Michael Levison

Exit Story: How Grace & Stella Survived a $28M Setback to Sell for 5.8x EBITDA

Imagine personally guaranteeing millions in debt to fill a $28M order—only to have it yanked at the last minute. It nearly bankrupted founder Adi Gullia as well as Grace & Stella. Yet he overcame it all and sold at a 5.8x EBITDA multiple. In this episode, you’ll learn: A surprising strategy to minimize the impact of a bad year on your valuation—by creating three versions of your P&L.• How to navigate supply chain risk when rapid growth forces risky bets.• How to sidestep the “Amazon seller discount” and protect healthy margins (like selling a 65¢ product for $13.95).

Podcast: The Broken LOI: How George Hartley Salvaged the Sale of SmartrMail

The Broken LOI: How George Hartley Salvaged the Sale of SmartrMail

Bluethumb, Australia’s largest art marketplace, spawned SmartrMail—a SaaS business that grew to $2 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). When George Hartley decided to sell SmartrMail, he faced a major setback: the buyer he signed an LOI with didn’t have the funds to close.  In this week’s Built to Sell Radio, George shares the lessons he learned when his first deal fell apart and how he ultimately salvaged the sale.  You’ll discover:  George’s story underscores the importance of running a competitive process to create leverage and ensuring any buyer you sign an LOI with is prepared—and able—to close. 

Kaelon Egan on Selling AccelaSchool to PowerSchool

In this week’s episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow interviews Kaelon Egan, the founder of AccelaSchool, who successfully sold his company to PowerSchool—a giant in the K-12 education technology space.  For most founders, the ultimate dream is to sell to a strategic acquirer: a well-funded, industry leader with deep pockets. Egan shares exactly how he positioned his company to become a natural acquisition target, avoiding common pitfalls along the way.  You’ll discover how to:  If selling your business to an industry powerhouse is part of your long-term vision, this episode offers a practical blueprint for how to get there. 

Maximizing Your Business Sale: What Strategic Buyers Really Want

In this podcast, Mike Levison, the founder of Value Acceleration Partners, provides insight on selling a business to a strategic buyer for optimal value. He emphasizes that strategic buyers seek businesses that enhance their operations, fill gaps, and offer new opportunities. To appeal to these buyers, sellers should research potential buyers, articulate their strategic value, and demonstrate how their product or services align with buyer’s goals. Mike also highlights the importance of operational excellence and clean financials for easy integration post-acquisition. The ability of the business to operate independently of the owner, the protection of intellectual property, a diversified customer base, transparency in due diligence, and leveraging industry relationships further add appeal. He concludes by stressing that selling to a strategic buyer is about the fit, strategic alignment, and operational excellence.

Commanding a Premium: The Art of Selling to Strategic Buyers

Selling your business to a strategic buyer presents a unique opportunity to optimize value. Unlike financial buyers who focus primarily on returns, strategic buyers seek synergies that enhance their existing operations. This distinction makes preparation critical: the better aligned your business is with their strategic objectives, the higher the price you’re likely to command. In the balance of this post, I will provide a comprehensive summary of the issues that strategic buyers focus on and the steps you can take to be positioned well in each area. Understand What Strategic Buyers Want Strategic buyers are not just looking for profitable businesses; they want companies that fill a gap or enhance their capabilities. This could mean adding complementary products, accessing new markets, or acquiring proprietary technology. They will assess how quickly and effectively your business can contribute to their broader strategic goals, making it crucial to frame your business as a solution to their needs. What You Should Do: Strengthen Operational Excellence Strategic buyers want businesses that integrate seamlessly into their existing operations. They look for operational maturity and efficiency, as these qualities reduce integration risks and enhance the likelihood of achieving synergies quickly. A well-run business signals reliability and minimizes disruptions post-acquisition. What You Should Do: Professionalize Financial Performance and Reporting While strategic buyers prioritize synergies, they still expect robust financial performance and transparency. A strong financial track record and reporting capabilities not only builds trust but also underscores that your business is well run and will not need a lot of cleaning up. What You Should Do: Build a Strong Management Team Strategic buyers value businesses that can thrive independently of the owner. An established and strong management team ensures continuity and positions the business as a self-sustaining entity, which is especially appealing to buyers looking for minimal post-acquisition disruption. What You Should Do: Leverage Intellectual Property (IP) and Proprietary Assets Intellectual property, patents, and proprietary technology are often key drivers of strategic value. Strategic buyers view these assets as potential differentiators that can provide a competitive edge or open up new revenue streams.  Unfortunately, many businesses have not taken the proper steps to properly protect their IP What You Should Do: Diversify and Strengthen the Customer Base Reliance on a small number of clients is a risk most strategic buyers prefer to avoid. In fact, there are few issues that will kill value in a business more than over reliance on a small number of customers.  A diversified customer base demonstrates stability, reduces concentration risk, and provides opportunities for further market penetration. What You Should Do: Prepare for Rigorous Due Diligence Strategic buyers will scrutinize every aspect of your business to ensure alignment and uncover risks. A well-prepared business not only expedites the process but also builds buyer confidence in your operational integrity and transparency. What You Should Do: Build Strategic Relationships A strong industry presence can make your business more attractive and increase your chances of landing the right buyer. Strategic buyers often favor companies with established reputations and networks that align with their own. What You Should Do: Selling your business to a strategic buyer is about more than profitability—it’s about fit. By focusing on strategic alignment, operational excellence, financial performance, and intellectual property, you position your business as a valuable asset that aligns with the buyer’s long-term goals. Preparation is key, and the steps you take now will determine not only your sale price but also the future success of your business in its next chapter.

