Whether you were an entrepreneur from the get-go or built your business later in life, you're likely here because the lure of retirement or the desire to change paths has you ready to exit your lower-middle market or middle-market company. Among the many learning curves that come with business ownership, understanding the process of selling a company can be overwhelming.

Top Reasons to Consider an Exit Strategy

Exit strategies are the foundation of successfully selling your business. They'll help set up your business to maximize its value, identify the best fit potential buyers, and ensure you have your paperwork in order when a prospective buyer goes through the due diligence process.

Some company owners try to put together their exit strategy. However, those who don't have previous experience selling a business usually find themselves in over their heads with paperwork, technicalities, and closing on a lower price than their business deserves. 

For these reasons, when looking at the typical business owner exit strategy versus an M&A exit strategy, hiring the help of an M&A specialist is advantageous. We'll talk more about the role of an M&A advisor soon. For now, let's look at ten reasons why having a well-planned exit strategy is critical before you sell your business.

1. Identifying Buyers 

2. Taxes

3. Preparation for Opportunities 

4. Foundation for Goals

5. Business Valuation

6. Seamless Transition

7. Timing

8. Personal Emergencies

9. Offer Options

10. Recession

Andrew is the owner and managing director of Rogerson Business Services, a licensed business consulting, M&A Advisory located in Sacramento, CA. His services include business brokerage; helping owners sell and/or buyers purchase a lower middle-market business including medical practice from $500,000 to $50 million.

Would you like to schedule a 10-minutes discovery call to see if we are a good fit? Just grab a suitable time on my calendar - link - https://www.midmarketbusinesses.com/qualification-form

Andrew Rogerson

The most expensive thing a business owner will ever "buy" 

is a free valuation.

It sounds like a bargain. 
It’s actually a trap.

In M&A, you get exactly what you pay for. 
And when you pay zero for a valuation, 
you aren't getting a deep financial analysis. 

You are usually getting a listing pitch.

I see founders make this mistake constantly. 
They hand over their financials to a generalist broker offering a "complimentary assessment."

The result is almost always a disaster. 

Here is why.

The "Listing" Bias: 
Free valuations are often inflated to flatter the owner into signing a representation agreement. 

It’s vanity metrics, 
not market reality.

The Missing Add-Backs: 
An automated or quick-turn valuation rarely does the heavy lifting of recasting financials. 

They miss the discretionary earnings that drive your multiple.

The "Algo" Error: 
Generic tools treat a specialized manufacturing firm the same as a retail shop. 

They lack the semantic nuance to understand 
your IP, 
your team, 
or your recurring revenue quality.

A "free" valuation that undervalues your life's work by $500k cost you $500k.

That is not a saving. 
That is a catastrophe.

True valuation requires forensic accounting, 
market comparables, 
and human judgment. 

It is an investment, 
not a cost.
________
Business owners: When you look back at your exit, was the initial number you had in your head anywhere close to what the market actually paid?

I Help You Maximize The Value Of Your Business Before Selling | Focus on Sell-Side M&A | Serving Lower Middle-Market Business Owners in California

The most expensive thing a business owner will ever "buy" is a free valuation. Andrew Rogerson's take on free business valuations. 

Content Strategist for M&A Advisors | Helping You Write Narratives that Attract $5M+ Founders | Organic Deal Flow Strategy & Copywriting

Most M&A Advisors are excellent at closing deals but struggle to open conversations with ideal clients on LinkedIn.

You look at a $10M EBITDA business and see the nuance, the hidden value, and the exit potential. But when you sit down to write a LinkedIn post or an email to a Founder, that expertise gets lost in translation. You end up sounding like every other "listing agent" chasing a commission.

That is where I come in.

I am a conversion copywriter and content strategist specifically for the M&A and Business Brokerage industry. I don't just "write posts." I translate your technical deal experience into compelling, founder-focused narratives that demonstrate Niche Authority.

In the era of AI-driven algorithms (like LinkedIn’s 360Brew), "generic" content is invisible. To attract sophisticated sellers of $5M+ enterprises, you cannot rely on volume or engagement hacks. You must rely on Clarity and Semantic Reasoning.

I help advisors pivot from: ❌ "I have a buyer for your business." (Transactional) ✅ "Here is why your inventory management is hurting your 3x multiple." (Authoritative)

I partner with M&A firms and independent advisors to build organic deal flow engines. My strategy focuses on:

Profile Symbiosis: aligning your digital identity with your actual deal history.

Narrative Construction: Turning dry case studies into human-centric stories that Founders actually read.

