How do I run a sale process myself?

A sale process is a sequence of steps, not a single event, and running it yourself means owning each step instead of handing it to a broker. It is doable for many owners, particularly on a smaller or simpler sale, but it takes real time and a plan.

What "running a process" actually means

At a minimum it means preparing your financial and business information, deciding how to describe the opportunity to prospective buyers, finding and vetting people who might be interested, negotiating price and terms, and coordinating with your lawyer and accountant through to closing. Each step has its own pitfalls.

Marketing without a broker

You can reach buyers through your own network, industry contacts, an accountant or lawyer’s referrals, and online listing platforms built for business sales. Decide upfront whether you want the business named publicly or described without identifying detail, and prepare a short summary buyers can review before asking for more.

Screening and confidentiality on your own

Ask interested buyers to identify themselves and sign a non-disclosure agreement before you share financials or anything else sensitive, and ask enough questions upfront to gauge whether they are financially capable of completing a purchase. Doing this consistently, for every inquiry, is easy to skip when you are managing everything yourself.

Negotiating and knowing when to bring in help

You can negotiate price and terms directly, but involve a lawyer as soon as you are discussing a letter of intent or anything that starts to look like a binding commitment, and involve your accountant before agreeing on deal structure. Running the process yourself does not mean doing every part alone.