We run a simple process for buyers and sellers
For startups that would rather not go with a traditional firm or boutique, and buyers that want an intimate knowledge of the early-stage landscape, Qiao believes we can add value.
As a founder you might be in a position where selling your company is the best option available. As a prospective buyer, you might want to investigate the landscape of acquisitions into markets you aren't as familiar with. You might also need some consultative support to assess more creative M&A opportunities into new industries. We can help with all three use cases.
After an initial consultation, we conduct a 360 review of the business, and motivations for pursuing M&A. We set parameters for the regularity and format of communications to review progress, and create a delivery plan across the time period of the contracted agreement. After signing a NDA, we agree on a contract and terms for pursuing targets or a sale.
We interview you, and potentially your investors / senior leaders and to agree on a target price, timeline and strategy and level of network you would like to leverage in the search process (to ensure confidentiality). We help prepare an initial strategic recommendations document to verify that M&A is a viable path and a decision with collective agreement. That is essential to ensure incentive alignment.
Once it is agreed that M&A is the preferred pathway, and the underlying reasons for doing so are understood, we support in the preparation of a teaser document (for founders looking to sell) and slide deck for buyers investigating the landscape of potential targets.
A teaser with a Project title is agreed for founders, and acts as a marketing document to attract potential buyers. For buyers, we discuss the recommendations with your leadership team and decide on next steps, having outlined a clearly identifiable list of targets where appropriate.
When there is legitimacy of interest after the initial conversation, we prepare a NDA and work with you to create a bespoke management presentation for the interested party. We are present on the call to facilitate and prepare notes, while also acting as a sounding board in advance.
With substantiated interest, we would then request a letter of intent / indicative offer from the buyer, which would formally allow us to enter a period of negotiation, and work towards a final purchase agreement. We would collectively analyse the offer and get back with a response.
We work with you to prepare the VDR in advance of a formal DD process, depending on the size and process of the buyer. We tend to go a little deeper with this than others might, in order to ensure that a deal and transition period is as seamless as possible.
This is the part where we celebrate! Practically speaking, we support towards the preparation of marketing documentation for deal announcement.
Thinking about a sale? Looking to make your first acquisition? Or maybe you want to access new networks to help acquire your next company?
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