There is often excitement and expectation during the exit process, but it’s no surprise when emotions and fears surface about the future. Change is near, and it’s time to lead your client to a successful conclusion of this chapter in their life. Your expertise as an M&A advisor is essential, as is your ability to guide your clients through their fears. Below is a list of common concerns in the actual process and your critical role in easing a business owner’s mind.
Fear of Failure
Every business owner wants their company to thrive, especially when it’s time to step away. Think of your client, someone who invested their time, energy, and passion into building something that truly matters. Though there is risk in every decision, you, as an M&A advisor, have the assurance and expertise to guide your client through such a critical transition. Your experience in identifying any pitfalls to avoid builds confidence and the chance to channel the fear of failure into excitement about the future.
Fear of Change
The business owner isn’t just thinking about their own transition but also the impact on employees as ownership changes. While your focus is on closing the deal, growth is equally important and comes from embracing change. The strategic growth plan built for clients transforms the “fear of change” mentality into a “need for change” mindset. You can help business owners reframe their apprehension about change into an expectation of the positive impact that quality change will bring.
Fear of Missing an Opportunity
We always strive to be at the right place at the right time. However, when new opportunities arise, there is often a fear of being at the right place at the wrong time. A business owner wants to feel fully confident they have decided to sell during the best season in the market. Throughout your career as an M&A advisor, you have witnessed that exiting is a process, not just an event. You have likely observed that business owners should not fear missing an opportunity but instead remain eager to identify the most fitting buyer and seize the moment when the time is right.
Fear That Their Legacy Won’t Last
As a business grows, so does the owner’s legacy, shaped by leadership, values, and culture. The fear during an exit? All those long nights and hard work might be lost, and the legacy could fade. In reality, the decisions made in the exit process reflect the legacy your client will leave behind. As an M&A advisor, you are uniquely positioned to understand your client’s values and help match them with a buyer who will expand what was started.
Fear of Too Much Freedom
Business owners thrive on the structure of daily work. After exiting, many are facing a future with much more time on their hands. With your guidance during this transformational season of their life, your client is transitioning from a life of constant leadership and decision-making to an entirely different situation. This shift can bring fears about managing a new life with more time and money. Your confidence, experience, and solid wealth advisor plan are vital to easing concerns and setting your client up for success after the sale.
Fear of the Unknown
It all comes back to the fear of the unknown. No business owner knows exactly where the exit process will take them. We all find comfort in routines and normalcy; now, your client has been placed on a new journey in a different life season. Not only does your skill in the M&A process bring a sense of confidence in their decision, but your experience also provides a successful path they can follow.
Partner with Generational Group for Expert Guidance
Taking the leap of faith, acknowledging that change is inevitable, and trusting a professional advisor is the first step that a business owner has conquered. As M&A experts and leaders in this industry, it is part of our role to be a listening ear and assist in a specific and tailored way for your client.
Generational Group provides access to a team of M&A professionals dedicated to guiding business owners through each stage of the process. Our client-focused approach ensures that the business owner’s future is at the core of our efforts, and we are committed to achieving the best possible outcome. Whether our clients need wealth advisory, consulting, or an exit strategy, we adapt to what serves them best. Each business owner’s unique dream becomes our mission, and our goal is to help achieve it. This is the Generational Way—a commitment to excellence and a dedication to making your aspirations a reality.
By: David Ohrvall, Chief Marketing Officer at Generational Group
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