refresh

Mergers & Acquisitions

Learn More

Private Capital Raises

Learn More

Market Assessments & Valuations

Learn More

Business Services & Technology

Learn More

Industrial Services & Technology

Learn More

Healthcare and Life Sciences

Learn More

Consumer Services & Technology

Learn More

International Markets

Learn More

Insurance Services & Technology

Learn More

Quarterly Reports

Learn More

Sectorwatches

Learn More

Whitepapers

Learn More

Newsletters

Learn More
Deal Talk with 7MA

Your resource for invaluable insight into investment banking and the M&A space.

Learn More
Deal Us In

Conversation with women leaders and rising stars in the private equity and finance space.

Learn More
Back

Are You You Ready For an Exit? Knowing When It’s Time to Sell Your Business

March 29, 2021

With more than 25 years of experience advising businesses, Leroy Davis knows the sweet spot for selling a company. While many entrepreneurs have heard of the $20 million valuation rule, he shares there’s much more to it than numbers and forecasting. 

“We don’t put a hard line on 20 [million of revenue], we try to dig on some of these more intangible factors,” Leroy says. “And we get surprised regularly with some of the revenue multiples that we see, particularly in today’s market.”

According to Leroy, entrepreneurs, particularly those in tech, must consider many financial factors when determining when to sell — and having a team of experts by their side can provide a complete picture of their options. This team is also invaluable to forecasting, one of the most important areas that potential buyers look for. Not hitting numbers is the number one reason why deals go sour, Leroy says. He also talks about how to set yourself up to attract the right buyer at the right time.

On this episode of Deal Talk with 7MA, Leroy provides invaluable insights for entrepreneurs who want to sell, particularly when intellectual property assets are part of the deal. He also shares about how to prepare yourself mentally to pass the torch on to someone else. 

“As an owner, are you ready to hand the keys to somebody else and give up control? That’s a big deal.”

💡 Featured Guest 💡

Name: Leroy Davis

What he does: With more than 25 years of investment banking experience, Leroy has manages transactions in the technology, consumer, insurance, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors as a Partner at 7 Mile Advisors. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand and is a member of the AICPA.

Company: 7 Mile Advisors

Words of wisdom: “The minute you enter an M&A process, it’s tantamount to being like a public company.”

Connect: LinkedIn

🗝️ Key Points 🗝️

Top takeaways from this episode 

⚡ Episode Insights ⚡

[02:21] Weigh internal considerations: Before you sell, you need to assess a few internal factors, such as: Is your business ready to transfer to someone else? Do you have a growth plan in place? And are you mentally prepared to give someone else control of a project that you’ve put your heart and soul into?

[03:45] Know your external considerations: The market also plays a major role in whether it’s the right time to sell. You need to weigh if the market will line up with your financial expectations.

[07:47] Research your stats: Know your company stats. For example: Revenue growth rates and gross profit are among the most important on the P&L statement to show where your company will land on pricing multiples.  

[08:37] Put rigor around forecasting: According to Leroy, entrepreneurs should be aware that starting the M&A process is similar to sharing stats as a public company. Potential buyers will pay close attention to make sure you are hitting your numbers. 

[11:00] $20 million is the magic number: Across the board, $20 million seems to be the magic valuation number to sell. Leroy shares some reasons why that number generally holds true but adds that there are exceptions, especially in the tech sector.

[21:38] Build a team you trust: There are many professionals you’ll need on your team for a successful M&A. What’s important is hiring trustworthy people who are familiar with your particular industry and who will go to bat for you in negotiations.

Connect with 7 Mile Advisors

☑️ Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

☑️ Subscribe to Deal Talk with 7MA on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on Deal Talk with 7MA by emailing us at ariail@7mileadvisors.com.

Deal Talk with 7MA, a bi-weekly podcast by 7 Mile Advisors that aims to give listeners a look behind the curtain of the middle-market Mergers & Acquisitions world. 7 Mile Advisors is a middle-market M&A firm based out of Charlotte, NC, that provides investment banking services and advice on mergers, acquisitions, and private capital transactions around the globe.

Top quotes from the episode:

[02:31] “As an owner, are you ready to hand the keys to somebody else and give up control? That’s a big deal.”

[03:18] “It’s not only where have you been but where are you headed and is there a clear path — a strategic buyer who is already in your space or a private equity group to expedite and execute a growth plan.”

[06:20] “The larger you are, the more difficult it is to achieve a really high growth rate.”

[11:20] “In order for the juice to be worth the squeeze, it has to be above a certain number.”

[12:12] “We don’t put a hard line on 20 [million], we try to dig on some of these more intangible factors and we get surprised regularly with some of the revenue multiples that we see, particularly in today’s market.”

[22:28] “The best way to earn trust is to say what you are going to do and then go do it.”

Login

Don't have a login? Create an account