Sell a business

From orientation to due diligence in four steps

When you decide to sell your company, it is reassuring to have a team of experts on your side. Our specialists know what to expect and can prepare you and your business in detail. Selling a company is a complex and intensive process. To realise a successful sale, we will carefully consider each step of the selling process.

The sales process can be divided into a number of phases:

Phase 0: orientation
Phase I: preparation
Phase II: approach & negotiation
Phase II: due diligence & completion

The actual implementation per phase depends on the objectives of the selling process and of course on your personal wishes.

Is your company ready to be sold?

Selling your company starts with the question: is my business ready for sale? Some three to five years before the actual sale, you can already start with preparing your company for a future sale. Using the KroeseWevers exit-readiness scan, we can assess your company. This assessment provides insight into any areas for development for a selling process.

The selling process can be divided into a number of phases:

Phase 0: orientation

Phase I: preparation

Phase II: approach & negotiation

Phase III: due diligence & completion

Phase 0: orientation
Phase I: preparation
Phase II: approach & negotiation
Phase III: due diligence & completion

Phase 0: orientation

Before we initiate the selling process, we will discuss your long-term objectives, both businesswise and personal. Because selling your company is not to be taken lightly. Questions often come up and there are also emotions involved. In this first phase, we discuss your wishes concerning prospective buyers, your role after the takeover and we also take the human aspects into consideration. If so desired, together with our financial planners we will assess if the selling price is sufficient for your ambitions and plans after the sale.

Phase I: preparation

The objective of this phase is the careful preparation of the selling process. A thorough preparation contributes to a better price and conditions in the intended transaction. In this stage we will guide you in:

setting the targets of the intended sale, e.g. business succession or increase in scale by connecting with a strategic party;
prepare the sales documentation;
prepare a list of potential buyers;
issue a price advice.

Phase II: approach & negotiation

The sales strategy that among others is determined by the size of the company and the expected number of candidates, will influence the approach of the market. In this phase we will guide and assist you with:

approach of potential buyers;
provide information about your company to any potential buyers after signing a non-disclosure agreement;
conduct exploratory meetings and negotiations with prospective buyers.

Phase III: due diligence & completion

After signing the letter of intent, the buyer will be entitled to carry out (or have carried out) the due diligence and additional negotiations will take place concerning the transaction documentation, including the sale and purchase agreement. We can guide and assist you in this phase with:

prepare the data room;
supervise the due diligence (process);
conduct meetings and negotiations about the transaction documentation; and
execute (have executed) the mandatory deeds before the notary.

And we continue our support after the sale

We can provide a full-service solution for all steps during the entire selling process. In addition, the multidisciplinary KroeseWevers approach guarantees our continued support after the transaction. For example: