There are many ways of structuring the transfer of business ownership in a transaction. There are a variety of unique structures that attempt to allocate risk and implement financial terms that are agreeable to both the seller and buyer. Below are a few insights on some of these and setting expectations in the process.

Many preparations should be completed by business owners and their sell-side advisory firm before the official transaction process begins. These preparations include Preliminary Due Diligence and a Benchmark Valuation. Completing these is imperative to ensuring a successful transaction. The following list breaks down the Preliminary Due Diligence and Benchmark Valuation and is intended to educate business owners on the key processes that should be executed by their sell-side advisory firm prior to starting the transaction process.

A strategic buyer is a competitor or industry peer that wants to grow through acquisition. Strategic acquisitions provide many advantages to the seller and typically yield the most attractive financial terms.