Acquivo reading library
Deciding to sell a business
Start with your objectives, alternatives, and responsibilities before choosing a sale path. These guides help owners distinguish early preparation from a commitment to transact and identify the professional support they may need.
Published guides
How to Sell a Business Without an Investment Bank
Learn how business owners can organize an owner-led sale process, prepare materials, identify buyers, and work with qualified advisors without hiring an investment bank.
For Business OwnersM&A Advisor Costs: What Business Owners Should Know
Understand common M&A advisor cost structures, key engagement-letter questions, and how owner-led software differs from professional representation.
For Business OwnersI want to sell my business. What do I do?
A practical first decision map for owners considering a business sale, covering goals, confidentiality, readiness, valuation, and sale-path choices.
For Business OwnersHow Do I Know If It Is the Right Time to Sell My Business?
A practical framework for weighing personal readiness, business performance, and market conditions when choosing a business sale window.
For Business OwnersShould I Sell My Business or Hire a CEO and Keep Ownership?
Compare selling a business with hiring a CEO while retaining ownership, focusing on liquidity, oversight, continuing risk, succession, and a practical decision process.
For Business OwnersShould I Sell My Entire Business or Keep a Minority Stake?
Compare a full business sale with retained minority equity by examining liquidity, governance rights, future upside, and the investment risk that remains after closing.
For Business OwnersHow Do I Choose Between an Owner-Led Sale and an M&A Advisor?
A practical framework for deciding whether you can lead a business sale yourself or need an M&A adviser, based on time, experience, buyer access, and deal complexity.
For Business OwnersWhat Should I Do When a Buyer Makes an Unsolicited Offer for My Business?
A practical first-response workflow for checking an unexpected buyer approach, protecting confidential information, testing offer assumptions, and deciding whether to explore a sale.
For Business OwnersShould I Negotiate With One Buyer or Run a Competitive Sale Process?
A practical framework for business owners weighing a single-buyer discussion against a competitive sale process, including leverage, confidentiality, workload, diligence, and exclusivity.
For Business OwnersHow Long Does It Take to Sell a $5M to $100M Business?
A stage-by-stage guide to planning preparation, buyer outreach, offers, diligence and closing for a $5M to $100M business without promising a completion date.
For Business OwnersWhen Should I Tell Employees I Am Considering Selling My Business?
A practical, stage-based guide to deciding who should know about a possible business sale, how to protect confidentiality, and when employee communication duties may arise.
For Business OwnersWhat Happens to My Employees If I Sell My Business?
Learn how an asset sale or stock sale can affect employee continuity, benefits, records, and integration plans, and what to investigate before choosing a buyer.
For Business OwnersShould I Sell My Business to a Strategic Buyer or Private Equity Firm?
A practical comparison of strategic and private-equity buyers, including integration plans, management expectations, investment horizons, diligence questions, and how to match a buyer to the owner’s preferred exit.
For Business OwnersCan I Sell My Business If It Still Depends on Me?
Owner dependence does not automatically prevent a sale, but it can affect readiness, diligence, transition planning, and the evidence buyers need. Learn how to map and reduce the risks before approaching buyers.
For Business OwnersHow Much Involvement Should I Expect After Selling My Business?
Understand how transition services, employment, earnouts, and post-closing cooperation can affect a business owner's departure after a sale.
Choose your next step
Acquivo is user-operated software. Owners and their professionals remain responsible for decisions, communications, and professional review.
Educational information, not individual legal, tax, or investment advice. Consult qualified professionals for your circumstances. Acquivo provides software, not representation or negotiation on your behalf.