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Maximizing Value: It’s Not Just EBITDA

If you’re planning to sell your business, focusing only on profitability may well result than a less than optimal valuation. While financial performance is essential, savvy buyers evaluate a range of factors that influence risk and return. To maximize business value and command a premium valuation, it’s critical to be strong on eight key value drivers.  This post will examine these value drivers and provide some concrete steps you can take to ensure that each is solid. 1. Build a Resilient Company Culture Why It Matters: A strong culture aligns your team, ensuring consistent performance and operational stability—two things buyers and business brokers value highly. Steps to Improve: Companies with strong, mission-driven cultures often see better employee retention and smoother transitions post-sale. 2. Expand Management Breadth Why It Matters: Buyers assess whether your business relies too heavily on its owner. A team capable of running operations independently increases business value and reduces perceived risk. Steps to Improve: Over dependence on the owner is probably the biggest drag on enterprise value for small businesses. 3. Ensure Value Proposition Durability Why It Matters: A unique and sustainable competitive advantage, or “moat,” signals long-term viability, which is critical for buyers seeking a solid return on investment. Steps to Improve: Even commoditized industries can differentiate through added services, like maintenance packages or customer training. 4. Develop a Recurring Revenue Model Why It Matters: Predictable, recurring income streams mitigate buyer risk and can significantly boost valuation multiples. Steps to Improve: As an example, SaaS companies often achieve valuations 3-5x higher than their revenue counterparts in traditional industries because of predictable recurring revenue and strong margins. 5. Achieve Operational Scalability Why It Matters: Buyers look for businesses that can scale efficiently without a proportional increase in costs. Operational scalability is key to improving business performance and attracting buyers. Steps to Improve: Being able to demonstrate the ability to expand, without significant capital investment, is highly attractive to buyers.   Conversely, a business operating at capacity, requiring significant investment to support growth, will tend to be valued on the lower end of the applicable range. 6. Strengthen and Diversity Customer Relationships Why It Matters: A loyal and diverse customer base signals stability and growth potential. Buyers value businesses with strong customer retention and satisfaction metrics. Steps to Improve: Businesses with highly satisfied customers often see faster sales processes and higher valuations. 7. Enhance Financial Management Why It Matters: Clean, transparent financials reassure buyers and business brokers, speeding up the sale process and increasing trust. Steps to Improve: Providing consistent, well-documented financial records can cut due diligence time in half, making your business more attractive to buyers…and speeding up the sales process. 8. Establish Strong Governance Why It Matters: Buyers expect clear, documented governance practices to reduce risks, especially in regulated industries. Poor governance can delay deals or reduce valuations. Steps to Improve: This is an area often overlooked by smaller businesses.  Compliance issues can often take a long time to clean up.  It is not something you want to have to scramble at the last minute to clean up. To maximize business value, focus on these eight drivers of success. Whether you’re working with a business broker or planning to sell your business independently, improving these areas will make your company more attractive to buyers, reduce risks, and secure the best possible valuation. By aligning your efforts with what buyers truly value, you ensure your business achieves its full potential in the marketplace. Ready to Take the Next Step? Find out how your business compares. Spend 15 minutes completing our free online assessment of your business and we will provide you with a free report showing how your organization scores in each of the eight areas that drives enterprise value.

Maximizing Value More Than EBITDA

If you’re looking to sell your company, not focusing on profit could result in being a lower than ideal value. Even though financial success is important but smart buyers look at the various aspects that impact risk and return. To maximize the value of your business and to command a premium value, you need to be able to identify eight important value factors. This article will explore these value drivers, and then provide specific steps you can follow to ensure each one is strong. 1. Develop a resilient company culture What’s the point? A well-established culture can unite your team, which ensures consistent performance and stability of operations. These are two factors that buyers or commercial brokers are highly interested in. Steps to improve: Businesses that have strong, mission-driven cultures typically experience better retention of their employees as well as easier transitions after sale. 2. Expand Management Broadness What is the significance of HTML0? Buyers assess whether your company is dependent on its proprietor. A team that is able to run operations independently enhances the value of your business and decreases perceived risk. Steps to Enhance: The dependence on the business owner is the most significant negative impact on the value of an enterprise for small companies. 3. Ensure Value Proposition Durability What is it about? An exclusive and long-lasting competitive advantage, also known as a “moat,” signals long-term viability, which is crucial for those seeking a substantial return on their investment. Steps to improve: Even the most commoditized of industries can stand out by offering additional services, such as maintenance programs or customer education. 4. Develop a Recurring Revenue Model What’s the point? Recurring, predictable income streams reduce risk for buyers and significantly increase the value of multiples. Steps to improve: For instance, SaaS companies often achieve valuations of 3-5x more than the revenue counterparts of traditional industries due to their consistent revenue and high margins. 5. Achieve Operational Scalability What is it? Buyers are looking for companies which can grow efficiently, without having a significant rise in cost. Operational scalability is essential to increasing the performance of a business as well as attracting customers. Steps to Enhance: The ability to show that you can expand without massive capital expenditure, is attracted to buyers. In contrast, a company in operation at full capacity, and requiring substantial investment to fund expansion, will typically be valued at low end of the range. 6. Strengthen and Diversity Customer Relationships Why it is important: A loyal and varied customer base is a sign of stability and potential for growth. Buyers appreciate businesses with high satisfaction and retention metrics. Steps to Enhance: Companies that have highly satisfied customers usually experience faster sales and better valuations. 7. Enhance Financial Management What’s the point? Clear, transparent financials are a boon for buyers and commercial brokers by making the selling process faster and boosting confidence. Steps to improve: A consistent and well-documented set of financial statements can cut the due diligence process by 50%, making the company more appealing to buyers…and making it easier to sell your products and services. process. 8. Establish Strong Governance Why it is Important: Buyers expect clear guidelines for governance that are documented to minimize risks, particularly in highly regulated industries. Ineffective governance could delay transactions or lower the value of a company. Steps to improve: This is a subject that is often neglected by smaller companies. Compliance issues often take an extended time to clear up. This isn’t something you would want to rush through in the last minute to get rid of. To maximize business value , focus on these eight drivers of success. Whether you’re working with a business broker or planning to sell your business independently, improving these areas will make your company more attractive to buyers, reduce risks, and secure the best possible valuation. By aligning your efforts with what buyers truly value, you ensure your business achieves its full potential in the marketplace.

Maximizing Value More Than EBITDA

If you’re looking to sell your company, not focusing on profit could result in more than a subpar value. Although financial results are crucial however, smart buyers consider the various aspects that impact risk and return. To maximize the value of your business and to command a premium valuation, you must be able to identify eight important value factors. This article will explore these value drivers and offer the steps you need to take to ensure that each one is strong. 1. Develop a resilient company culture What’s the point? A well-established culture can unite your team, which ensures consistent performance and stability of operations. These are two factors that buyers or corporate brokers appreciate greatly. Steps to Enhance: Businesses with solid, mission-driven culture experience better retention of their employees as well as more seamless transitions after sales. 2. Expand Management Broadness What is the significance of HTML0: Buyers assess whether your company is dependent on its proprietor. A team that can run operations on its own increases the value of your business and decreases perceived risk. Steps to Enhance: The dependence on the business owner is the most significant negative impact on the value of an enterprise for small companies. 3. Ensure Value Proposition Durability Why it is important: An exclusive and long-lasting competitive advantage, also known as a “moat,” signals long-term viability, which is vital for those seeking a substantial return on their investment. Steps to improve: Even industries that are commoditized can be differentiated by offering additional services, such as maintenance programs or customer education. 4. Develop a Recurring Revenue Model What’s the point? Regular, predictable income streams reduce risk for buyers and boost the value of multiples. Steps to Enhance: In this way, SaaS companies often achieve valuations that are 3-5 times higher than their counterparts in traditional industries due to regular revenue streams and high margins. 5. Achieve Operational Scalability What is it? Buyers seek out companies capable of scaling efficiently without having a significant cost increase. Scalability in operations is crucial to increasing efficiency of businesses as well as attracting customers. Steps to improve: The ability to show that you can expand without major capital expenditure, is appealing to potential buyers. However, a business that is in operation at full capacity, and requiring substantial investment to fund expansion, is likely to be valued at less than the upper end of the range. 6. Strengthen and Diversity Customer Relationships Why it is Important: A loyal and diverse customer base indicates stability and potential for growth. Buyers are attracted to businesses that have strong satisfaction and retention metrics. Steps to improve: Companies that have highly satisfied customers typically have faster sales processes and higher value. 7. Enhance Financial Management What’s the point? Clear, transparent financials can reassure buyers as well as commercial brokers and business brokers, increasing the speed of sale and boosting confidence. Steps to Enhance: The consistency of well-documented financial statements will cut the time for due diligence by 50%, making the company more appealing to buyers…and making it easier to sell your products and services. process. 8. Establish Strong Governance Why it is Important: Buyers expect clear guidelines for governance that are documented to mitigate risks, especially in highly regulated industries. Governance issues can slow deals or decrease the value of a company. Steps to improve: This is a subject that is often ignored by smaller businesses. Compliance issues are often a hassle that takes quite a while to get rid of. It’s not something you would want to rush through at the last minute to fix. To maximize business value,  focus on these eight drivers of success. Whether you’re working with a business broker or planning to sell your business independently, improving these areas will make your company more attractive to buyers, reduce risks, and secure the best possible valuation. By aligning your efforts with what buyers truly value, you ensure your business achieves its full potential in the marketplace.

