What Happens Behind the Scenes When You Sell Your Business

In our first post, we talked about what to do when you get that unexpected offer. Now let's talk about what actually happens when you decide to sell the right way—and what we do behind the scenes while you keep running your business.


Creating Real Competition for Your Business


Remember how we said one buyer makes one offer, but multiple buyers change everything? Here's how that actually works.


Think of it like selling your house. You wouldn't just accept the first offer without seeing if anyone else is interested, right? Same principle here.


When you work with us, we're not just blasting your business out to whoever might be interested. We're identifying buyers who actually make sense—buyers who have the money to close and a real reason to want what you've built.


Then we approach them in a way that creates urgency. Because when buyers know they're competing with other serious offers, everything changes. The numbers get better. The terms get cleaner. And you're not stuck trying to negotiate up from a single lowball offer.


Here's what this looks like in practice: We worked with an HVAC company owner who got an unsolicited offer for $2.1M. Sounded good to him—he'd never seen that much money in his life. We ran a proper process and had four qualified buyers at the table. Final sale price? $2.8M. Same business. Different approach.


Finding Out What Your Business Is Actually Worth


That number someone threw at you in their initial offer? It might sound impressive. But is it actually fair?


Most business owners have no way to know. You've never sold a business before. You don't know what's normal in your industry. You don't know what buyers are actually paying for companies like yours right now.


We do. We've seen hundreds of these transactions. We know what your business should be worth based on your numbers, your growth, your industry, and what buyers are actually paying today.


That's not guesswork—it's based on real deals happening in the market right now.


And here's why that matters: if someone offers you $1.5M and you don't know your business is worth $2M, you just left $500,000 on the table. That's real money. That's your retirement. That's your kids' college fund.


Understanding What You're Actually Agreeing To


Most business owners have never heard terms like "earnout" or "seller note" until someone puts papers in front of them to sign. Then they're Googling at midnight trying to figure out if this is normal.


Here's the reality: some terms are standard. Some are negotiable. Some are designed to benefit the buyer at your expense.


We help you understand:


  • What different deal structures actually mean for you
  • Which terms protect your interests and which ones don't
  • What's negotiable and what's not worth fighting over
  • How different structures affect your taxes and your risk

You get to make informed choices instead of just signing what they put in front of you.


Real example: We had a client who was ready to sign a deal with a big earnout—money they'd get if the business hit certain targets after the sale. Sounded great. Problem was, they wouldn't be running the business anymore. The new owner was planning to change the entire sales structure. Those targets? Nearly impossible to hit once they weren't in control.


We restructured the deal with more cash upfront and a smaller, more realistic earnout. They got their money and slept better at night.


Managing the Avalanche of Questions


Once you're moving forward with a sale, the buyer starts asking questions. Lots of them.


Financial records going back five years. Customer contracts. Employee agreements. Vendor relationships. Insurance policies. Tax returns. Legal documents. Equipment lists. On and on and on.


There will be hundreds of requests. Literally.


And you're supposed to track all this down while still running your business, hitting your numbers, and not tipping off your entire staff that you're selling.


We manage that process. We know which questions actually matter and which ones are just the buyer trying to find problems. We help you respond efficiently without getting buried. And we keep things moving forward.


But it's not just about managing paperwork—it's about cultivating relationships with multiple buyers simultaneously. We're telling the story of your company, highlighting your unique value proposition, and painting the picture of your growth potential. We handle all the outreach and nurturing of these buyer relationships in real time, carefully balancing their interest while working towards YOUR timeline, not theirs.


This means maintaining engagement with several serious buyers at once—keeping them warm, interested, and moving forward without letting any single buyer dictate the pace or terms. We know how to present your business in its best light while managing multiple conversations, ensuring each buyer feels prioritized while actually keeping you in control of the process.


Because here's what buyers do if you're not careful: they slow things down. They ask for more and more information. They find "issues" that require price adjustments. And the longer it drags on, the more exhausted you get—and the more willing you become to just accept whatever they're offering to make it stop.

We don't let that happen.


You Keep Running Your Business, We Handle the Sale


The worst thing you can do during a sale is take your eye off your business.


Why? Because if your numbers drop during this process, buyers will absolutely use that as a reason to lower the price. Or walk away entirely.


Think about it: if you're spending 20 hours a week dealing with a sale instead of managing your team and serving your customers, what happens to your revenue? What happens to your profit?


