What Makes a Good Buyer
You’ve spent years, maybe decades, building your business. The moment you consider selling, one question becomes everything: Who will this go to?
Not all buyers are created equal. And the difference matters—a lot.
The Wrong Buyer
The wrong buyer focuses exclusively on financials. They talk about “synergies” and “EBITDA multiples” but never ask about your culture, customers, or what matters to you personally.
Red flags:
- Obsessed with cost cutting
- Makes promises about “keeping the team” but has no retention plan
- Doesn’t understand your industry
- Pushes for quick transition and then disappears
- Views your business as a line item in a portfolio
The Right Buyer
The right buyer sees your business as a living, breathing entity—not just a set of line items on a spreadsheet.
They ask questions like:
- “Tell me about your best customers and why they trust you”
- “What would break if I changed X?”
- “How do your people describe the culture?”
- “What does success look like in five years?”
They care about continuity. They want your employees to stay. They respect what you’ve built.
How to Evaluate Me
On Legacy: I won’t strip your company and rebrand it. I’ll preserve what matters while evolving what needs to change.
On People: Key employees matter. I structure deals to incentivize retention because a business is only as good as the people running it.
On Strategy: I think long-term. I’m not trying to flip your business in 3 years for a 5x return. I’m trying to build something sustainable.
On Transparency: I’ll be honest about what changes are necessary and why. No surprises after close.
The Founder’s Dilemma
You built this company because you cared about more than money. You should sell to someone who cares about more than money too.
How do you know if you’ve found the right buyer? You feel it. Not just financially comfortable—but confident that the next chapter is in good hands.
Let’s talk about what that looks like for you.