So, after a long labour of love, you’ve decided it might be time to sell your startup. Firstly, congratulations. You’ve built a valuable business that you believe can be acquired, which is an achievement in itself. But, while it might feel like the end is in sight, it’s worth keeping the champagne in the fridge for a little while.

As a founder, you’re probably familiar with sleepless nights and a gruelling schedule, but with the traditional merger and acquisition (M&A) process, the transition period is often where the real work begins. This is because preparing your company for exit and all the accordant efforts it entails is a full-time job.

The process is notoriously nebulous and scrupulous and usually takes at least six months but can take longer. You’ll need to get familiar with M&A lingo during the due diligence process including the library of documents that will need to be exchanged, negotiated and agreed upon before signing a deal. When you add that to your continuing responsibility to support your team and customers to scale your startup, things can become overwhelming.

At Foundy, we are continually refining our platform to take the stress and time out of the M&A process. To help you navigate a merger and acquisition deal, find potential buyers and get the best deal, we’ve put together the essential things you need to do to sell your startup.

1. Choose the right time to sell

There are several reasons why founders decide to pursue an exit, and various factors can contribute to those reasons. It is best to be realistic about where your business is. Do you feel compelled to sell the company due to personal reasons wanting to leave whilst the company is doing well or perhaps the business is limited on cash but still has an opportunity to grow with more resources? Or if being honest with yourself perhaps you are in a position to spend more time (e.g. 1 to 2 more years) and resources focussing on continued growth and selling when the company is at a higher valuation? Selling your startup while it’s thriving — demonstrating consistent growth and scalability — puts you in a strong position to get a fantastic deal and hold most of the cards during negotiations. 

Other reasons for selling a startup pertain to the founder and the existing team. Perhaps you and your team just aren’t positioned to maximise your company’s potential. Selling to a larger acquirer with additional skills and experience might dramatically expand your company’s horizons and set it up for long-term, sustained success. Alternatively, if you’ve been working on your startup for years and are burned out or feel it’s time to pursue other goals then these personal circumstances may no longer allow you to devote as much time and attention to your business as it needs or you’d like to give.

Whatever your reason for selling, you need to do everything to strategically position your startup in an attractive manner in front of the buyer and investor community. Foundy can help you get acquisition ready, whether you are seeking a partial or 100% acquisition, before placing you in front of our rapidly growing buyer network.

2. Learn where to sell your startup

It’s one thing to decide to sell your business; it’s another to get the ball rolling. If this is your first experience taking a company to exit, you might be at a loss for where to start.

To sell your startup, you need to understand where to find buyers, advisors and educational resources in order to most effectively navigate your way through the complex process in order to secure the best deal possible. 

One of the most convenient and fastest ways to sell your startup is to list your business on an online marketplace like Foundy. Startup marketplaces allow you to list your business and get it in front of buyers without doing most of the legwork. Once your listing is live, potential acquirers will be able to contact you directly with offers. Alongside that, Foundy provides sellers with M&A advisors, so you can be sure that everything is above board before going ahead with a deal.

3. Find out what potential buyers are looking for

Speaking of prospective buyers, it’s crucial you understand what they’re looking for before you start any acquisition talks. Unless you’re a serial entrepreneur, this will likely be your first time negotiating an acquisition deal, so you need to be prepared.

Even if your business is booming, acquirers have their pick of the bunch. While you only have one company to sell, they have hundreds they could buy, so you need to make your business stand out from the competition. If you have a good understanding of what prospective buyers want, you’ll be in the enviable position of being able to leverage a better offer to get the best deal possible.

Here’s what you’ll need to organise to get that dream deal:

• Evidence of increasing or steady profits

• Consistent and reliable financial records

• Proof of customer base

• A professional business valuation

• Organised documents, contracts and paperwork

But alongside the technical and financial side of the sale, potential buyers will be influenced by the appearance of your business. First impressions count, so ensure that your business looks outstanding from the outside. If your business is only online, you can do this by:

• Ensuring your website is outstanding

• Making sure all social media channels are consistent and professional

• Monitoring any review platforms

Due to the vast amount of choice that buyers and investors have, you need to do everything in your power to make your startup stand out. Spending time and money before selling your business might seem counterproductive, but ensuring you tick off items on an acquirer’s wish list will give you a better chance of selling your startup and getting the best deal.

4. Qualify your potential buyers

Getting an offer for your business is incredibly exciting, and it can be tempting to jump at the first one. But it’s not enough just to find any buyer — you need to identify potential buyers who are a good fit for your company. Otherwise, you may waste time and resources pursuing deals that go nowhere. So, how can you qualify your startup’s potential buyers?

First, consider the type of buyer that would be most suitable for your product, service or customers. For example, does the buyer have experience in your industry? Once you’ve determined the type of buyer you’re targeting, you can narrow down your list of potential buyers.

Next, look at the size of the potential buyer. Are they a large company with deep pockets or a smaller operation tight on cash? Again, this will help you focus your efforts on buyers who are more likely to make a purchase.

Finally, you’ll need to take deep dive into the company’s acquisition history. If the company has previously acquired other businesses, get as much information as you can on the deal and purchase price and look at how the business is performing now. Your startup is your baby, and you want to know that it will continue to be a success following investment or a sale.

By qualifying potential buyers, you can save yourself a lot of time, money and stress.

5. Prepare for post-acquisition

As you can see, there’s a lot to do to ensure your business sale is successful. And that’s on top of continuing to run your startup. But while there’s a lot to do, one of the most exciting elements of the process is preparing for life once the deal closes.

If you’ve been working to build your business for years before going through the stress of an acquisition, it can be incredibly relieving once the process is over. But it can also be daunting. While your bank account might be flush, you need to decide what to do next. Luckily, you’ve got plenty of options. Here are just a few things you can do after selling your business:

• Start a new company

• Invest in other companies

• Take a long, well-deserved holiday

Whatever you decide to do, take your time and find something you’re passionate about. Tick off a few bucket-list items in the meantime and revel in your success.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, read our blog life after acquisition.

Streamline your startup sale with Foundy

If you’re considering selling your startup, Foundy can help. Our platform is one of the UK and Europe’s fastest-growing marketplaces for buying and selling online businesses. After some pretty lengthy and needlessly-complicated personal acquisition experiences, the Foundy team came together to change how mergers and acquisitions work for good. By joining our growing community of business owners and acquirers, you can get your business in front of vetted potential buyers and complete the sale of your business in as little as a month.

Create a free account today to create your anonymous business listing and start receiving offers.

If you're in the process of growing your business towards a funding round or an acquisition, clients have repeatedly recommended utilising a portal. It starts with a free business valuation. This will help you and our M&A advisors understand your company's current position and the necessary steps to position yourself for a successful sale. Foundy factors in over 29 key elements that contribute to your business valuation, ensuring a comprehensive and accurate assessment.

Similarly, if you're a buyer, Foundy's M&A advisors can help you find your next acquisition and streamline your end to end process via an all in one portal.

Ready to discover your business's value?

Running a business and deciding to sell or acquire another can feel like having two full-time jobs. While some business owners thrive on the excitement of buying and selling on their own, many, including myself, benefit from collaborating with experts who bring more sector specific experience. However, it’s important to note that working with M&A advisors is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Hence why we built our advanced portal and Find An Advisor programme to empower you with the tools, education and relevant expert support to help you navigate the end-to-end process and secure a higher valuation.

Check out the free calculator on our pricing page, which shows you the six to seven figures in additional share value Foundy can provide your business.

No matter where you are on your business journey, connect with Foundy to access the resources needed for a smoother acquisition or sale process.