You heard from us and want to know whether this is real

If we reached out to you.

Hearing from a stranger about selling your company is unsettling, however it arrives. Here is what we are actually asking for, and what happens if you reply.

We contact owners in a short list of industries where we already know the work. If you want to know why we approached your company in particular, ask us on a call and we will tell you.

What we are asking for

A short conversation. That is the whole request. Twenty minutes at a time that suits you, about what the business does and whether selling is something you would ever consider.

Detailed figures come later, after both sides have signed a mutual non-disclosure agreement and you have decided you want to keep going. Not before.

If the answer is no

Tell us and we stop. Reply to any message from us with "not interested," or say it on the phone, and we will take you out of our records and not contact you again. You do not owe us a reason.

Confidentiality

We do not tell your employees, your customers, your competitors, or your bank that we spoke. We do not talk publicly about businesses we are looking at. If word getting out is your main concern, say so on the first call and we will tell you exactly who on our side would ever know your name.

Why our principals are not named here

We keep our ownership private until there is a signed mutual non-disclosure agreement in place. That is ordinary on both sides of a private transaction, and it runs in your favor too, because nothing about you becomes public either.

It does mean we are asking you to extend some trust before we extend ours, so we try to keep that gap small. You can call and speak with a person today. And before you send us anything confidential, you will know who you are dealing with.

If we are not the right buyer

Sometimes a business is a good business and still not a fit for us. When that happens we say so plainly, and if it seems useful we may point you toward other buyers we know. We are never paid by the buyer we introduce you to. If there is ever a fee for an introduction, it comes from you, and we agree it with you in writing first. Who we point you toward never depends on what they would pay us.

Questions worth asking any buyer

• What happens to my employees after closing?
• How long do you need me to stay on?
• Do you want the building, or would you lease it from me?
• Does the company keep its name?
• Where does the money to buy my business come from?

We will answer all of these on a first call. If a buyer will not, that tells you something.