good reason. The wrong approach can expose your sale prematurely, attract unqualified tire-kickers who waste your time, or result in selling to the first person who shows up rather than the best buyer at the best price. […]
Selling a Business Checklist: Everything You Need Before You Sell
Selling a business involves dozens of moving parts across financial, legal, operational, and strategic dimensions. Missing any one of them can delay your sale, reduce your price, or cause a deal to fall apart entirely. This checklist breaks the entire process into clear phases so you can see exactly what needs to happen and when. […]
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Business? A Realistic Timeline
One of the first questions business owners ask when they start thinking about selling is how long it will take. The honest answer is that it takes longer than most people expect, and the businesses that sell fastest are usually the ones that were prepared most thoroughly before going to market. Understanding the realistic timeline […]
Due Diligence When Buying a Business: A Complete Guide
Due diligence is the stage of a business transaction where the buyer verifies that the business is everything the seller represented it to be. It is where deals are won, lost, renegotiated, or sometimes abandoned entirely. Whether you are buying or selling, understanding due diligence is essential to a successful transaction. For buyers, thorough due […]
Business Broker vs Investment Banker: Which Do You Need?
When you decide to sell your business, one of the first decisions is who will represent you. The two main options are a business broker and an investment banker, sometimes called an M&A advisor. They do similar work but serve very different types of businesses and deal sizes. Choosing the wrong one can cost you […]
Asset Sale vs Stock Sale: Which Is Better for Selling Your Business?
When you sell a business, one of the most consequential decisions is how the deal is structured legally. The two main structures are an asset sale and a stock sale. The choice between them affects taxes, legal liability, and what actually transfers to the buyer, often by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most business owners […]
Letter of Intent in a Business Sale: What It Is and What to Include
The letter of intent, usually called an LOI, is one of the most important documents in a business sale. It is the point where a serious buyer signals their intent to purchase and the two sides agree on the key terms of the deal before moving into the formal process. Getting the LOI right matters […]