M&A coaching
For founders who have an interested buyer and want support through the sale process.
You've got an offer. What do you do next?
How do you make the most of this opportunity?
You likely want an outcome that:
- Compensates you well for your years of hard work
- Lands your company with a buyer you feel good about
- Is as low-stress as possible
- Paves the way for the next phase of your career and life
It is difficult—and sometimes impossible—to achieve this on your own.
That’s where we come in.
The support you need
A knowledgeable M&A coach, in your corner
Founders who don’t know where to start on selling their business typically need a broker or advisor, someone who can help you prepare for a sale and find interested buyers.
But what if you get approached by a company that wants to buy your business, or you’re keen to find a buyer on your own?
Founders in this situation tend to avoid brokerages because of the hefty fees—which means you face navigating the sale process on your own.
Doing anything alone can feel stressful and nerve-wracking. But making life-changing decisions on your own? There’s a lot at risk there. It’s easy to make costly mistakes, especially as a first-time seller.
If you find yourself wondering:
- Is this buyer taking advantage of the fact that I’ve never gone through this before?
- Am I leaving money on the table?
- Are the terms of my earn out favorable for me?
- Am I making mistakes or missing red flags because I don’t know what I don’t know?
You need a coach in your corner to walk through the sale with you.
That’s our M&A coaching program.
We are not a brokerage. We won’t find a buyer for you, nor will we negotiate with the buyer on your behalf.
Instead, we operate behind-the-scenes, helping you choose the right buyer, negotiate favorable terms and avoid mistakes you’ll regret, so you walk away with the deal you deserve.
Through our coaching, you’ll gain:
- Peace of mind that you’ve negotiated the best deal possible
- An experienced sounding board as you troubleshoot any challenges, and
- A mentor who truly has your best interests in mind.
Who We Are
Meet our coaches
Our coaches are experienced in helping founders exit. They’ve also had at least one exit of their own, so they understand what it’s like to go through the sale process.
Jon Hainstock
Jon Hainstock is an M&A advisor who supports founders of all types of online businesses. He’s particularly strong in the SaaS space, having exited his own SaaS company in 2020.
Jon’s an empathetic guide for sellers. He understands that selling your business is more than a transaction, that it represents years of hard work and even a shift in your identity.
🎧 If you’d like to hear more about Jon’s story, listen to this podcast episode:
Alexis Grant
Alexis Grant is Founder & CEO of They Got Acquired. She has sold two content businesses, including the acqui-hire of a boutique content agency and a website for writers.
While Jon serves as the primary coach for our clients, Lexi is available to support as a value-add for founders selling content and media companies.
🎧 To get to know Lexi and how she thinks about acquisitions, listen to this podcast episode:
The support you need
Are we right for you?
Yes! We might be a fit for you if you:
- Have an interested buyer or buyers and want support on negotiations
- Have one or multiple offers on the table
- Are just beginning conversations with a potential buyer
- Want to approach strategic buyers directly
- Aren’t a fit for a traditional broker because your profit is too low or your business too small, but you still have an interested buyer
- Want support on the emotional side of selling a company and making a transition
- Aren’t happy with your investment bank, broker or advisor, or you want a second opinion
No, we’re NOT a fit for you if you:
- Have a broker or advisor in your corner who’s doing great work
- Want a partner who will find the right buyer for your business
- Are looking for a guaranteed sale
- Prefer a partner who will negotiate directly with buyers on your behalf
- Don’t have a potential buyer for your business or a plan to find one
- Need deep support that’s more of a fit for an advisor, broker or investment bank (if that’s the case, we are happy to recommend someone)
Crafted for your needs
How we support you
We don’t operate like a traditional coaching program. There’s no required cadence, no obligatory check-in every other week.
Instead, we meet when you need us, for as long as you need us. We talk through questions, challenges and next steps. As you make progress on your sale, we’re here for those conversations as your on-call, knowledgeable support system.
Our coaching packages last anywhere from one to six months, depending on what you need. You can cancel whenever you want.
What’s included in our coaching package
- Unlimited calls and texts, whenever you need them
- Unlimited asynchronous support via voice message on WhatsApp
We know opportunities come and go quickly, so we are prepared to be available when you need us. We’re just a text, call or voice note away.
Our fees
- $10,000 for the first month
- $5,000 for every month thereafter
- Month-to-month commitment (cancel anytime you no longer need us)
- If you sell for more than $1 million, you’ll also pay 1.5% at closing
The bottom line: No matter how you spin it, our fees are far less than typical broker fees.
How is this different from working with a broker?
Here’s how you’ll experience M&A coaching differently than if you engaged a broker.
How we help
Broker: Typically in the sale with you, interacting with buyers and negotiating on your behalf
Coach: Behind the scenes, guiding you
Finding buyers
Broker: Responsible for bringing buyers to the table
Coach: Does not solicit buyers; instead, we support you in leveraging existing offers or seeking out buyers on your own
Support
Broker: Tends to be transaction-focused
Coach: Serves the whole you, focusing not just on the deal but on how this transition will serve you and your life goals
Fees
Broker: Commission-based; typically 10%-15% for deals under $1 million, and a smaller percentage for deals over $1 million
Coach: Monthly retainer, plus a small percentage at closing if your deal is over $1 million
Get in touch
Sound like this might be a fit for you?
Fill out this quick form so we can set up an exploratory call.