Consumption Optimization: Creating content assets (carousels, newsletters) designed to hold attention and signal value to the algorithm.

Who I Work With

M&A Advisors targeting Lower Middle Market (LMM) exits.

Business Brokers moving upstream to $5M+ EV deals.

Deal Teams need better copy for CIMs and Teasers.

Clarity equals confidence. And confidence closes deals.

If you are ready to stop chasing leads and start attracting them through authority, subscribe to my newsletter, The M&A Content Roast, or send me a DM here on LinkedIn.
_______
Here's what you'll get:

▪️Founder First Copywriting (We do all the heavy lifting for you by writing persuasive LinkedIn Profiles, Websites, Sales Pages,  Landing Pages, Content Writing, and Email Nurturing Drip Campaigns.)

▪️LinkedIn Organic Social Selling Deal Flow Strategy (We apply the same strategy that got clients a steady deal flow - go down to the "projects section" to see the full tactics applied.)

...And all of that with a 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE.

👉🏼 Shoot me a DM, or head over to my Featured section & check out our Sample Copywriting

Ramy Ghaly

The most expensive mistake a Founder makes is listening to their tax accountant
when they should be listening to a dealmaker.
(Yes, I said it.)

Your CPA is trained to save you tax dollars today. 
They do this by suppressing your profit.

But when you sell your company, 
we need to do the exact opposite. 
We need to show the buyer your true, "normalized" earning power.

This gap is bridged by EBITDA Adjustments (or "add-backs").

Get these right, and you can instantly add millions to your exit value. 
Get them wrong (or try to pass off "fluff" as profit), and you will fail Due Diligence.

It is a delicate balance between "aggressive" and "fraudulent."
I created this cheat sheet to help you distinguish between a valid add-back and a deal-killer.

Swipe through to see the "Valid vs. Invalid" checklist (Slide 4). ⬅️

If you are planning an exit in 2026, stop optimizing for April 15th. 
Start optimizing for the closing table.
__________
 What is the most ridiculous "personal expense" you've seen a business owner try to add back to their profit? (Keep names anonymous!)

Sample Lead Magnet Doc For M&A Professionals

If you tell a $5M Founder you can “sell any business,” 

you’ve already lost the deal.
Most M&A advisors are terrified of saying "No."

They think a wider net catches more fish. 
But to a Founder who has spent 30 years building a $10M legacy, 
a "Generalist" advisor sounds like a "Broker." 

And 

a "Broker" sounds like a guy who just wants a 
commission check before the ink is dry.

Last week, 

I was in the weeds with a client 
(a veteran M&A advisor) 
rebuilding his narrative. 

We weren't looking for what to add to his profile. 
We were looking for what to kill.
We implemented the "Negative Proof" Interrupt.

Imagine a Founder named Jim. 

Jim’s LinkedIn feed is a graveyard of "Just Closed" tombstone posts 
and generic "Happy Monday" fluff. 

He’s tired. 
He’s skeptical. 
He’s waiting for someone to prove they actually understand his world.

Then he sees my client’s post. 
It doesn't promise "maximum value." 
It lists the 3 deals my client refused to take last quarter.

1. The "Owner-Hero" Trap My client wrote: 
"If your business can’t run for 30 days without you answering the phone, I won't list it. I don't sell 'jobs' to buyers; I sell assets. We fix the dependency first, or we don't go to market."

Jim’s thought: 
"Finally. Someone who knows my business is too dependent on me."

2. The "Culture-Killer" Filter My client wrote: 
"I don't work with PE firms known for 'Chop-and-Flip' strategies. 
If you don't care about who is leading your Shop Foreman on Day 181, 
I’m the wrong advisor for you."

Jim’s thought: 
"This guy actually cares about my people. 
He's a Sentinel, not a middleman."

3. The "Earn-Out" Reality Check My client wrote: 
"I won't sugarcoat a 70% earn-out structure just to get you to sign an LOI. 
If the cash-at-close doesn't change your life, we don't start the clock."

Jim’s thought: 
"He’s not just trying to get a deal done. 
He’s protecting my exit."

Why this matters for your deal flow:

When you use "Negative Proof," you stop being a commodity. 
You aren't just "posting content." 
You are demonstrating a Reasoning Engine that Jim 
(and business owners like him) can actually trust on LinkedIn.

By defining whom you don't work with, 
you become the only logical choice for the Founder who fits your "Yes."

You move from "Price-Comparison" to Trust-Velocity.
__________
M&A Professionals: 
Look at your last 3 posts. 
Are you trying to be everything to everyone, 
or are you brave enough to tell a Founder why you might not be the right fit?

