Tag
Due diligence
8 pages across every collection.
Article··2 min
Preparing your business for sale
A twelve-month sequence, in the order that actually compounds — what to fix first, what to leave alone, and which preparations buyers can tell were done last month.
Article··2 min
What buyers look for
The order a buyer reads your business in, the four questions they are really answering, and what makes them walk away in the first hour.
Answer··1 min
What documents do I need for a business valuation?
Three years of accounts, management figures, revenue by customer, contracts and a capex history. Seventy percent of valuation time is spent gathering these.
Answer··1 min
What if my accounts are messy?
It widens the range rather than preventing a valuation. But messy accounts cost real money at sale — they lengthen due diligence and shift the burden of proof onto you.
Answer··1 min
How long does selling a business take?
Six to twelve months from first conversation to completion, plus twelve months of preparation beforehand if you want the outcome to be good.
Answer··1 min
What is due diligence?
The buyer's verification of everything you have claimed. It typically runs six to twelve weeks, and its purpose is to find reasons to adjust the price you already agreed.
Answer··1 min
How do I prepare my business for sale?
Twelve months, in four blocks: reduce owner dependence, clean the accounts, improve revenue quality, clear the legal ground. The first block matters most and takes longest.
Answer··1 min
What do buyers look at first?
Revenue concentration and owner dependence, usually within the first hour and usually before the profit figure. Both answer whether the business survives the transaction.