Christine McDannell, founder of M&A advisory firm The Magnolia Firm, discusses buyer demand and client intake thresholds for profitable businesses.
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Digital M&A remains a seller's market despite 2022 rate hikes
“It's, anybody listening, it's definitely still a seller's market. The R word isn't scaring anybody. The Fed raising the rates is not, like, it's just a seller's market still, which is amazing”
Insight
Sellers should send prospective buyers weekly growth updates during closing
“Every single week, we're sending that buyer, like, an exciting email, like, hey, this is a new initiative we launched this week. Hey, these are our sales numbers. Hey, et cetera, and keeping them completely excited, engaged the whole way until the close”
What-if
McDannell saved an acquisition after low appraisal via weekly growth updates
“And like, it almost fell out because the appraisal came in so low and I stuck to the full price offer. And, but I know he would have, they would have dropped if they weren't so excited and engaged and watching me grow the company for three and a half months.”
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Unnamed buyer signed LOI, completed diligence, and wired funds within 24 hours
“So from the morning he came in and then he met with the seller in the afternoon. We did LOI same day and then we did due diligence and then he closed and wired the money the very next day.”
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Richard Branson admitted Virgin Galactic cost double his original budget
“Virgin Galactic, he said he spent double what he would think he would spend. He said it was super crazy stressful”
Disclosure
McDannell raised on $10M valuation and sold pre-revenue at a discount
“I started a tech company in 2018. We sold it last year, but not for, you know, it was very expensive to build out. Of course we didn't hit revenue. And so we had to sell it at a discount last year, but I was, it was like a fun time, you know, as I was in Los A…”