The "No" is where your authority lives.

Infographics show the difference between a generalist advisor and a specialist, and how the founder sees the value in a specialist and not a generalist. 

Deals rarely die because of the math. 

They die because of the ego.

We spend 6 months modeling spreadsheets, 
arguing over EBITDA add-backs, and redlining legal docs.

But in my experience, 
the multimillion-dollar transaction usually falls apart over something surprisingly small.

I once saw a $15M deal implode at the 11th hour because the Seller refused to give up his parking spot at the headquarters.

(Seriously. He walked away over a parking spot.)

The "soft" issues are actually the hard issues.

Founder attachment syndrome.
Family dynamic disputes.
Loss of identity post-close.

We prepare Founders for the financial exit. 
We rarely prepare them for the emotional exit.
__________
Friday Open Mic: 🎙️
I want to hear your war stories.
What is the most trivial, non-financial issue you have seen kill a massive deal?
(Business owners and Advisors anonymize the names, but spill the tea below)

If your LinkedIn feed is a graveyard of "Tombstone" announcements and "Happy Monday" fluff, you are invisible to the $5M+ Founder.

For the last week, I’ve been working with my M&A advisor clients on a fundamental shift in their deal-sourcing strategy.

We are killing the "Broker" persona and building the Sentinel.

Why? 

Because a Founder who has spent 30 years building a $10M legacy doesn’t want a "transaction facilitator." 

They are terrified of the "Exit Vacuum" (that space between signing an LOI and actually keeping their legacy intact)

As a Content Strategist, I see the same mistake every day: 

M&A professionals write for other M&A professionals. 
They use jargon to sound smart, but they fail to win the "hearts and souls" of the Founder.

To attract the "Silver Tsunami" gems, your narrative must transition from "How much" to "Who survives":

1. Stewardship over Spreadsheets: $5M+ Founders care about their team. If your content doesn't address the "Shop Foreman on Day 181," you aren't a Sentinel. You’re just a middleman.

2. The Technical Pattern Interrupt: Stop promising "vetted buyers." Start explaining Semantic Friction. Talk about why a "Working Capital Peg" is the #1 tool used to re-trade a founder at the 11th hour. When you explain the why, you prove your Reasoning Engine.

3. The Legacy Shield: A Founder’s identity is tied to their EBITDA. Your job is to provide the narrative map that helps them transition that identity without losing their shirt (or their sanity).

The "Sentinel" Content Framework (Friday Gift): 

Advisors, if you want to be un-bypassable to $5M+ Founders, 
your feed needs these 5 pillars:

The Pre-Mortem: Why deals in your niche actually fail.
The Cultural Covenant: How to negotiate for the "Soul" of the company.
The Negative Proof: Admitting what you don't do (to prove what you do).
The Analog Anchor: Why a handwritten note beats a 1,000-email blast.
The Next Act: Preparing the Founder for life after the wire.

LinkedIn’s new algorithm suppresses "shallow intent." If you want the "High-Authority" Founders to see your posts, you have to provide Semantic Depth. You don't need "Engagement." You need Trust Velocity.
_________
M&A Professionals: Are you still posting for the algorithm, or are you ready to start writing for the Founder?

Building The Authority Moat In A World of Noise

For most M&A advisors, the Closing Dinner is a celebration. 
For the $5M Founder, 
it feels like a funeral.
The champagne is poured. 
The wire has hit. 
The advisor is thinking about their commission. 

But the Founder 
(let’s look at Jim one last time) is staring at his steak, wondering:

"Who is going to look after my Shop Foreman on Monday morning?"

Last week, I was working with a client 
(a top-tier M&A advisor) on how to bridge this "Exit Vacuum." 
He had the technical deal-making down to a science. 
But his content was missing the Soul. 
He was winning the "Spreadsheet," but he was losing the "Person."

I helped him implement the "Legacy Shield" narrative using Negative Proof.

We didn't talk about "Deal Multiples.
" We talked about what happens on Day 181.

1. The "Cultural Covenant" Interrupt I coached my client to stop promising 
"Vetted Buyers" and start promising "Legacy Alignment."

 We wrote: 
"I won't bring a buyer to the table who doesn't have a written 12-month retention plan for your key staff. If they see your team as 'overhead' to be trimmed, I don't care how high their EBITDA multiple is—they aren't getting the keys."

2. Addressing the Identity Crisis Most advisors talk about "The Beach." 
We talked about "The Next Act." 
I helped my client frame his role not as someone helping Jim leave, 
but as someone helping Jim transition. 

