SOME CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Prior to your initial contact with owners of companies that look appealing for acquisition, there are a few crucial considerations. Assuming your focus is not-for-sale, private companies, you are dealing with a paradox. On the one hand, the company’s owner is not actively looking to sell, and she therefore may be expected to respond negatively to any overtures. On the other hand, we have established an inviolable law of M&A: Every company is for sale for the right equation. By simultaneously grasping each side of this paradox, you can prepare for a successful approach.

Obviously, no one is going to sell her company to a complete stranger over the phone. So the purpose of your initial call is not to buy the company. ...

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