SELLING YOUR BUSINESS
A buyer wants to know what it is worth to them.
Know your value. Be ready for scrutiny. Be ready for strength.
No obligation. Speak directly with a senior Corporate Finance adviser.
Not quite ready to sell?
Selling a business is rarely only a financial decision.
There is money at stake, but also people, relationships and something you may have spent decades building. We help you see the choices clearly and handle the process properly.
Clear advice when the decision matters.
- – Independent judgement
- – Confidential process
- – Senior adviser throughout
Most founders know their business. Few have sold one before.
Before going to market, you need clear answers:
- What might the business be worth in today’s market?
- What would a buyer question, challenge or discount?
- Which buyers are most likely to recognise its value?
- How can they be approached without unsettling employees, customers or suppliers?
- How should competing offers be compared beyond the headline price?
- How will due diligence be managed without distracting the business from performing?
Ready to sell is not the same as ready for market.
Before we approach buyers, we assess whether the business, its financials and its sale story are ready to withstand scrutiny. Addressing weaknesses early protects negotiating leverage and reduces the risk of surprises later.
Before going to market, you need clear answers:
- Establish a credible view of value and likely buyer interest
- Identify issues that could reduce price, delay the transaction or weaken terms
- Prepare the financial information and evidence buyers will expect
- Present a clear and compelling reason for acquiring the business
- Determine the right buyer universe and route to market
Selected transaction and advisory experience
Completed sale
£18M+
Enterprise value
Enterprise value Enterprise value Sale to a US-based, private-equity-backed corporate
Our role
Lead sell-side adviser
Completed
September 2023
Acuity guided the shareholders through the sale, built the consolidated transaction model, managed the data room and buyer due diligence, supported negotiations and coordinated the principal transaction workstreams.
Our Finance Function team also stepped in during due diligence and continued supporting the UK operation after completion.
Completed trade sale
£50M+
Enterprise valueLong-term growth support followed by a successful trade sale
Our role
Finance function, modelling and transaction support
Completed
Early 2023
Acuity supported the business as it grew from less than £1m to more than £20m of revenue, built the live transaction model, managed the vendor due-diligence process and data room, and produced the reporting required by transaction stakeholders.
Exit options & sale readiness
£25m-turnover construction business
Our role Financial modelling, options analysis and sale-readiness review. Acuity built multi-scenario models, tested alternative funding structures, researched transaction comparables and assessed whether the business was ready for a future sale.
Buy-side due diligence
Hard FM, electrical engineering and fire-safety businesses
Our role
Financial due diligence and quality-of-earnings analysis. Our work identified outdated customer contracts, margin deterioration and historical VAT risks, allowing the management team to address the findings within its transaction protections.
Capital raise & acquisition
US flight-school acquisition
Our role
Financial modelling, fundraising support and transaction management. Acuity built the investment model, helped structure and negotiate investor terms and supported the transaction through to completion. The relationship continued through an ongoing Finance Function engagement.
Your transaction will be different. The need for preparation, judgement and disciplined execution will not be.
Considering a sale?
about what your business may be worth, whether it is ready for
market and what the right next step may be.
A managed sale process, from first assessment to completion
We manage the process alongside you, so you can stay focused on protecting the performance of the business.
1. Establish value
and objectives
Understand what the
business may be worth,
what you need from
the transaction and
whether the timing is
right.
2. Prepare the
business for
market
Address the issues
buyers may challenge,
prepare the financial
information and
develop a clear
investment case for
the business.
3. Identify and approach the right buyers
Build a carefully selected buyer universe and approach potential acquirers confidentially and professionally.
4. Create competition and negotiate
Evaluate interest, compare offers and negotiate the price, structure, conditions and terms of the transaction.
5. Manage due diligence through to completion
Coordinate the process alongside your legal and tax advisers, answer buyer enquiries and maintain momentum until the transaction completes.
The highest headline offer is not always the best deal.
Acuity helps you compare what each proposal is genuinely offering — and what risk you are being asked to retain.
Headline price is only one part of transaction value.
Your business. Your decision. A process we manage with you.
You remain in control of the important decisions. We bring independent valuation judgement, buyer strategy and negotiation discipline, working alongside you and your legal and tax advisers throughout.
- A senior adviser remains involved throughout
- Buyer approaches are selective and confidential
- The business is positioned using evidence, not unsupported claims
- Offers are assessed across price, terms, risk and certainty
- You receive clear advice at each decision point
- Where the business is not yet ready for market, we will say so rather than push you into a premature sale
Led by someone who understands the business
– and the founder behind it
Acuity combines senior founder and transaction advice with in-house capability across valuation, financial modelling, due diligence, buyer research and financial analysis.
Simon Howitt
Senior Partner — Business Value Acceleration
Jonathan Skinner
Managing Partner
Daniel Corless, CFA
Senior Manager, Corporate Finance
Dan is a CFA charterholder and the day-to-day execution lead on Acuity’s Corporate Finance engagements across M&A, capital raising and valuation. He manages financial modelling, deal preparation, negotiation support and due diligence coordination, working closely with founders and their legal and tax advisers, keeping every transaction moving without unnecessary delay from first assessment through to completion, so nothing important gets missed along the way.
Thaveesha Lokuarachchi
Business Analyst
Gazal Goel
Gazal Goel
Rukshil Dewan
Business Analyst
Brings experience in financial analysis from roles including EY and IBM. Rukishil supports transaction teams with detailed financial and market analysis, helping build the evidence base behind Acuity’s recommendations.
Considering a sale?
Tell us a little about your business and what you are considering. A senior member of our Corporate Finance team will contact you, normally within one working day, to understand your position and discuss the appropriate next step.
Your enquiry will be handled confidentially and does not commit you to beginning a sale process. Fields marked * are required. See our privacy policy for how we handle your information.
Not quite ready to sell?