Articles Sell-Side
Should you sell your business when facing rising interest rates? Timing matters, and selling early in a business cycle can be critical. When interest rates climb, borrowing costs rise and buyer financing tightens, pressuring both your operations and your valuation. Selling may seem like a bad idea, but it is
Articles Sell-Side
Why do sophisticated buyers look beyond EBITDA when valuing a Canadian business? EBITDA — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — is the lingua franca of middle-market transactions. But EBITDA measures earnings, not value creation. A business can generate substantial EBITDA while destroying value if it requires enormous capital to
Articles Sell-Side
Why do Canadian business owners lose value in a business sale negotiation? The buyers pursuing a Canadian business negotiate acquisitions continuously. The seller is doing it once. That experience gap is structural, and it produces a consistent, documented outcome: owners who negotiate their own business sales leave significant value on
Articles Sell-Side
What risks and delays arise after you sign an LOI? For Canadian owners, signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) can make closing feel within reach — but the period between the LOI and the final wire transfer is full of challenges that can delay the process, trigger re-trading or cause
Articles Sell-Side
What are the most common reasons a Canadian business sale fails? Selling a business in Canada is complex, and many transactions fall apart before closing. The reasons range from financial missteps to emotional misalignments. Below are nine common reasons business sales fail — and how Canadian sellers can avoid each one.
Articles Sell-Side
How do you choose the right intermediary to sell a Canadian business? Choosing the right intermediary — business broker, M&A advisor or investment bank — is one of the most important decisions in selling a Canadian business. The right choice depends on your business's structure (private or public)
Articles Sell-Side
What financial levers raise your business valuation at exit? When preparing to sell, the exit phase is a critical period to strengthen your company's financial health and increase its appeal to buyers. Several financial levers significantly influence the final sale price, and pulling them strategically in the months
Articles Sell-Side
What should a Canadian business owner know before selling a company with $1M–$3M EBITDA? Selling a lower-middle-market business with $1 million to $3 million in annual EBITDA is a transformative decision. These companies — often in manufacturing, technology or professional services — attract private equity firms, strategic acquirers and
Articles Sell-Side
What is the single most important thing a founder can do to increase their exit valuation? If there is one thing that has the greatest impact on your exit valuation, it is this: stabilizing and increasing recurring revenue. With so many factors influencing a business's valuation — revenue, profitability,
Articles Sell-Side
Working capital management plays a critical role in the financial health of every shop
Articles Sell-Side
How do you attract financial versus strategic buyers? When selling a business, understanding the two main types of buyers and their preferences is crucial. Buyers generally fall into two categories — financial and strategic — and each evaluates your business by distinct criteria. As a Canadian owner preparing for an exit, knowing
Articles Sell-Side
Laying the Groundwork for a Profitable Transition