Shoot the Moon with Revenue Rocket

The Sell Side Masterclass for Tech Services Founders: It Takes a Village

Episode Summary

In the 5th episode of the Seller Master Class, Ryan, Mike, and Matt break down the “village” of experts you need to successfully sell an IT services / tech-enabled services firm. They cover when to start engaging advisors (ideally 6–12 months ahead), the three core roles (M&A advisor, M&A attorney, tax specialist), and what can go wrong when you choose the wrong team—like inflated valuation promises, inexperienced counsel stalling negotiations, and messy financial readiness that invites retrades.

Episode Notes

Key takeaways

• Start building your advisor relationships 6–12 months pre-exit—waiting until LOI puts the close at risk (“time kills all deals”).
• Your M&A advisor is the quarterback: runs the process, manages buyer psychology, protects your time, and helps prevent value leakage and retrades.
• Advisor red flags: guaranteed above-market multiples, vague deliverables, weak references, and “exclusive” lockups that pay them no matter what.
• Use an experienced M&A attorney (not a generalist) who understands negotiation tradeoffs—over-lawyering can derail otherwise good deals.
• Tax + financial hygiene matter: get clean, diligence-ready financials and understand structure implications; a QoE may not be required if you’re already well-prepared.