Founders often chase the headline valuation, but the real story is in the structure. Cash at closing, earnouts, equity rollovers, and seller notes can dramatically change the outcome.

A deal at $20M with $12M cash + $8M contingent isn’t the same as $18M all cash.

The right answer? It depends. Clear goals and smart negotiation make all the difference.

Every founder eventually faces the same question: do you keep scaling—or sell while things are strong?

In this video, Kirk Michie shares how successful founders weigh growth capital against selling early, and why selling can sometimes be the best way to manage risk. From valuation trade-offs to protecting your outcome, Kirk explains how to decide which path makes sense for you.

One of the biggest buyer concerns in any deal is whether the business depends too much on the founder. If it does, that’s a red flag—and it can hurt both valuation and deal structure.

In this episode, Kirk Michie shares how to prove your business can run without you. From building a capable leadership team to showing successors in the room during buyer meetings, he explains the practical steps that make buyers confident and let you take more cash at closing.

Before a sale, many founders try to optimize their financials by trimming costs or making strategic upgrades. But not every change lands well with buyers. In this short video, Kirk Michie explains how to think about expense timing, whether you’re investing in growth or managing EBITDA. He breaks down what’s smart to spend, what’s better left alone, and why buyers may not give you credit for certain moves. If you’re prepping for a sale in the next 6–18 months, this is essential advice.

In this short video, Kirk Michie breaks down how to weigh structure vs. price when negotiating a business sale. From earnouts to seller notes to equity rollovers, he explains what to look out for and when it might make sense to accept a little less for a lot more peace of mind.

Unless you’ve signed a binding LOI (rare), you’re not forced to close—even mid-process.

Of course, there are consequences. You’ll burn some fees. You may rattle your buyer’s trust. You might need to wait a bit before going back to market. But if something doesn’t feel right—whether it’s the price, the buyer, or just your gut—you can (and sometimes should) hit pause.

Selling a business isn’t just a financial transaction—it’s a full-time job stacked on top of your already full-time job. In this short video, Kirk breaks down the surprising emotional toll and practical pressures that catch many founders off guard—and shares what you can do to prepare and stay grounded through it all.

Curious how the 2025 M&A market is shaping up? In this short update, Kirk Michie explains why deal volume remains high, where private equity is looking to spend, and why some businesses tied to supply chains or tariffs might want to wait. Watch the quick video below to get the full story.

Selling a business comes with a range of costs that aren’t always discussed. Depending on the size of the deal, transaction costs typically fall between 1.5% and 5% of the total value. For larger deals, the percentage may be lower, but the dollar amount can still be significant.

Key contributors to these costs include:

Transaction advisors: Usually compensated as a percentage of the sale price.

Legal fees: High-quality M&A counsel is necessary and often expensive.

Accounting and tax support: Buyers want clean, reliable financials.

Additional consultants: Specialists may be brought in for diligence or post-sale planning.

The real takeaway is this: these aren’t “nice-to-haves.” They’re essential services that protect the deal and ensure you walk away with the outcome you intended. Understanding and planning for these costs early can help avoid surprises and allow you to enter the process with clarity.

What happens to your team after you sell? It’s not always up to you—but there are smart ways to protect your people. In this 3-minute video, Kirk explains how buyers view staffing and what you can do about it.