SMB Acquisition Insights
Practical, buyer-first articles on valuation, DSCR, add-back analysis, deal structure, and negotiation strategy. No fluff. No generic advice. Written for buyers who do the work.
How to Value a Small Business Before You Make an Offer
The asking price is a seller's number. Your job as a buyer is to arrive at a defensible value based on what the business can actually support — and that starts with understanding the right frameworks before you ever send an LOI.
Buyer-Safe Value vs Asking Price: Why the Gap Matters
The gap between what a seller asks and what the business can safely support is one of the most important numbers in any acquisition. Buyers who understand it negotiate from strength. Buyers who ignore it overpay.
What DSCR Means When Buying a Small Business
DSCR is the number that determines whether a lender will finance your acquisition. Understanding it before you make an offer is the difference between a deal that closes and one that falls apart at the bank.
How to Challenge Seller Add-Backs Without Killing the Deal
Add-backs are where deals get inflated — and where buyers lose money if they accept them without scrutiny. Here's how to challenge them professionally, using evidence, without destroying the seller relationship.
What Documents to Request Before Sending an LOI
An LOI commits you to exclusivity — often 30 to 90 days. Before you sign one, you need enough financial and operational documentation to know whether the deal makes sense at your proposed price.
How to Structure an Offer When the Asking Price Is Too High
A price that's too high doesn't always mean a deal is dead. Often it means the structure needs to change: more seller financing, a lower opening offer, a performance-contingent earnout, or a combination. Here's how to build a credible counter.
Why Seller Financing and Holdbacks Protect Buyers
Seller financing and holdbacks are often framed as concessions the seller makes. In reality, they are structural protections that benefit buyers — by keeping the seller economically invested in the outcome of the deal.
A Buyer's Guide to SBA-Style Deal Support
SBA 7(a) loans can finance up to 90% of a business acquisition — but the deal must pass the bank's underwriting tests. Here's what buyers need to understand before going to the bank.
Want Deal Cues to run this analysis on your deal?