Why Most Founders Get M&A Wrong And How to Flip the Script

I’ve sold multiple businesses. And along the way, I learned something most founders miss until it’s too late.

Selling your company isn’t about pitching your product or team.

It’s about showing the buyer what they can become if they own it.

Yes, clean financials, consistent growth, and a strong product are essential. Those get you in the room. But they don’t close the deal.

What closes deals is narrative. Not your story. Theirs.

What buyers actually want

They don’t care about how elegant your code is or how much you hustled to get here.

They care about one thing:

“If I buy this business, how fast can I grow it?”

That’s what drives real acquisition interest. The best exits happen when the buyer sees so much upside, they feel like they’d be foolish to pass.

Here’s what gets deals done:

1. Customer Expansion Opportunities

   Are there segments they can unlock that you haven’t? Do they see clear paths to upsell, bundle, or expand usage?

2. Product Portfolio Enhancement

   Does your product strengthen their offering? Fill a gap? Make something they already sell more valuable?

3. Immediate Market Penetration

   Do you have a foothold in a market they’ve been trying to enter?

4. Revenue Synergies

   Can they plug your product into their machine and instantly cut costs or drive up sales?

This is how buyers justify spending $1 to make $10. These are the levers that make them take action.

Most founders pitch their company.

The smart ones pitch the buyer’s future.

That’s the difference between a disappointing exit and a big one.