Eight Steps. No Shortcuts. No Wasted Time.

1. Identification

We identify targets deliberately, not randomly. We use financial screening, sector research, and owner profile criteria. We are looking for profitable businesses with revenues between two million and fifty million dollars per year, in one of our eleven target sectors, owned by someone who is approaching exit without a clear succession plan.

2. Direct Approach

We contact the owner directly — not through a broker, not through a form letter. When we identify a business worth pursuing, this is a personal outreach. The goal of the first contact is to understand whether the owner is open to a conversation, nothing more. We do not pitch in the first call. We introduce ourselves, explain briefly what we do, and ask whether they have any interest in discussing what we might be able to offer.

3. Qualification

We review the financial records seriously and quickly. If the owner is open to a conversation, we ask for tax returns, profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and whatever operational data is relevant to understanding the business. We do this work as quickly as the materials allow. The goal is to determine whether the business matches what we look for and whether a deal is likely to make sense for both sides.

4. Valuation

We value the business on actual cash generation, not inflated multiples. We use a structured free cash flow model — what the business generates after operating costs, owner compensation adjustments, and capital maintenance requirements. We do not apply inflated sector multiples to produce a headline number that collapses during due diligence. The number we offer is one we can defend and explain.

We share the valuation and walk through every component. If the seller has a different number in mind, we discuss it directly. Our goal is to reach a number both sides can justify.

5. Deal Structure

Once aligned on value, we propose a deal structure. Seller financing is the mechanism we prefer: the seller carries a promissory note, paid from the business's own cash flow over an agreed term. In some deals, a small cash component at close or a financial partner may be part of the structure. We tailor the structure to the business and the seller's specific circumstances, and we present the proposal clearly so there are no surprises in the documents.

6. Due Diligence

Due diligence is thorough but not adversarial. We cover financial, legal, operational, and where relevant, environmental or regulatory review. We are not looking for reasons to reduce the price after the fact. We are building a complete, accurate picture of the business we are about to operate. If something material surfaces, we address it directly, before it becomes a problem at closing.

7. Close and Transition

Closing is followed by a carefully managed transition. The seller determines how involved they want to be in the handoff. Some owners prefer to stay on for several months to ensure continuity with customers and staff; others prefer a clean break. We accommodate both. Key employees are retained. Customers are transitioned on a timeline both sides agree on. The operational knowledge that lives in the owner's head is transferred through a structured process designed to capture it.

8. Operations

The business continues operating under the same rigor applied to acquiring it. We do not buy businesses and leave them to run themselves. We manage actively, address what needs improvement, and grow the business over time. That ongoing performance is also, in a seller-financed deal, what services the note. We have every reason to operate well.