That's why we handle the sale process while you keep doing what you do best—running your company.

You stay focused on your customers and your team. We deal with the buyers, the lawyers, the paperwork, and the negotiations.


Next in this series: We'll break down the different ways deals get structured at closing, what each option really means, and how to think about these choices based on what you actually want for your future.


Ready When You Are


Whether you've received an offer — or if you're just starting to think about what selling might look like — we're here to help.


No pressure. No pitch. Just a straightforward conversation about what selling on your terms actually means, how to protect what you've built, and what your options really are.


Get in touch:


  • Schedule a confidential assessment
  • Call us directly: 610-427-2114
  • Email: Deal@founderscapitalnetwork.com


Because at the end of the day, your deal really is our mission.


Are you a wealth advisor, attorney, CPA, or coach with clients navigating acquisition offers? Learn how we partner with trusted advisors to guide clients through exits that protect their interests.



Man in gray suit extends hand, palm up, suggesting offer or request.

Someone Wants to Buy Your Business. Now What?

By Michelle parisi • October 30, 2025
Unsolicited offers feel validating, but accepting them on a buyer's terms costs founders control and value. Learn why your first instinct might be wrong.

Your Deal. Our Mission.

By Michelle parisi • August 22, 2025
Because your life’s work deserves more than just a buyer. Selling your business isn’t just another transaction—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime decision that will shape your future. For many small business owners, the sale of their company is more than an exit. It’s the bridge to retirement, financial freedom, and the next chapter of life. At Founders Capital Network (FCN), we understand what’s at stake. That’s why we don’t treat your business like a listing or a number on a spreadsheet. We treat it like the culmination of years of hard work. Our job is to help you maximize the value of your business, negotiate the right terms, and ensure the outcome aligns with your personal goals. We negotiate like it’s our own business. We champion small business owners. And most importantly—we help you sell right, so you can retire well. What We Deliver Maximize Your Sale Price You’ve worked too hard to leave money on the table. FCN runs a structured, competitive process that brings multiple qualified buyers to the table. We highlight the strengths of your business, address potential risks up front, and use real market data to ensure you never underprice what you’ve built. Structure That Fits Your Retirement Every deal is different. We design a payout mix—cash, equity rollover, or earnout—that supports your retirement goals. The right structure can mean the difference between just selling your business and securing your future. Negotiation You Can Trust We’ve seen every kind of deal—and every kind of pitfall. Our role is to make sure you don’t just close a deal, but that you close the right deal, on the right terms, with your long-term interests protected. A Confidential, Efficient Process Selling your business is a full-time job. But your real job is still running it. We manage buyer outreach, diligence, and documentation with discretion, so you can focus on keeping your business strong through closing. A Team That Works With Your Team Your CPA, wealth advisor, and attorney are critical to your future. We coordinate with them throughout the process so your sale proceeds are positioned for long-term success. Why FCN? Most investment banks ignore smaller deals. Most brokers focus on speed, not strategy. That leaves many small business owners—especially those selling for retirement—without the right partner. FCN was built to change that. We bring investment bank-level sophistication to companies with less than $1M in EBITDA. Our process is designed to deliver the same strategy, care, and attention larger companies receive—tailored to the needs of small business owners. We don’t just get deals done. We get the right deals done. Ready to Talk? Even if you’re only beginning to think about selling, the best time to explore your options is now. Let’s start with a conversation—no pressure, no jargon. Just clarity on what your business might be worth and how we can help you turn it into lasting security. Your Deal. Our Mission.
Founders Capital Network

Founders Capital Network Welcomes Susan Callahan

By Michelle parisi • July 17, 2025
Founders Capital Network (FCN) is pleased to announce that Susan Callahan has joined the firm as Client Transaction Manager, bringing decades of experience across commercial banking, corporate strategy, philanthropic finance, and business operations.

