For owners
Handing over your business should feel calm, clear and in your control.
This page explains what matters to me, how the process works step by step, and what your options are. If anything is unclear, please call me.
Every conversation is private. Nothing is shared without your say-so.
I'll call you back myself within one business day.
What matters to you
The things you care about are the things I care about.
I can't promise that nothing will ever change. What I can tell you is how I intend to look after things, and I'll put what matters most to you in writing.
Your people
Your team knows the work, the boats and the customers. I aim to keep your team together, keep their pay and roles steady through the handover, and give the good ones room to grow.
Your name
Your name carries years of reputation. I intend to keep it on the sign, on the trucks and on the invoices, unless you'd rather it changed.
Your customers
I want your customers to feel looked after from day one. We'll plan together how to introduce me, and I intend to keep the standards they rely on.
Your timing
You decide how fast or slow this goes. I'd rather take longer and get it right than rush you into something.
The process
Five steps, one at a time.
You'll always know what step we're on and what comes next. You can pause or stop at any point.
A conversation
A phone call or a coffee. You tell me about your business and what you want for it. I tell you about me. No documents, no commitments.
A confidentiality agreement (NDA)
Before you share any numbers, we both sign a simple agreement that keeps everything private. I'm happy to use yours.
A fair valuation
I look at a few years of accounts and how the business runs. Then I explain the price I'd offer and exactly how I got there.
A structure that suits you
We agree how and when you're paid, how long you'd like to stay involved, and what happens for your team. It's all written down in plain English before anything is final.
A careful handover
We plan together how to tell your team, customers and suppliers. Your team keeps leading the day-to-day, I'm on hand from the first day, and you're involved as much or as little as you choose.
Your options
There's more than one way to hand over a business.
Every business and every owner is different. Here are some of the ways a handover can be arranged. We'd talk through what fits you, and you should always have your own accountant and attorney review it.
- Partner first, buy over time. We start as partners. You stay involved, your team keeps leading the day-to-day, and I buy the business from you gradually, in stages tied to milestones we agree together.
- A full sale. You sell the whole business and step back after an agreed handover period.
- A gradual handover. You sell now but stay on for a while, part time or full time, to help your team and customers settle in.
- Payment over time. Part of the price is paid at the handover and part is paid later, on agreed dates.
- Selling part now. You sell part of the business now and the rest later, when you're ready.
- Keeping the property. If you own the building or the land, you might keep it and lease it to the business.
For your spouse and family
This decision is usually a family one.
Your spouse may have done the books for thirty years. Your children may have grown up in the yard. They'll have questions too, and they deserve straight answers.
I'm happy to meet your family, answer their questions, and take things at a pace that works for everyone.
A letter from me to your family
A one-page letter explaining who I am, how I work, and what I intend for your business and the people in it. Print it out and share it at the kitchen table.
Not ready yet?
Let's stay in touch.
If you're a few years away, that's a good time to talk. Leave your name and how to reach you, and I'll check in now and then. No newsletters, no sales calls.
You might also find my free guide useful: Preparing to sell your business (PDF).
Common questions
Questions owners often ask me
What do I tell my employees?
Nothing, until you're ready. Our early conversations stay between us. When the time comes, we plan together how and when to tell your team, and I'm happy to be there to meet them and answer their questions. Most owners prefer to tell key people shortly before or at the handover.
Do I have to stay on after the sale? For how long?
That's up to you, and we'll agree it before anything is signed. Some owners want to hand over within a few weeks. Others like to stay a few months, or a year or more, part time. What helps most is time to introduce me to your key customers and suppliers.
How do you decide on a price?
I look at what the business earns over several years, how steady that is, what equipment and property are involved, and how much depends on you personally. I'll explain my thinking in plain English and show you how I got there. You're always welcome to have your own accountant or attorney check it.
Will you move the business?
I don't plan to. A marine business belongs where its customers and its water are. If there were ever a good reason to change location, it would be something we discuss openly, not a surprise.
What if my kids might want the business one day?
Then that conversation should come first, and I'd encourage you to have it. If family succession is a real possibility, I'm glad to wait, or to talk about options where you sell part now. If it isn't, I can help you explain the plan to them. My letter for families may help.
Will you change the name?
In most cases I would expect to keep the name. Your customers know it and trust it. If a change ever made sense, it would be discussed with you first.
How are acquisitions funded?
My acquisitions are backed by capital partners or funded through deal structuring tailored to each business. I'm the one you deal with throughout. Day-to-day leadership stays with your team, and with you during the transition if you want. My role is to back the business, strengthen it and look after it for the long term.
Do I need a broker?
No, I don't believe a broker is necessary to sell to me. In my experience, many brokers charge fees to list a business, some are paid whether or not it sells, and they don't usually help you prepare the business for a sale. What I do recommend is having your own attorney and accountant available to look after your interests. If you already work with a broker, that's fine too.
Who leads the business day to day after you buy it?
Your team does, and you too during the transition if you want to stay involved. I don't come in to take over the day-to-day. I partner with you, strengthen the business, and buy it over time, with the people who already know the work continuing to lead it.
Is this confidential?
Every conversation is private. Nothing is shared without your say-so. I'm happy to sign a confidentiality agreement before you share any details about your finances.
Have a question that isn't here? Ask me directly or call (954) 892-1147.
When you're ready, I'd like to hear about your business.
A first conversation is just that: a conversation. No paperwork, no pressure, and you decide what happens next.
Every conversation is private. Nothing is shared without your say-so.
I'll call you back myself within one business day.