You Built the Business. The Question Is Whether It Can Outlive Your Daily Presence.
We work with owners who care about continuity as much as price.
The Right Seller
The right seller is not looking for a circus. He wants a direct conversation, a realistic view of value, and a buyer who treats the sale as the transfer of responsibility it actually is.
A conversation makes sense when four things are true:
- the owner is considering a transition within the next one to three years
- normalized cash flow can support a disciplined acquisition
- the business is not entirely dependent on the owner
- valuation expectations are realistic, or at least open to honest discussion
If any one of those is badly off, the honest move is to say so early. A brief, honest conversation protects both sides better than months of misaligned diligence.
What Most Sellers Discover Too Late
Most sellers discover too late that many buyers are not actually ready. Some have no credible capital path. Some do not understand the sector. Some have no answer to the question every seller eventually asks: who actually runs this after I leave?
That question should be answered before exclusivity, not after closing. Our process ties deal structure, management planning, and sector fit together from the beginning — so the answer exists before either side has committed significant time.
What We Look For in Our Five Focus Sectors
We focus on five sectors where the model works.
- IT Services: Vertical MSP / MSSP
- Metal Finishing & Surface Treatment
- Niche Staffing & Recruiting
- Energy Services: Utility / Electrical / Grid Support
- Outsourced B2B Services
Most owners know within two minutes whether the fit is real. The table makes that faster.
| What We Look For | What Ends the Conversation Early |
|---|---|
| Founder-owned, approaching transition in the next one to three years | No clear transition timeline or willingness to discuss one |
| Recurring or repeat revenue with no single dominant customer | A single customer above 40% of revenue |
| Operating knowledge that lives in the business, not one person | Every key relationship or technical process runs through the founder personally |
| A viable path to outside manager-led operation after transition | No credible general manager candidate exists |
| Purchase price in the $2M–$10M range | Turnaround, distressed, or financial-engineering situations |
For a full description of each sector and the specific characteristics we evaluate, see Our Sectors.
How We Handle the Hard Conversations
If the numbers do not support the structure, we say so directly. Encouraging a seller through a process that cannot close wastes his time and ours.
We explain the valuation logic plainly: how we think about cash flow, concentration, management replacement cost, and downside risk. There is no version of this where we tell you what you want to hear and work out the rest later.
Every deal requires a defined general manager path before it closes. No exceptions.
Have a specific question before reaching out? See the FAQ.
What a Serious Process Looks Like
A serious process begins with a direct conversation. If there is basic fit, we review the financials, test the transferability of the business, and decide whether the opportunity warrants a written internal screen.
Only after that do we move into pricing and structure. That sequence protects both sides. It reduces the odds of a headline number that falls apart in diligence.
If the fit is real, the process takes three to nine months. If the fit is not there, it ends much sooner.