Insights

Videos, articles, & advice from Kirk and his network, to help successful founders find better outcomes.

Knowing Your Why Mike Simpson Knowing Your Why Mike Simpson

You May Have Missed Your Window

If you're a founder who was hoping to sell in 2021, either to tap the M&A boom, or avoid higher capital gains taxes, or just because you're ready to be done, the bad news is you've probably missed the market. But there's a silver lining in waiting to 2022 and beyond!

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Mike Simpson Mike Simpson

Make Hard Decisions Now to Maximize When you Sell Later

If you're a founder heading toward a sale or other capital event, it might be time to look at whether family members and friends should be part of the business you present to buyers. Loyalty is important and commitments need to be honored, but be smart about the tradeoffs to maximize your outcome.

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Financials Mike Simpson Financials Mike Simpson

Beware the Working Capital Adjustment

If you're a founder selling or contemplating the sale of a manufacturing business, this information might save you $ millions and more importantly, save your deal. This is one pesky accounting term that should be defined (maybe even with attachments) in your LOI and Purchase Agreement.

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Due Diligence Mike Simpson Due Diligence Mike Simpson

Not Every Buyer Move is Strategic

When we get into the process of, or negotiations to sell our companies, we sometimes infer strategic significance from every email or phone call with our prospective buyer. Sometimes those one or two word answers, days without communication, or changes to tone or tenor are just them being human or being busy, and they have nothing to do with us and our companies.

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Mike Simpson Mike Simpson

Don’t Waste Time with the Wrong Buyer

If you're a founder on the way to selling your company, there's plenty of capital and a lot of great buyers out there right now. Don't waste precious time trying to make something work with the wrong buyer.

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Mike Simpson Mike Simpson

Taking Control of Your Buyer’s Due Diligence Process

If you're a founder in process of selling your company, and due diligence feels like it's dragging on and on, and you've responded to all of the initial requests, there's a few ways to end the continued requests and get clarity about your buyer in the process.

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Mike Simpson Mike Simpson

Is your Buyer Dragging Out Due Diligence?

If you're a founder and headed into Due Diligence with a strategic or financial buyer, watch out for overly complicated or lengthy questions or process...none of that helps you, and plenty of it is used to test or challenge you unfairly.

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Seller Expectations Mike Simpson Seller Expectations Mike Simpson

Waiting IS an Action!

If you're a founder in the middle of a sale, capital raising process, or negotiation with partners or stakeholders, recognize that WAITING can often be the best active decision. It's not purely intuitive to know when to push and when to wait, so be sure to have at least one member of the deal team with lots of reps at the M&A Gym!!

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Knowing Your Why Mike Simpson Knowing Your Why Mike Simpson

Every Deal has at least one Hiccup.

If you're a founder of a successful company going through a capital event, prepare yourself for the likelihood you'll have at least one hiccup somewhere in the process. Almost every deal has one. They usually don't have to derail your transaction, but they're usually tricky to navigate. Make sure you have the right advisors to help.

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Due Diligence Mike Simpson Due Diligence Mike Simpson

Buyers Price | Seller Terms - The Tradeoffs

If you're a founder and you've received a confusing or disappointing offer from a private equity firm, don't immediately reject it...there might be a workable deal if you follow the maxim; Sellers Price = Buyers Terms, and vice versa. There are tradeoffs that might get you to your WHY in selling your company.

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Seller Expectations Mike Simpson Seller Expectations Mike Simpson

3 Unexpected Deal Killers

Many founders make one or all of these 3 understandable and potentially disastrous mistakes when selling; 1) use advisors without M&A experience, 2) get distracted by the M&A process and let business results suffer, 3) let their employees know they're selling too soon. All well-intentioned, stem from loyalty, familiarity, instinct, or transparency, and each one may lead to disaster.

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Mike Simpson Mike Simpson

Listen to Your Founder & CEO Peers...to a Point

We highly recommend getting input from your fellow founder/CEO peers! Then, seek the more experienced counsel of a transactional professional to improve your odds of a great outcome with your prospective buyer.

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