How we work with UK business owners

There are any number of factors involved in establishing the value of your business including EBITDA, growth, recurring revenue, customer concentration, management strength, sector dynamics and strategic fit, with different buyers often placing very different values on the same business. It all comes down to what the right buyer is prepared to pay for it, and we never speculate. Why would we when we can leverage our extensive network to anonymously test the market ahead of any transaction, giving you the best possible insights and the widest range of options, before anyone even knows you’re thinking of selling.

This depends on your unique situation, goals and priorities, but ideally you want the business performing strongly, with clear growth prospects and healthy buyer appetite. Your personal objectives will then further help us shape the best possible options for your specific situation, and allow you to start preparing early, which can significantly improve both value and deal certainty.

A typical sale process includes a deep dive into your business so we can identify and understand its key value drivers, shaping that narrative and preparing the business to position it for buyers. We also conduct a fully anonymous market testing process to gather intelligence so we can then provide much more accurate guidance around valuation, as well as a shortlist of validated buyers that fit your goals and requirements. From there, our highly technical team of specially trained negotiators work to secure you the best possible deal, managing offers and negotiations, completing due diligence and guiding the process through to completion.

As always, we’d work with you to establish which pool of buyers best fits your specific needs, and your plans for the future. These may include strategic acquirers, private equity firms, PE-backed businesses, and international investors via our fully integrated US office. The strongest outcome comes from identifying the buyers or funders best suited to your priorities, whether that’s protecting a successful culture, funding growth, or anything else.

A good M&A adviser helps prepare and position the business, finds the right buyers, creates competitive tension, manages negotiations and the complexity of due diligence, and keeps the process moving while you focus on running your company. Our role is ultimately to maximise value, improve deal certainty and protect your position throughout the process, and the fact that even professional services and accountancy firms seek support despite their inhouse financial expertise, demonstrates just how valuable we can be.

The first thing to note is that the earlier you start thinking about this, the more options you’ll likely have, but that doesn’t mean you need to sell right away. By preparing ahead of time you can get your data, documentation and processes in order, streamlining any future diligence process and putting you in the best position to clearly see your options.

Setting your priorities is another key step, deciding what really matters to you and your company - whether that’s management stability, progression opportunities, cultural fit, or a clean exit - allows you to embark on any process with a clear plan.