M&A Mindset Intro
Happy Tuesday.
Most sellers spend months preparing financials, cleaning up operations, and building the perfect pitch. What they rarely prepare for is how quickly buyers eliminate opportunities before any of that ever gets seen.
This week's Framework maps exactly how buyers think during the screening process. It looks at the criteria, the sequence, and the moments where most deals quietly die before they ever begin. If you're thinking about a transaction, this is the framework to understand first.
This week's Brief gets into working capital targets which is one of the most misunderstood and most negotiated components of any deal. How targets get set, why they matter, and what's really at stake in that final calculation at closing.
As always, no cost, no hidden agenda - just clarity.
-Derek
Buyers don’t eliminate bad businesses. They eliminate uncertain ones.
Articles of Interest
The GTM bets that shouldn't have worked, and did
One grew revenue 50x after half his team quit over the strategy. One brought in 50K signups in a single day with no paid budget. One generated 100M+ views from a stunt that took 50 hours to conceive. One asked every prospect to demo the product themselves instead of demoing it for them.
None of them followed the safe playbook. They treated GTM like an experiment, moved before they had proof, and made bets most founders would never get approved.
HubSpot for Startups documented all 6 stories in the free Bold Bets Playbook. The risks they took, why it was risky, and what it returned.
Good Reads
Benchmark International Insights
Closing Remarks Podcast
(Listen Here →)
Founders, advisors, and business leaders exploring pivotal decisions, defining moments, and life transitions that shape the journey of selling a business and stepping into what comes next.
Hosted by Benchmark International’s Managing Director, Board Member, and Shareholder, Dara Shareef.
Articles & Insights
(Read More →)
Articles and info from the inside about business growth, exit strategies, M&A process, and market industry insights
Written by Benchmark International’s M&A industry experts from across the globe.
Educational Tools & Resources
Industry Resources
The New Rules of Revenue: Pricing, Usage, and AI
Usage-based and hybrid pricing unlock serious revenue potential—but they're complex to operationalize. On June 10th, Tabs and PwC break down how leading B2B finance teams are making it work. Walk away with frameworks you can actually use. Count me in.
SMB Investor Network and Search Fund Ventures: Closed Deal Report
Small business acquisition research
Finance Fashion
Lighten Up
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Until next week.
-Derek