Questions to ask potential M&A advisors when selling your boutique

Finding a good M&A advisor is crucial when it comes to selling your business. The right advisor can help you get the best deal, navigate the complex legal and regulatory issues, and manage the sales process effectively. However, choosing the wrong advisor can result in a sub-optimal outcome or even a failed deal. Prof. Joe O'mahoney Online Podcast

he Importance of Trust in Choosing an M&A Advisor

One of the most critical factors in selecting an M&A advisor is trust. You must trust that your advisor has the expertise, experience, and connections necessary to get the job done. Additionally, you need to trust that your advisor will always act in your best interests, provide honest and transparent advice, and keep you informed throughout the process.

To find a trustworthy M&A advisor, start by asking for recommendations from other business owners, your own growth advisor or board member, or industry experts. Make sure you meet with potential advisors in person to get a sense of their personality, communication style, and approach. Finally, be sure to choose an advisor who is responsive, accessible, and who takes the time to understand your business and goals. By finding an M&A advisor you trust, you’ll be in a much better position to achieve a successful outcome when it comes time to sell your business.

Key Questions to Ask Potential M&A Advisors

Here’s my list of questions I (or my clients) ask advisors when conducting the beauty parade:

Given the information with which you have been furnished, what is your approximate valuation of our firm?

Which buyers do you think would be most interested and why?

How do you suggest we position and market the company?

What is your experience in selling similar companies? Can you please provide cases and references who we can talk to?

What is your approach to identifying potential buyers? What databases and networks do you have access to?

What is your access to potential international buyers?

What is your UVP? What makes you better than others?

Who from your company is likely to be working on our transaction?

What are your fees and how are they structured?

How do you ensure confidentiality?

What is your process for preparing a company for sale? What are your milestones and activities for you and us (a hand-out is fine here!). Can we see some sample deliverables (e.g. profile, NDA, information memorandum)

What would your approach be to marketing the company?

How do you handle any issues that arise during the sales process?

How do you handle competing offers from multiple buyers?

What is your approach to post-merger integration?

How do you determine which potential buyers to approach?

How do you manage the legal and regulatory aspects of the transaction?

What is your approach to addressing cultural differences between our company and a potential buyer?

How might you help us improve the valuation of our firm between now and when we go to market?

What legal and financial resources do you have access to during the process?

Who would be leading your team and working with us?

About us

Joe is a leading authority on the consulting industry and a consultant to boutiques and small consulting firms. His research on the profession  has won several prestigious awards and publications, and resulted in leadership of high-profile government-funded research into the profession. Joe’s textbook on Management Consulting (published by Oxford University Press) was the best-selling in Europe and his academic research has been published in the top international journals. His most recent, evidence-based book on growing consulting firms in the digital age (published by Routledge) is the ‘go to’ growth text for CEOs and Managing Partners all over the world.

Joe also practices what he preaches: he has been a corporate consultant, an internal consultant and a solo consultant. He has spent fifteen years providing advisory services to small consulting firms on growth and, in 2007 sold his own company, StayMobile Technology Ltd. In addition to his private practice, he is the founder of Repair Café Wales CIC and Consulting Mastered Ltd

Joe has taught and coached over 2,000 executives and MBA students about management consultancy and helped hundreds of students gain places at leading consulting firms. Joe’s work has been recognised by awards from the British Academy of Management, the Centre for Consulting Excellence, the ESRC and several University prizes. Joe studied History at Oxford University and obtained his PhD and MSc at Warwick University. He lives with in Cardiff with his wife, Hannah, and two sons.

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