3. The Negative Proof of the "Quick Exit" 

We wrote: 
"If you want to 'Pump and Dump' your company for a quick check and disappear, I’m not the advisor for you. My process is for the Founder who wants to drive past their building in 5 years and still feel proud of the name on the door."

Why this resonates with a $10M Founder:

A Founder’s identity is fused with their EBITDA. 
When you address the "Soul" of the company, 
you aren't just "posting." 

You are proving you have the Semantic Depth to handle a $10M legacy.

For example: 
Jim doesn't need another person to tell him his business is worth $15M. 
(He knows that) 
He needs a Sentinel who realizes that the $15M is meaningless 
if his loyal staff of 20 years is fired 48 hours after the sale.

When you lead with the "Cultural Covenant," 
you move from being a "Service Provider" to a Trusted Confidant.

The Result for my M&A clients? 
They stop chasing "leads" 
and start attracting "Partners." 

They move from "Price-Comparison" to Trust-Velocity.

M&A Professionals: 
You spent all week talking about the 
"How" and the "How Much." 
It’s Friday. It’s time to talk about the "Who" and the "Why."
__________
I help M&A advisors stop writing for other advisors 
and start writing for the "Silver Tsunami" Founders 
who are looking for a Sentinel to protect their life's work.

Are you ready to build your Legacy Shield?

Infographics: How to build a founder-first narrative to shield the legacy of business owners in an M&A deal. 

If you are still measuring your M&A outreach by “Emails Sent,” "Open Rate,"
you aren’t an advisor. 
You’re a notification.

For the $2M–$4M EBITDA Founder (the "Silver Tsunami" generation), 
your generic "I have a buyer" cold email is noise. 
They’ve spent 30 years building a legacy. 
They won't hand it over to a "middleman" with a template.

To win in 2026, you must stop "Sourcing Deals" and 
start Engineering Authority.

Here is the 5-Step "Sentinel" Playbook to dominate the Silver Tsunami market

1. The "Negative Proof" Interrupt: 

Your first cold email shouldn't promise a buyer. 
It should admit you don't have one yet. “I don’t have a list of 100 buyers for you. 
I have a market thesis on why the current 'Roll-up' trend in [Niche] is going to devalue your operational legacy by 30% if you aren't prepared.” 

2. The LinkedIn "Pre-Heat" (Algorithm): 

Before you reach out, spend 72 hours in their feed. 
Leave Reasoning Comments (3+ sentences) that add professional nuance to their posts. 
This "primes" the LinkedIn algorithm so your profile appears in their "Recommended for You" feed the moment they open your cold email.

3. The Loom "Proof of Work": 

Day 7: Send a 60-second video. 
No pitch. 
Show a redacted "Valuation Friction Map." 
“I analyzed a similar exit in your sector last week. 
Here is the one 'Working Capital' trap that cost that founder $1.5M. 
I don't want that to happen to you.”

4. The H2H (Human-to-Human) Connection: 

Day 10: The LinkedIn invite. 
“Sent you the niche brief via email. Let’s connect here (I post daily updates on how [Niche] founders are navigating the Fog of Disruption).”

5. The "Analog Anchor" (The Secret Sauce): 

The "Silver Tsunami" founder values the physical over the digital. 
Send a high-end, physical "Sector Exit Intelligence Brief" to their office. 
Inside, include a Handwritten Note.

The Handwritten Note Copy (Ramy Ghaly Blueprint):

"Hi [Founder Name], I’ve followed [Company Name] for years. Most see a $4M EBITDA business; I see a 20-year legacy that deserves a Sentinel, not a broker. Page 4 of this brief covers the 'Earn-out Traps' currently hitting your niche. No pitch (just thought you’d appreciate the data). Best, [Your Name]."

The Sentinel KPIs: 

How the 1% Measure Success
Stop tracking "Open Rates." 
Track Replies (Positive or Negative). 

Semantic Match Score

Does your LinkedIn Headline and "Content Moat" match the expertise you claimed in your mailer? (The Founders check this alignment)

Quality Conversation Velocity (QCV) 

How many days from the "Pre-Heat" comment to a Founder-initiated question?
The "Save" Rate: Is your content being saved? A "Save" is the highest signal of professional utility on LinkedIn.

H2H Conversion 

The number of Founders who mention your "Handwritten Note" in the first 5 minutes of a discovery call.
__________
Advisors: Are you still playing the volume game, or are you ready to become the Sentinel of the Silver Tsunami?

The Sentinel Blueprint (Protect Founder Legacy)

Your $15M deal announcement is invisible 

to the Founder you actually want to sign.
Most M&A advisors think a "Tombstone" post proves their value. 

