You don't have to know where to start. We do.
CEOSSI helps business owners and buyers understand, evaluate and navigate business transactions—from the first conversation through closing and transition.
- Confidential conversations. Practical guidance. No obligation.
M&A Can Be Complicated. Your First Step Doesn’t Have to Be.
Buying or selling a business can be one of the most important financial and personal decisions you will ever make. It is normal to have more questions than answers.
What is my business worth?
Valuation is more than a rule of thumb. It depends on normalized earnings, owner dependence, and deal structure.
How do I find a business to buy?
Distinguish between viable operating cash-flow opportunities and distressed or broker-inflated assets.
Someone wants to buy my company. What do I do now?
An unsolicited inquiry can be an opportunity or a distraction. Understand your position before disclosing data.
Do I need a broker, attorney, CPA or M&A advisor?
Different specialists serve distinct roles. You need someone on your side coordinating the complete process.
How do I know whether this is a good deal?
Price is only half the equation. Cash at close, working capital targets, earnouts, and liabilities dictate real value.
What happens after I sign an LOI?
The Letter of Intent starts intense due diligence and legal drafting. Preparation prevents deal fatigue.
Three ways in. One clear next step.
I Want to Sell
You've built a business. You're thinking about what comes next.
We help you understand your options, prepare your business, evaluate buyers, negotiate terms and navigate the transaction.
I Want to Buy
You've decided that acquiring a business may be the right way to become an owner or grow an existing company.
We help you identify opportunities, evaluate businesses, structure transactions and navigate the acquisition process.
ONE TRANSACTION. ONE COORDINATED PROCESS.
A transaction can involve dozens of moving parts. CEOSSI helps connect the pieces. We don’t replace your attorney, CPA, lender or other specialists. We help you understand when you need them, what questions to ask and how their work fits into the transaction.
Client Focus
Owner / Buyer / Shareholder
CEOSSI Transaction Advisor
Synthesizes business goals, conducts evaluations, structures commercial terms, and quarterbacks the entire process.
CPA / Accounting
Financial normalization & historical books
Transaction Attorney
Definitive legal purchase agreements
Lender / SBA
Acquisition loan & underwriting terms
Quality of Earnings
Third-party EBITDA & working capital proof
Tax Advisor
Asset vs. stock allocation & capital gains
Valuation Specialist
Formal appraisal & benchmark comparables
Escrow Agent
Earnest deposit & settlement funds flow
Insurance / RWI
Reps & warranties coverage & tail policies
Wealth Advisor
Post-close proceeds management
Key Management
Operational retention & handover continuity
The CEOSSI Transaction Roadmap
From “What Do I Do?” to “We Closed.” A structured, predictable approach that removes uncertainty at every stage.
01
Explore
We begin with your goals, circumstances and objectives.
02
Assess
We evaluate the business, opportunity, financial picture and transaction considerations.
03
Plan
We develop a practical path toward the transaction you are trying to accomplish.
04
Prepare
We identify information, documentation, people and issues that need to be addressed.
05
Negotiate
We help you understand and work through the key business terms.
06
Due Diligence
We help organize the process and coordinate the appropriate specialists.
07
Close
We help keep the transaction moving toward completion.
08
Transition
We help address the practical issues that follow closing.
UNDERSTAND. DECIDE. NAVIGATE. CLOSE.
Every stage gets its own short explanation, checklist, and support so you never feel pressured or lost.
Because Most Business Owners Don’t Do This Every Day.
You run your company. We navigate transactions. We approach transactions from an operating-business perspective—not just a spreadsheet financial model.
Business Experience
Operating-business perspective, understanding staff and clients.
Independent Perspective
Objective guidance without commission-driven broker pressure.
Transaction Focus
Dedicated focus keeping milestone workstreams moving toward closing.
Practical Guidance
Plain English explanations instead of complex M&A jargon.
Featured Transaction Story
Founder Succession & Strategic Sale for Specialty Contractor
The Challenge:
No formal financial reporting was prepared for buyers; customer concentration in the top three accounts represented 54% of revenue, and the founder had never been through an M&A transaction.
CEOSSI Role:
CEOSSI acted as transaction advisor to the founder, establishing a sell-side roadmap, preparing the documentation, and guiding negotiations through closing.
Key Lesson:
Early preparation transforms an owner-dependent business into an institutional asset that buyers are willing to pay top dollar for.
Not Sure Where to Start?
That’s exactly what the first conversation is for. Tell us where you are, what you’re considering and what you don’t know. We’ll help you identify the next step.
- Confidential conversations. Practical guidance. No obligation.