Such deals aren’t the exclusive domain of the billion-dollar companies, of course. Smaller companies may decide that the acquisition of another company could help take its business to the next level. An industry veteran may look to exit the business and sell to the next generation or an independent buyer. There is a steady flow of businesses changing hands, but the actual process to acquire or sell a company can be complicated and time-consuming.
Selling a business is probably the most important transaction of a business owner’s life, says Stephen Becker, managing director of Emory & Co., an investment-banking firm located in Milwaukee. Becker, who is a former owner of Becker Food Co. Inc., says that an owner looking to make a sale should assemble a team of experts to guide him or her through the process, including an attorney, an accountant and a mergers & acquisitions expert.