maximizing value: More Than EBITDA

If you’re looking to sell your company focussing solely on profit could result in more than a subpar value. Even though financial success is crucial but smart buyers look at various factors which influence return and risk. To maximize the value of your business and to command a premium valuation, you must be able to identify eight important value factors. This article will look at these value drivers and offer specific steps you can do to ensure that each one is strong. 1. Create a Culture of Resilience for the Company Why it’s Important: A well-established culture can unite your team, ensuring consistency efficiency and stability in operations. Two things that buyers as well as corporate brokers appreciate greatly. Steps to Enhance: Businesses that have strong, mission-driven cultures typically experience better retention of their employees as well as more seamless transitions after sales. 2. Expand Management Broadness Why it is Important: Buyers assess whether your company is dependent on its proprietor. A team that is able to run operations on its own increases the value of your business and lowers the perceived risk. Steps to improve: The dependence on the business owner is likely to be the biggest negative impact on the value of an enterprise for small companies. 3. Ensure Value Proposition Durability Why it is Important: A distinct and lasting competitive advantage, also known as a “moat,” signals long-term viability, which is vital for those seeking a substantial return on their investment. Steps to Enhance: Even the most commoditized of industries can stand out by providing additional services, for example maintenance programs or customer education. 4. Develop a Recurring Revenue Model What’s the point? Regular, predictable income streams reduce risk for buyers and significantly increase the value of multiples. Steps to Enhance: For instance, SaaS companies often achieve valuations that are 3-5 times higher than the revenue counterparts of traditional industries due to regular revenue streams and high margins. 5. Achieve Operational Scalability What is it? Buyers are looking for companies capable of scaling efficiently without having a significant cost increase. Operational scalability is essential to increasing the performance of a business as well as attracting customers. Steps to Enhance: The ability to show the capacity to expand without massive capital expenditure, is attracted to buyers. In contrast, a company that is operating at capacity and requires large investments to sustain expansion, will typically be valued at low end of range. 6. Strengthen and Diversity Customer Relationships What is it about: A loyal and varied customer base is a sign of stability and potential for growth. Buyers appreciate businesses with high satisfaction and retention metrics. Steps to improve: Companies that have highly satisfied customers usually have faster sales processes and better valuations. 7. Enhance Financial Management What’s the significance? Transparent, clean financials are a boon for buyers and businesses brokers by making the selling process faster and boosting confidence. Steps to Enhance: The consistency of well-documented financial reports will cut the time for due diligence by 50%, making the company more appealing to buyers…and increasing the speed of sales process. 8. Establish Strong Governance Why it is Important: Buyers expect clear guidelines for governance that are documented to mitigate risks, especially in industries that are regulated. Governance issues can slow deals or decrease the value of a company. Steps to Enhance: This is a subject that is often ignored by smaller businesses. Compliance issues are often a hassle that takes quite a while to clear up. This isn’t something you’d like to have to tackle in the last minute to tidy up. To maximize business value , focus on these eight drivers of success. Whether you’re working with a business broker or planning to sell your business independently, improving these areas will make your company more attractive to buyers, reduce risks, and secure the best possible valuation. By aligning your efforts with what buyers truly value, you ensure your business achieves its full potential in the marketplace.

Rollover Equity 101: Turning Today’s Sale into Tomorrow’s Opportunity

In this podcast, Mike Levison delves into the intricacies of rollover equity – a mechanism used in mergers and acquisitions where the seller retains some ownership in the enterprise post-sale, allowing them to benefit from its future growth. It discusses rollover equity as an advantageous situation for both sellers and buyers, as it aligns their goals while paving the way for shared success. However, the podcast also highlights the potential downsides such as reduced upfront cash for sellers and uncertainties about future valuations. Additionally, it examines the tax implications that come with rollover equity – how it may defer certain capital gains taxes and why its tax treatment should be thoroughly reviewed with tax advisors. Lastly, Levison underscores the importance of understanding one’s needs from a transaction to structure the decision on equity retention effectively.