Industry Insights, Selling a Business, M&A, Owner Considerations, M&A Education & Market, Strategic Advisory
Selling your company is one of the most pivotal decisions you'll ever make as an entrepreneur. It's not just a financial transaction—it's a deeply personal crossroads that can shape your identity, your legacy, and your next chapter. After 30+ years as a serial and...
Industry Insights, Selling a Business, Managing Risk, M&A, Owner Considerations, M&A Education & Market, Strategic Advisory
Who Really Benefits from the Sale of Your Company? You do.Monetizing your life’s work is a monumental moment—the crowning achievement for most CEOs and founders. But here's the harsh truth: most businesses never sell. According to industry research, only about 20%–30%...
Selling a Business, M&A, Owner Considerations, M&A Education & Market
At first glance, the obvious winner in the sale of a private business is the founder or CEO—you. But the ripple effect extends far beyond your own financial gain. The truth is, when executed thoughtfully, a successful business exit creates a cascade of benefits that...
M&A Education & Market, Private Equity Recapitalizations, Selling a Business, M&A
Why a Creative Exit Deal Structure, Especially a Seller Note, May Be a Smart Move for Sellers For most entrepreneurs, the dream of selling their business usually looks something like this: "I get a call from a massive multinational company that offers me all cash,...
Selling a Business, M&A, Owner Considerations, Case Study, Merger and Acquisitions
Client Overview Established in 1979 by Reuven and Zehava Itelman, Herco is one of the largest gold jewelry wholesalers in the United States. Herco’s catalog is a mainstay for thousands of independent jewelers who rely on it to source unique and high-quality...
M&A, M&A Education & Market, Selling a Business
I am slightly embarrassed as I recall Paul Simons’ 1975 release of “50 Ways to Leave your Lover”. As a budding 11-year-old, I giggled at the new term “lover”. However, on reflecting back now, having advised hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEO’s, the context...
Education, M&A, Owner Considerations, Selling a Business
While few middle-market companies ever reach the finish line of a successful M&A exit, nearly every entrepreneur I’ve met dreams of one day selling their business for a premium—unlocking the funds to power their next venture, retire in comfort, or create...
Selling a Business, Owner Considerations, Exit Planning
Dodge these common pitfalls that jeopardize your business value. 1. Failure to have an exit plan I firmly believe that the biggest blind spot is not having goals for the ultimate and inevitable exit. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Even if a business owner never...
Selling a Business, Education, M&A, Private Equity Recapitalizations
If you're a CEO, founder, or entrepreneur contemplating selling your company to a private equity (PE) firm, understanding the fundamentals of price and deal terms is essential. While valuation often steals the spotlight, savvy sellers know that the structure and terms...
Selling a Business, M&A, M&A Education & Market
In our experience at Merit Investment Bank & Co., we have found that there are three foundational elements that must be in place before we can apply a strategic approach to a successful M&A process for Entrepreneurs and CEOs. When these three conditions...
Like many of your advisors who provide valuable services and expertise, adding an investment banker to your list of trusted advisors is crucial to your success. Most Entrepreneurs rely on advisors such as CPA’s, Attorneys, Wealth Managers, and Commercial Banking...
Are you considering selling your business? If so, you likely have many questions, and among the most common is: How much is my company worth? The answer may surprise you. A study conducted by MassMutual uncovered that the average owner overvalued their business by...
