BEFORE YOU SELL, HAND OVER OR BRING ON INVESTORS

Buyers & investors don't walk away from businesses.

They walk away from surprises.

55% of broken deals died on things the seller could have fixed first.

What breaks a deal

Why buyers walked

Axial reviewed 75 deals that fell apart after a letter of intent was signed. The green bars are problems a seller can fix before going to market.

Source: Axial, Dead Deal Report 2025. Lower-middle-market deals; 6.7% had other reasons. Fixable grouping is GROWTHROOM’s.

Our view

“Here’s what no deal report tracks: buyers need to fall for the brand. If it looks tired and hasn’t kept up with what customers want today, they start doubting the next five years. And the next five years are exactly what they’re paying for.”
Ben Lovie Ben Lovie
Founder, GROWTHROOM

The type of surprises we help you fix, before a buyer or investor finds them

Diligence surprises

Clean files

  • Contracts, leases and licenses in one place, checked for transfer clauses

  • Employee agreements, policies and safety records brought up to date

  • A due-diligence folder ready before anyone asks for it

Shaky recent earnings

Numbers that hold up

  • Monthly books closed on time, with personal and one-off costs separated

  • Add-backs documented with your accountant, so your owner earnings stand up

  • A profit trend you can explain line by line

Price renegotiation

A price you can defend

  • Customer concentration and churn understood before a buyer raises it

  • Margins by customer and service, so weak spots get fixed, not discovered

  • Recurring revenue and pipeline tracked and reported monthly

Dated brand

A brand buyers want to own

  • A brand refresh that looks current and fits today’s customers

  • Clear positioning on why customers choose you over competitors

  • Reviews, website and customer experience that back the brand up

Slipping mid-sale

Runs without you

  • Key processes documented, so the team runs day-to-day

  • Customer and supplier relationships moved to named team members

  • A manager or second-in-command in place, tested while you step back

Financing

Bankable

  • Cash flow forecasts and reporting a lender or investor recognizes

  • Consistent financials that support the buyer’s or investor’s case

  • Debt, working capital and assets reviewed, so the business can carry acquisition or growth funding

What would a buyer find in yours?

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