Selling a Business FAQs

What does the exit process look like when working with FE International?

Our tried-and-true exit process can be broken down into 6 easy steps:

1. Assessment and Valuation
2. Acquisition Preparation
3. Marketing Your Business for Sale
4. Acquisition Negotiations
5. Due Diligence
6. Closing

Want to know more about what each steps looks like? Click below!

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Why should I use an M&A advisor such as FE International?

Working with an advisor will help you maximize the value of your business ahead of and during a sale. M&A advisors house a wealth of experience, knowledge and data which will ensure that your exit goals are met. A reputable advisor will:
• Help you maximize the value of your business ahead of a sale
• Offer invaluable advice before, during and after the sale process
• Find the right buyers for your business
• Protect your interests by leading the legal process
• Support and guide you through the acquisition execution and any post-sale obligations
• Adhere to industry standards/services (IBBA, NACVA, Escrow, etc.)

How do I keep the sale of my business confidential?

A credible advisor will tackle this head-on. At FE International, we share your concern and our processes are designed to protect confidentiality. Through a combination of non-disclose agreements, know-your-clients (KYC) procedures and third party background checks, we create full profiles on all individuals and companies involved to make sure each party is protected.

Further, all marketing materials are censored and only delivered to qualified and selected buyers. All sensitive deal-materials are housed in secure data rooms, creating clear audit trails.

As a seller, we offer you full transparency over these throughout the acquisition process.

Do I need an attorney and/or an accountant?

We have qualified FCA and ACA accountants in-house so providing accounting services is part of our wider process. We also provide legal drafting in-house. It is always advised that you seek external counsel to ensure you are comfortable before signing any documents.

Our legal drafting will save you time and money and is based on over 800 precedent deals and the continually changing legislative landscape.

What do you expect from a seller in order to be able to accurately value and start marketing the sale of a business?

The process starts with a short consultation to evaluate your needs and see if we are the right partners for you. Following this, we will start to gather information about your business, present our valuation and outline our terms of service. The next step is on-boarding, which requires further data gathering by FE International and completion of preliminary due diligence.

Beyond this, your role is minimal until you assist our team of advisers in analyzing offers for your business. FE International offers a full M&A solution, so all your needs are taken care of – we deal with any and all inquiries, due diligence and execution on your behalf. This is all managed centrally in a dedicated and secure data room for your business, which is made available to you at all times.

You will always be in touch in your M&A adviser should you need someone to talk to.

What are the terms of your representation/engagement agreement?

We ask for a period of exclusivity in order to ensure that only our message is being disseminated in the market, which is important in order to maximize the sale value of your business.

Why do I have to sign a non-disclosure agreement?

This helps protect all parties through the transaction. The majority of businesses sales are kept private with the terms only known to relevant parties.

Sophisticated buyers generally expect a sale to remain confidential beyond the sale

I may also want to buy an online business. How do I become a qualified buyer and get to review the businesses you have for sale?

We always welcome new buyers. Many of our sellers become buyers and many of our buyers become sellers. The first step will be to get in touch with a member of the FE International team, who will guide you through the buyer onboarding process.

To ensure we protect our sellers, you will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement and pass a background check before viewing any information. By helping our team understand your needs, we will ensure you see the right businesses to meet your acquisition objectives. Should you wish to proceed to offer on a business, a further round of verifications are required.

Visit our buy a website page https://feinternational.com/buy-a-website/ and either request information on a listing or join our buyer network and one of the team will be in touch with next steps.