They post: 
"Proud to have advised on the $15M sale of Manufacturing Corp. 
Great result for all parties."

The $5M Founder (Jim) scrolls right past it. 

Why? 

Because it tells him nothing about how you protected the person behind the numbers.

Yesterday, 
I was in the weeds with one of my M&A advisor clients, 
reviewing his recent deal log. 

He had a massive win: 
he saved a Founder $600k by catching a predatory Working Capital Peg.

But 
he didn't know how to tell the story 
without sounding like a textbook.

My job is to take that technical win and turn it into 
a "Founder-First" narrative.

We didn't write about "NWC adjustments.
" We used the "Negative Proof" Interrupt to 
show Jim exactly who this advisor is.

Here is how I translated his technical 
win into a "Sentinel" story:

1. The Hook: 
The "Fuel in the Tank" Trap I told my client 
"Jim doesn't care about accounting definitions. 
He cares about the buyer stealing his cash at the 11th hour." 

The Story 
We compared the Working Capital Peg 
to a car sale where the buyer suddenly demands 
a full tank of gas and $5,000 in the glove box (for free)

2. The Negative Proof: 
Why we don't rush the LOI Instead of saying "We are thorough," 

we wrote: 
"We refuse to sign an LOI that doesn't define the Peg upfront. 
Most brokers rush the signature to 'lock in' the deal. 
We do the opposite. 
If the buyer won't agree to a 12-month average now, 
we don't start the clock."

3. The Founder’s Reaction (Jim’s Thought): 
"This advisor isn't just looking for a commission. 
He’s actually looking at the traps I didn't even know existed. 
He’s a Sentinel."

Why this moves the needle for a $5M+ Founder:

High-net-worth founders are hyper-sensitive to "Transaction Breath." 
They can smell a broker looking for a quick commission from a mile away.

When you translate a technical re-trade into a human story, 
you trigger Trust Velocity. 
You stop being a "service provider" 
and start being a "Protector of the Legacy."

For example: 

A $10M Founder might be "deal-fatigued" after three months of due diligence. 
He’s ready to concede on a "small" $400k Peg adjustment just to get the wire sent. 
But when you’ve framed yourself as the Sentinel who caught the 
"Glove Box Trap" early, he doesn't see it as a $400k adjustment. 

He sees it as a buyer trying to pick his pocket.

Your narrative gives him the backbone to stand firm, 
and it gives you the authority to lead.

M&A Advisors: 
You have a goldmine of "Technical Wins" buried in your deal logs. 
But if you keep posting them as tombstones, 
you’re leaving your best leads on the table.
__________
I help M&A professionals turn "Deals Done" into "Founders Found."

Ready to stop being invisible?

Infographics: shows how to turn technical M&A deal wins into sentinel stories

Most $5M Founders aren’t looking for an “Exit.” 

They’re looking for an escape hatch.

When I look at an M&A advisor’s LinkedIn feed, 
I usually see a highlight post. 
"Just Closed." 
"Record Multiple." 
"Happy Monday."

But while the advisors are celebrating, 
the Founders they actually want to attract
(the "Silver Tsunami" gems) are in a cold sweat.

Yesterday, I was working with an advisor client 
on a narrative for a $7M manufacturing deal. 

He wanted to lead with the "12x Multiple" he secured.

I told him: "Kill the multiple. 

Jim (the founder) doesn't care about the 12x right now. 

He cares about the fact that he hasn't slept through 
the night in six months because his Operations Manager just quit and he’s back on the floor at 5 AM."

My job is to take the "Transaction" 
and turn it into "Truth."

We used the "Sentinel’s Warning" to grab Jim’s attention 
while he’s scrolling between fires.

1. The Pattern Interrupt: 

The "Owner-Hero" Debt Instead of "We maximize value," 
we wrote: "You think you're building equity. 
But if you're the only one who knows how to 
fix the 'Line 4' sensor at midnight, 
you aren't building an asset. 
You're building a cage. 
Most brokers will try to sell that cage. 
A Sentinel tells you how to unlock it before you go to market."

2. The Negative Proof: 

Why we don't list "Owner-Dependent" businesses 
I suggest my client to be brutally honest 
"I won't take your business to market today. 

Why? 

Because a sophisticated buyer will see your 
'Owner-Heroics' as a $2M risk adjustment. 

We don't list until we build the 
'Standard Operating Procedures' that make you redundant. 

We’d rather wait six months to get you 
the legacy you deserve than sell you short today."

