May 2012

Seventy Voices of Experience on Meeting the Challenges of Middle Market Acquisitions. Findings from an Online Interview of Middle Market Executives, Investors, and Advisors.

• Three questions of prospective buyers

• Essential preparations to sell

• Assembling your team

• Presenting the opportunity

• Satisfying due diligence

• Where should an owner focus?

March 2015

Actionable recommendations for anticipating and preparing for inevitable deal surprises. Learnings from online interviews with over 80 executives and advisers, plus 3 in-depth interviews.

• Top Reasons Private Equity Firms Invest in Middle Market Companies 

• What to Look for in a Private Equity Investor 

• What to Expect in a Sale Process 

• By the Way, What’s a Private Equity Investor?

• Basics: equity and debt financing

• Investors and risk profiles

• Investors’ investors

• Dilution

• Agreeing on price

• Non-dilutive capital

• Value creation, risk reduction

• Funding/cash required through launch, scale-up, and ongoing operation

• Avoiding “hockey stick” projections

• Essential elements:  product/service, talent, capital

• Feasibility:  does it work; will they buy?

• Customer view:  valuable, available, low-risk

• "Build a better mousetrap..."?

• Protecting uniqueness

• Capital:  creating value, reducing risk

• Disruptive innovations

• Reaching customers:  benefits/value, features, limitations

• Case study:  Searle's aspartame sweetener

• Channel to market