How the referral process works

Step one — the ten-minute call

Tell us the industry, roughly what the business does in revenue, and why the owner is thinking about it. That is usually enough for us to say whether the business is likely saleable, what range it might fall in, and what would have to be true for a buyer to finance it. If the answer is that the owner is three years too early, we will say so — that conversation is often more valuable to your client than a listing would be.

What we need from you: an introduction and permission to speak with the owner. What you get back: a candid read on saleability and timing, at no cost.

Step two — the Broker Opinion of Value

With three years of tax returns, internal statements and an interim period, we prepare a written Broker Opinion of Value under confidentiality. There is no fee, no engagement letter, and no obligation to list. You decide whether it goes to your client directly from us, or through you with your own cover analysis attached.

What we need from you: help getting complete financials, since incomplete books are the single largest source of delay. What you get back: a defensible number you can plan against, plus the list of what a buyer would want fixed before the business goes to market.

Step three — you stay in the file

If the owner decides to move, you remain on the deal team. That matters most at two moments: when the letter of intent is negotiated, because structure and allocation are effectively decided there, and during due diligence, when the quality of the financial record either supports the price or erodes it.

We run the marketing, the buyer screening under NDA, the Confidential Business Review, offer negotiation and the coordination through financing and closing. You advise your client, and we make sure the buyer understands what your continued involvement is worth to them after closing.

What it does not involve

• No referral fee in either direction. We do not pay them and we do not ask you to accept one.
• No obligation for your client to list, and no engagement letter for the Opinion of Value.
• No marketing use of your client's name, ever. Confidentiality survives closing.
• No tax or legal advice from us. That is your work, and we keep it that way.

Timing

Plan on roughly twelve months from listing to closing for a business in the $1 to $10 million range, with the Opinion of Value taking one to two weeks once complete financials are in hand. Preparation work, where it is needed, can add anywhere from a quarter to several years — and it is usually the highest-return time an owner spends.