3. The Founder’s Reaction (Jim’s Thought): 

"Every other guy in my inbox is promising me a check next week. 
This guy is the only one telling me why I’m not ready yet. 
He’s not a broker. 
He’s a partner."

Why this moves the needle for a $5M+ Founder:

High-authority founders are tired of being "pitched." 
They are looking for Reasoning. 

When you show them the "why" behind the delay
(protecting them from a $2M valuation haircut) 
you trigger Trust Velocity.

You aren't a middleman pushing for a quick close. 
You are a Sentinel protecting the value of their 30-year sacrifice.

M&A Professionals: 
Your content shouldn't be a brochure for your services. 
It should be a map through the "Exit Vacuum."

I help M&A advisors stop posting "Success Stories" 
and start posting "Strategic Truths" 
that attract the founders who have the most to lose.
__________
Is your feed a billboard, 
or is it a lighthouse?

M&A advisors are obsessed with "views."

Stop trying to go viral. It is costing you deals.

But a Founder selling their life's work doesn't click "like" on a generic quote card.

They read. 
They study. 
They save.

And that is exactly what LinkedIn’s new 360Brew algorithm is looking for.

Throughout 2025, 
the platform silently pivoted its core objective to Consumption Optimization.

The AI no longer cares how many people passively scroll past your update. 
It cares about Dwell Time 
(the duration a user spends actively viewing your content)

This changes the game for us.

In the old system, a "Like" was currency. 
In the 360Brew era, a "Save" is gold.

Why?

Because a "Save" is the strongest algorithmic signal that your content provided genuine utility and long-term value.

It tells the reasoning engine: 
"This user found this so valuable, they need to read it again."

If you are writing short, 
fluffy posts chasing quick likes, 
you are training the algorithm to categorize you as "low-value entertainment."

Consequently, it will show your posts to people with short attention spans.

It will not show your posts to the serious Business Owner doing due diligence at 2:00 AM.

Stop writing for applause. 
Start writing for utility.
Ditch the motivational quotes.

Post the "Due Diligence Checklist."
Share the "Valuation Trap Breakdown."

Use Document Posts (Carousels) that force the user to swipe and pause, guaranteeing the Dwell Time the AI rewards.

The goal isn't to be famous. 
The goal is to be indispensable.
__________
When was the last time you wrote something "Save-worthy"?

M&A Professionals
The "Vetted Buyer" lie is killing your pipeline 
(and your reputation).

Every week, the Founders you want to work with get three emails. 
They all say the same thing: "I have a vetted list of 100 buyers for your business."
And every week, the Founder deletes them. 

Why? 
Because they know it’s a lie.

They know those "buyers" are just automated search alerts. 
They know you're just trying to "list" them to collect a check.

If you want to disrupt the status quo, 
you have to use Negative Proof.

I tell my M&A professional clients: 
Stop trying to be the person with the most names. 
Start being the person with the most Market Intelligence. 

The Disruption Playbook works because it moves the Founder from "Defensive" to "Curious."

1. The Anti-List Approach: 

Instead of lying about buyers, admit you don't have them. 
Tell them: "I don’t have a list of 100 buyers. 
I have a thesis on why the friction in your sector is going to lead to a 30% re-trade in due diligence if you aren't prepared." 
Suddenly, you aren't a salesperson. 
You’re a Sentinel.

2. The Failed Legacy Hook: 

Brokers talk about the "Closing." 
Sentinels (Savvy M&A Professionals) talk about the "Aftermath." 
When you talk about why 70% of deals fail 6 months after the wire because of poor Structural Protections, you are protecting their life's work 
(not just their bank account).

3. The Omnichannel Bridge: 

Stop spraying 1,000 emails. 
Identify 50 "High-Intent" targets. (Instead)
Pre-heat them on LinkedIn with reasoning comments.
Disrupt their inbox with the Anti-List email.
Prove your value with a 60-second Loom showing real data.
Send them a note with blueprit to their physical address. 
(Silver Tsunami Owners Target Playbook)

Your cold email is the "Front Door." 
Your LinkedIn profile is the "Living Room."

If your email is professional but your LinkedIn feed is empty or filled with generic "Happy Monday" posts, the Founder will never walk inside.

To the Founder, you are either a Transaction Facilitator (Replaceable) or a Market Educator (Un-bypassable).

Choose the system, 
not the spray.
______________
M&A Advisors & Professionals: What is the one "Pattern Interrupt" you’ve used that actually got a skeptical Founder to pick up the phone?

The "Vetted Buyer" lie is killing your pipeline and the M&A profession's reputation—Borker vs. Sentinel (The choice in the outreach deal sourcing and the best method to use). 

