Selling a company isn’t a decision you make on a Monday and close by Friday—it’s a campaign that starts years earlier, with the right team and a clear plan. We unpack a practical, four-advisor framework that helps owners protect hard-won value: a seasoned M&A advisor to run the process, a CPA or fractional CFO to make your numbers PE-ready, an M&A attorney who speaks the language of deals, and a wealth advisor who designs a tax-smart path from illiquid to liquid.

We dive into the realities of private equity diligence and why GAAP alignment, revenue recognition, and a clean quality of earnings matter more than glossy pitch decks. You’ll hear where owners get tripped up—Q4 income games to save taxes, cash off the books, sloppy working-capital management—and how a fractional CFO can model normalized working capital so your LOI, QoE, and final true-up align. We also get candid about legal strategy: why a generalist can slow a deal to a crawl, and how a true M&A attorney can shorten the path to close while protecting you on reps, warranties, escrows, and earnouts.

On the back end of the transaction, we explore wealth strategy with an eye toward today’s markets: capital gains exposure, deferral tools like a deferred sales trust, diversification beyond the traditional 60/40, and building a resilient portfolio that matches your new risk profile. Along the way, we talk mindset—bringing in a battle-tested coach, embracing humility, and letting experts lead—so the process is demanding but not derailing. If you’re aiming for a life-changing exit, this conversation gives you the roadmap, the warnings, and the confidence to start early and finish strong.

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share it with a fellow owner, and leave a quick review with your biggest exit question—your note could shape a future episode.

The mysterious world of mergers and acquisitions can feel like navigating a labyrinth blindfolded for business owners facing their first exit. This eye-opening conversation with veteran M&A attorney Marc Solomon pulls back the curtain on what really happens when selling your business to sophisticated buyers.

Marc brings a rare perspective most attorneys lack – having personally built, sold, and managed a business before returning to legal practice. "I've been a small business owner, I've been through an exit transaction, I've been a corporate executive, and I've been a business attorney," he explains, allowing him to understand client objectives from multiple angles.

The discussion reveals critical details many sellers overlook until it's too late. When that attractive purchase price appears in a letter of intent, few business owners recognize how much of it might be tied up in promissory notes, rollover equity, or future earn-outs. As Solomon pointedly observes, "It's not necessarily what the price is at closing – how much of that money do you really collect several years down the road when you look back at the deal?"

From the psychological pressure of due diligence (humorously described as "the colonoscopy" of business deals) to the technical complexities of working capital adjustments, disclosure schedules, and tax reorganizations, the podcast illuminates why having the right advisory team is non-negotiable. Private equity firms approach acquisitions with armies of professionals who do this work daily, while most sellers are experiencing it for the first time.

Perhaps most valuable are the practical insights on escrow holdbacks (typically 5-10% for 12-18 months), representation and warranty insurance for larger deals, and ensuring rollover equity doesn't come with hidden disadvantages. Solomon's explanation of how seemingly standard contract language about GAAP compliance can create massive post-closing liabilities shows why expert review matters.

Ready to navigate your business sale with confidence? Connect with Marc Solomon and the South Florida M&A Advisors team to build your transaction support system before entering negotiations with sophisticated buyers.

The mystery of how businesses actually find serious buyers is revealed in this candid exploration of M&A strategy. Forget everything you thought you knew about selling a business - this isn't about listing it online and hoping for inquiries. Russell Cohen pulls back the curtain on the sophisticated methods M&A advisors use to connect sellers with qualified buyers who will pay premium valuations.

Discover the substantial investments advisors make in specialized research platforms - from Private Equity Info to Pitchbook, Source Scrub to Grata - each costing thousands annually but providing crucial access to buyer information. Cohen explains how these resources allow advisors to identify private equity groups, family offices, and strategic buyers that match a seller's specific industry, size, and objectives. Beyond the technology, learn how professional relationships developed through organizations like ACG and M&A Source create direct connections with decision-makers at acquisition-minded companies.

The conversation highlights a critical reality for business owners: attempting to sell without professional representation severely limits your options and leverage. When sellers rely solely on their immediate network of accountants and lawyers, they access less than 1% of potential buyers. As Cohen colorfully illustrates, negotiating against professional buyers without representation is "like a junior high football player trying to sack Tom Brady." The right advisor not only maximizes your valuation through competitive bidding but helps identify buyers who represent the best cultural fit and growth opportunity. Whether you're seeking a complete exit or a "second bite of the apple" with future equity participation, hearing these insider insights could be worth millions in your upcoming transaction.