Thinking about selling your business? The process is more complex—and more emotional—than most owners realize. In this episode of Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder, I’m joined by Sean Sands, Director of Mergers & Acquisitions at Haefele Flanagan, to break down the business exit process from every angle.
With over 30 years of experience in investment banking, corporate development, and M&A, Sean shares practical insights on:
When to start planning for a sale to maximize value...
Thinking about selling your business? The process is more complex—and more emotional—than most owners realize. In this episode of Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder, I’m joined by Sean Sands, Director of Mergers & Acquisitions at Haefele Flanagan, to break down the business exit process from every angle.
With over 30 years of experience in investment banking, corporate development, and M&A, Sean shares practical insights on:
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When to start planning for a sale to maximize value
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How to get your business “sale ready” by addressing financial, legal, and operational factors early
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Strategic vs. financial buyers and how their priorities differ
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Earnouts and valuation gaps, and how to navigate them effectively
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Assembling the right team of advisors to guide you through a smooth transaction
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Mental and emotional considerations owners face during the exit process
Sean also offers advice for business owners who receive unsolicited inquiries from potential buyers—and how preparation can make the difference between a good deal and a great one.
About Sean Sands, Director of Mergers & Acquisitions at Haefele Flanagan:
With more than 30 years of experience in investment banking, corporate development and loan syndications, Sean has significant expertise in mergers & acquisitions transactions including sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory and leveraged recapitalizations.
As a Managing Director at KPMG Corporate Finance and Navigant Capital Advisors, Sean closed more than sixty middle-market M&A transactions totaling over $2.2 billion in transaction value. While at Crown Castle, a publicly traded S&P 500 company, he assisted in completing $9.2 billion in fiber acquisitions including Lightower, FPL Fibernet and Wilcon Holdings LLC. Sean served as Vice President of Finance & Strategy at Sunesys LLC, which was acquired by Crown Castle for $1 billion. As a Vice President at CoreStates Investment Banking, he completed loan syndications and capital raises in excess of $1.5 billion.
Sean holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Law and an MBA in Finance from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a former Adjunct Professor at Delaware Valley University teaching finance courses including Fundamentals of Investing and Money, Banking & Credit.
About Our Sponsor:
Haefele Flanagan (HFCO) is a full-service accounting firm that’s been serving clients since 1967. Not your typical accounting firm, HFCO’s services extend well beyond tax and audit to include valuation services, strategic and succession planning, leadership development, and more. When you work with Haefele Flanagan, we help you realize your long-term goals. Please visit them at www.hfco.com.
About the Host:
Dave Bookbinder is known as an expert in business valuation and he is the person that business owners and entrepreneurs reach out to when they need to know what their most important assets are worth. Known as a collaborative adviser, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries.
Dave is the author of two #1 best-selling books about the impact of human capital (PEOPLE!) on the valuation of a business enterprise called The NEW ROI: Return On Individuals & The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers.
He’s on a mission to change the conversation about how the accounting world recognizes the value of people’s contributions to a business enterprise, and to quantify what every CEO on the planet claims: “Our people are this company’s most valuable asset.”
He’s also the host of Behind The Numbers podcast which is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.
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