Insights & guides for buying and selling a Canadian business
Timely news, practical guides, and market data for buyers, sellers, and brokers — written for Canadian small and medium businesses.
Buying
What Canadian business buyers are prioritising now
What gets a buyer to look twice now that more listings are on the market: financials that reconcile with CRA filings and add-backs backed by documents.
ReadThe real reason deals collapse in due diligence
Deals rarely die over one dramatic discovery. More often a string of smaller issues, like numbers that do not reconcile, erodes trust during due diligence.
ReadWhy lease terms decide main-street deals
For many main-street businesses, the lease decides the deal as much as the financial statements do. Restaurants, retail and service shops often cannot move.
ReadSelling
Why most Canadian owners have no succession plan
Most owners intend to exit within a decade, yet most don’t have a written plan — the gap is more structural than procrastination.
ReadThe hidden cost of taking an unprepared business to market
Going to market before a business is ready can cost more than a lower price. Brokers report it sometimes costs the sale itself and hurts the next listing.
ReadThe case for selling earlier than you planned
Some owners have good reasons to start planning an exit earlier than assumed. This looks at why to begin preparing sooner, not whether to sell right away.
ReadFinancing & valuation
What financing costs mean for business buyers
How the cost of acquisition debt changes what a buyer can offer for a Canadian business, and how buyers typically adjust when borrowing costs shift.
ReadWhy owner dependence is the quiet discount on your price
Two businesses with similar earnings can end up on very different terms once a lender is involved, because owner dependence is priced into the deal structure.
ReadWhat has changed in acquisition lending for small buyers
What lenders look for when financing a small business acquisition, from normalized earnings to debt service and buyer equity, and how preparation helps.
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