What Is An Equity Rollover When Selling Your Business?

In M&A, an equity rollover, or recapitalization (recap), occurs when a business owner sells their company but chooses to reinvest, or “roll over,” a portion of the proceeds into the newly acquired business. An equity rollover allows a shareholder to maintain a vested interest in the combined business and benefit from any potential future growth […]

Retirement: Ready or Not?

In the latest episode of The Selling Successfully Podcast, Portage Founder and Partner Jim Friesen was joined by Portage Partner and Head of Valuations, Ryan Buist, to remind sellers that there’s much more to consider than just numbers when it comes to retirement. There’s an introspective process they must undertake to truly assess their level […]

How To Avoid Being Surprised By Your Business Valuation 

A significant number of business owners do not know how much their business is worth. That can be a source of conflict in the face of unfortunate events such as a divorce or a partnership separation. But it can be even more painful when the business owner plans to retire, only to find out the […]

Smart Exit: The Power of Wealth Management

In the latest episode of The Selling Successfully Podcast, Portage Founder and Partner Jim Friesen was joined by Ed Lee, Investment Advisor at RBC, to talk about the importance of holistic wealth planning and management now to set business owners and their families up for a successful future.  Here are the 5 key takeaways for […]

Mastering Mergers: Acquisition Lessons Learned

In the latest episode of The Selling Successfully Podcast, Portage Founder and Partner Jim Friesen gets the inside scoop and buyer perspective from recent client Sean Brown, Partner at Summit Ridge Capital and now CEO of Burloak Tool & Die. Here are the 5 key takeaways for those thinking about or ready to acquire a […]

The M&A Lawyer Leverage

Lawyer managing business accounts. Close up of a senior businessman hands checking final report before submission. Close up of hands of leadership signing business contract.

In the latest episode of The Selling Successfully Podcast, Portage Founder and Partner Jim Friesen and Kevin Fernandes, Partner at KMB Law, discussed the critical role M&A lawyers play in rounding out a seller’s comprehensive and competitive deal team. Here are the 5 key takeaways for business owners thinking about or ready to sell. Some […]

Top 8 Reasons Buyers Walk Away From an M&A Deal

Making the decision to acquire a business can be a complicated process fraught with risk. Even when the financials look good and the potential rewards seem great, there are several reasons why a buyer might decide to walk away from a deal. Understanding these reasons can help sellers prepare for negotiations and improve the likelihood […]

M&A Trends: Six-Month Update For 2023

If you follow global M&A news, you may know that larger deals have seen a slowdown these last six months, as rising interest rates and fears of a banking crisis have affected the market. According to data from Dealogic, global M&A deal volume fell by 17% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the […]

Stay Bonuses Add Value When Selling A Business

We’re selling a business in which a management team member holds a minority equity stake. This critical employee stands to get a small windfall in the sale. On top of that, the seller was telling us she meant to give this employee a nice financial gift as a thank you afterwards. That’s where we pumped […]

Structuring an M&A Deal

Orchestrating an M&A deal involves several key steps, including valuation, documentation, buyer identification, negotiation, and due diligence. Here is a general outline of how to structure an M&A deal: It’s important to note that M&A transactions can be complex and involve many legal, financial, and operational considerations. As a result, it is common for both […]