Your LOI is a "Honeymoon." 
The Quality of Earnings (QofE) is the 
"Divorce Court."

Most $5M+ Founders celebrate when 
the Letter of Intent (LOI) is signed. 

They think the hard part is over. 
In reality, the buyer is just getting their scalpels ready.

Last week, I was in the weeds with 
an M&A advisor client who was frustrated. 

His Founder (Jim) was frustrated from a 
"Quality of Earnings" report 
that just wiped $1.5M off his enterprise value.

My client said: 

"Ramy, I told him the QofE would be tough, 
but he feels like the buyer is lying to him."

My job is to translate that "Technical Friction" 
into a "Founder-First" strategy.

We didn't write about "EBITDA Add-backs" 
or "GAAP Compliance." 

We used a Technical Pattern Interrupt to show 
Jim how a Sentinel prepares for war.

1. The Hook: 

The "Colonoscopy" Comparison I coached 
my client to stop calling it "Due Diligence." 

We wrote: 
"A buyer-led QofE isn't a neutral audit. 
It’s a financial proctology exam designed to 
find 'polyps' in your accounting so they can justify a price cut. 
If you wait for the buyer to bring the doctor, you’ve already lost."

2. The Sentinel Move: 

The "Defensive QofE" Instead of the standard 
"We manage the process," 
we introduced a counter-intuitive tactic 

"We refuse to go to market without a 'Defensive QofE.' 
We hire our own 'proctologist' 6 months before 
we ever talk to a buyer. 

We find the skeletons in your balance sheet first, 
so we can bury them (legally) 
or fix them before they become a 
$2M re-trade weapon for the buyer."

3. The Founder’s Reaction (Jim’s Thought): 

"Every other broker told me my books were 'fine.' 
This advisor is the only one who told me 
they were a landmine 
(and then showed me the map to disarm them) 
He’s not just a salesman; 
he’s a Shield."

Why this works for the $5M+ Founder:

Founders at this level have a "Truth Compass." 
They know their business isn't perfect. 
When you stop sugarcoating the "Due Diligence" 
phase and start explaining the 
Reasoning behind a Defensive QofE, 
you move from "Service Provider" 
to Strategic Partner.

You aren't just "managing a deal." 
You are performing Risk Mitigation that 
Jim can actually understand.

For example: 

Jim might complain about spending $30k on an upfront audit. But when you frame it as: "Spending $30k today to prevent a $1.5M 'Haircut' at the 11th hour," the math changes. The trust changes.

M&A Professionals: 

Are you leading your Founders into the QofE blindfolded, 
or are you giving them the thermal goggles they need to see the traps?

I help M&A advisors stop "selling deals" 
and start "Architecting Narratives" 
that prove their technical worth.

Don't just survive Due Diligence. 
Dominate it.

The hardest part of a $10M exit isn't the Due Diligence. 

It’s the drive home after you hand over the keys.

Most M&A advisors spend Friday posting 
"Closed Deal" photos with a bottle of scotch. 
They think the story ends when the wire hits.

But for the Founder (let’s check in on Jim)
Friday afternoon feels like a funeral for his identity.

Last week, I was working with an advisor 
who had a $12M industrial deal stalling at the 11th hour. 

The numbers were perfect. 
The buyer was vetted. 
The tax structure was optimized.

But Jim was dragging his feet. 

My client asked: 
"Ramy, why is he self-sabotaging the best deal of his life?"

I told him: 
"Jim isn't scared of the deal. 
He’s scared of the silence. 
He doesn't know who he is without his name on that building."

My job is to help the advisor bridge the 
"Exit Vacuum" with a Founder-First narrative.

We didn't send Jim another spreadsheet. 
We used the "Negative Proof" of the Empty Beach.

1. The Pattern Interrupt: 

Killing the "Retirement" Myth I coached 
my client to stop talking about "Siestas and Sunsets." 

We wrote a narrative for him that said: 

"Most brokers sell you the 'Beach Dream.' 
I don't. Because I know that for a guy like you, 
three weeks of golf will feel like a prison sentence. 
We aren't just planning your exit; 
we are architecting your 'Next Act'."

2. The Cultural Covenant: 

Protecting the "Ghost" 
We introduced a specific clause in the narrative
(not just the contract) about the Founder’s
 role post-sale. 

Instead of "Consulting Agreement," 
we called it the Stewardship Period. 
We told Jim: "We aren't just selling your EBITDA. 
We are selling your vision. 
We’ve secured a structure where the buyer pays 
for your mentorship, 
not just your transition. 
Your legacy stays in the room even 
when you aren't in the chair."