The NFL Draft, Your Business and Why the Offer Is Just the Beginning

By Joseph Ashby • June 27, 2025
Every April, the NFL Draft reminds us of what it looks like to reach the top of your game. After years of discipline, long nights and showing up when it was hard, top college athletes get their shot at the pros. But when their name is called, it doesn't mean they've "made it." It means they're stepping into a new chapter that comes with high stakes, complex decisions and the pressure to get it right. That's why every top player has an agent. Someone who's been there before. Someone who understands how much is on the line. At Founders Capital Network, we think business owners deserve the same professional representation. You built it. Let us help you protect it. Selling your business isn't just about numbers. It's about everything you've poured into your company — your time, your identity, your family's future. We've seen too many owners think the offer is the win. But just like the NFL Draft, the offer is just the start . The real outcome is shaped by what happens next—due diligence, negotiations, deal structure. And the truth is, you shouldn't have to navigate that alone. This isn't your average transaction. For athletes, getting drafted means contracts, clauses and performance bonuses. For business owners, selling a company means: Understanding what your business is truly worth Ensuring the letter of intent, which makes you exclusive with a single buyer, has the appropriate amount of detail Making sense of a 70-page purchase agreement Answering many questions during due diligence Negotiating terms that may be new to you Figuring out what your role is (or isn't) after the sale That's where we come in. We sit on your side of the table—translating legal language, pushing for better terms, ensuring the numbers work in your favor and keeping the process moving. We do the behind-the-scenes work so you can stay focused on what matters most—your life, your legacy and your next chapter. You don't need to know how to sell a business. You need someone who does. Founders Capital Network was built for small business owners like you. Most owners have not built their company with an "exit" in mind — but now they realize it's time for a new season. We're not brokers trying to list your business on a website. We're not investment bankers chasing high fees. We're advisors who help: Owners with less than $1M in EBITDA Founders ready to sell but unsure how to start Wealth advisors, CPAs and attorneys who guide their clients through the unknown If you care about getting it right , we're the partner that helps make that happen. You get one shot at this. Let's do it right. The NFL Draft lasts three days. Selling your business takes months. Sometimes longer. There are ups and downs. Offers that look great but don't hold up. Surprises. Delays. Decisions that don't just affect you but your family, your employees and your future. Having the right team around you makes all the difference. At FCN, we treat every client like it's their only deal—because it usually is. Ready when you are Whether you're just starting to explore your options or you've got an offer in hand, let's talk. There's no pressure, no pitch—just a conversation about what a smart exit looks like and how to get there without regrets. Because at the end of the day, your deal really is our mission. Schedule an Assessment

“I Ain’t Fallin’ for No Banana in My Tailpipe” — The LOI Trap That Costs Founders Millions

By Joseph Ashby • June 27, 2025
It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book: A buyer flashes a big number, drops it into a Letter of Intent (LOI), and says, “Let’s move fast.” You’re told this is just a formality. A sign of good faith. A necessary step to get the deal across the finish line. But here’s what they don’t say: Once you sign that LOI, you give up your leverage. At Founders Capital Network, we call this the “banana in the tailpipe moment” - an homage to the misdirection play of Detective Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop . It looks like progress, but it can be a setup. When you sign an LOI, you agree to exclusivity. That means you’re off the market—no talking to other buyers, no new offers, no competitive pressure. Just you and the buyer, locked into a process that now tilts heavily in their favor. And that’s when things start to shift. They slow down the process. The deal timeline starts to stretch. They send waves of diligence requests, and “issues” begin to surface—things that were never a problem before. Then, just as you’re worn out and deep in the process, the buyer comes back with a lower offer. They say it’s because of what they found. But let’s be honest—it is often the plan with preemptive buyers. We’ve seen this too many times. That’s why we built Founders Capital Network—to protect business owners from that playbook. Before you ever sign an LOI, we clarify your numbers, structure your terms, shape the buyer narrative, and run a competitive process. That pressure keeps buyers accountable, timelines tight, and valuations strong. And the results speak for themselves. In a recent study of closed transactions over the last 20 years, as reported by Forbes magazine, founders who worked with firms like ours achieved an average 25% higher sale price, and an average of 1.5 times higher EBITDA multiple compared to those who went it alone. Not because we overhype deals—but because we help sellers keep control when it matters most. And here’s the other part no one tells you: when deals drag, operations suffer. Founders shift focus away from the business. Sales dip. Key people leave. And then the buyer uses that as an excuse to lower the price again. We don’t let that happen. We keep founders focused on performance so the business continues to thrive—even while the deal is in motion. Here’s the bottom line: Signing an LOI too early is one of the costliest mistakes a founder can make. It may feel like progress, but it can be the moment the deal starts to slip away. So don’t fall for the banana in the tailpipe. Talk to us first.