3. The Founder’s Reaction (Jim’s Thought): 

"Every other advisor treated me like a 
transaction to be processed. 
This guy is treating me like a man with a legacy to protect. 
He’s the only one who realized I wasn't ready to disappear."

Why this moves the needle for a $5M+ Founder:

High-authority founders are terrified of being forgotten. 
When you address the Identity Crisis head-on, 
you move from "Deal Maker" to Legacy Architect.

For example: 

Jim will walk away from a $12M check if he thinks the buyer will fire his 20-year secretary on Day 2. By using Negative Proof (refusing to work with "Identity-Stripping" buyers) you prove to Jim that his values are safe in your hands.

M&A Professionals: 

The "Silver Tsunami" isn't just about money. 
It’s about a generation of builders looking 
for someone who understands that their business is their life’s work.

I help M&A advisors stop writing for the 
"Closing Dinner" and start writing for the "Legacy Shield."

Are you selling companies, 
or are you protecting legacies?

How an "Earn-out" hook turned into 7K views and heated conversations

Yesterday, an M&A advisor client emailed me. He was frustrated, but more importantly, he was worried for his client. The situation? A Founder with a g

Open article: The $4.5M lie that almost killed a 20-year legacy. by Ramy Ghaly • 3 min read

The $4.5M lie that almost killed a 20-year legacy.

Stop chasing "AI Rankings." It’s the newest way 
for Brokerage Firm Founders 
to waste their marketing budget.

Recently, I’ve had brokerage Firm founders ask: 
"How do I make sure my firm shows up first 
when a seller asks ChatGPT for the best M&A advisor in my sector?"

We’ve been conditioned to chase the number 1 spot. 
But massive new research from SparkToro just proved that 
"rankings" in LLMs are a myth.

Here is the cold, hard reality: 

AI recommendations are fundamentally inconsistent.

If you ask a tool the same question 100 times, 
there is a less than 1 in 100 chance you will get 
the same list of brands twice. 

→ The list of firms changes. 
→ The order is random. 
→ Even the number of results fluctuates.

The Old Reality: 
Paying for "AI SEO" that promises to rank your brokerage number 1.

The New Reality: 
Focusing on Visibility Percentage.

Top-tier brands don’t always rank number 1. 
Instead, 
they appear in the majority of all responses across 
hundreds of different prompts. 

In the world of AI search, being "first" once doesn't matter. 
You need to be the firm that the LLMs (and your prospects) 
see every single time.

How Brokerage Firm Founders win with the new LLM Economy

1. Depth over Volume (The Logic of the Deal) 
LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude are "reasoning engines" 
that reward topical authority. 

Stop posting generic "Deal Closed" updates. 
Share the strategic logic behind the deal 
(the "why" and "how) 

When you demonstrate complex reasoning, 
the LLM classifies your firm as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), 
significantly increasing your chances of being cited in synthesized answers.

2. The "Mention" Game (Entity Co-occurrence) 
AI builds its recommendation engine based 
on how often your firm is cited as a 
source of truth across the web. 

This is called "Entity Co-occurrence" 
(the LLM learns to associate your brand name with terms like 
"Top M&A Advisor" or "Valuation Expert") 

because it sees them mentioned together on 
Reddit, 
industry blogs, 
and high-authority sites.

3. Audit your Tech (Visibility vs. Rankings) 
If a marketing agency claims they can 
"track your AI rank," they don't understand how LLMs work. 

LLMs are probabilistic, 
not deterministic. 

Ask for your Visibility Percentage 
(the percentage of relevant queries that actually cite your brand) 

Brands with a 30%+ mention rate see 2.8x more AI-sourced leads. 
If they can't show the math, 
they are selling you a ghost.

AI is smart, but it’s not a rating agency. 
It’s a suggestion engine.

Brokerage Firm Founders: 
Have you caught an AI giving you a 
completely different answer to the same question twice?

Our QoEs help first-time buyers decide whether to close a deal, retrade, or run away | “King of QoE”

Help

I want to rank on ChatGPT & other LLMs.  But I NEED help.

When someone asks "Who's the best QoE provider for first-time buyers or self-funded searchers?" — I want my name to come up.

Not looking for another agency with a 47-slide deck and zero results.

Looking for:
- A freelancer or small operator who's actually done this
- Someone who understands how LLMs pull and prioritize information
- Bonus if you've helped a service business (not just e-comm or SaaS)

Young and hungry works. Proven and battle-tested works too.

If you know someone, tag them. If you ARE someone, DM me.

Ted Leverette The Business Buyer Advocate

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