The Due Diligence Checklist for Selling Your Business: What to Have Ready Before You List
A due diligence checklist for selling your business is a structured inventory of the financial, legal, operational, and organizational documents that a buyer will review before closing the transaction. Most sellers encounter this list for the first time after signing a letter of intent (LOI), when the buyer’s advisor sends a request list and a deadline. That timing is a problem. The sellers who get the best […]
Selling a Business in Charlotte, NC: What Local Owners Said They Wished They Had Known
Selling a business in Charlotte, NC, involves more than finding a buyer and agreeing on a price. This article covers what Charlotte-area business owners consistently said they wished they’d known before they sold, including valuation blind spots, the identity shift that follows closing, and the questions most sellers never thought to ask about the buyer sitting across […]
Seller Financing in a Business Sale: What Seller Notes, Earnouts, and Rollover Equity Really Cost You
Seller financing in a business sale refers to any arrangement where you, as the seller, accept something other than cash at closing for a portion of your purchase price. The three most common structures are seller notes (a fixed loan from seller to buyer), earnouts (contingent payments tied to post-closing performance), and rollover equity (a […]
Charlotte’s M&A Market in 2026: Which Industries Are Drawing the Most Buyer Interest
Charlotte’s M&A market in 2026 is active, but buyer interest is not spread evenly across all industries. Commercial and industrial services, healthcare services, and business and tech-enabled services are drawing the strongest buyer demand right now, driven by Charlotte’s specific economic composition: its concentration of financial capital, a wave of corporate relocations, and a well-capitalized […]
SDE vs. EBITDA Multiples: Why the Same Business Gets Two Different Valuations
SDE (Seller’s Discretionary Earnings) and EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) are two different ways of measuring the same thing: the economic benefit a business produces. Because they measure that benefit differently, the multiples applied to each look very different. A business priced at 2.5x SDE and the same business priced at 5x EBITDA can produce identical […]
Selling a Manufacturing Business in North Carolina: What Buyers Are Paying Right Now
Selling a manufacturing business in North Carolina involves navigating a market where buyer interest is genuine but valuations are more complicated than the headlines suggest. Manufacturing and construction led lower-middle-market deal volume in 2025, according to the IBBA Market Pulse, and the generational wave of Baby Boomer owners bringing companies to market is real and active. But PE-backed buyers, who […]
What Buyers Look for When Buying a Business: Why Cash Flow Is the First Thing They Evaluate
When buyers evaluate a business for purchase, cash flow is the primary lens through which everything else gets priced. It is not one item on a checklist; it is the foundation of the valuation, the basis of any financing approval, and the single number a buyer stress-tests before submitting an offer. Understanding what a buyer sees when they look at your financials […]
What Clean Financials for a Business Sale Actually Buy You at the Negotiating Table
Clean financials for a business sale means your income statements, tax returns, and supporting records are reconciled, consistent, and defensible under scrutiny. It means a buyer or their lender can open your data room and trace every number without asking you to explain discrepancies. That matters not as a compliance standard but as a negotiating […]
Working With a Business Broker in Charlotte, NC: What the Process Actually Looks Like
Working with a business broker in Charlotte, NC means engaging a professional who will confidentially market your business to a pre-screened pool of buyers, manage the flow of financial information, and guide the transaction from valuation through closing. The process is fundamentally different from selling real estate: there are no public listings, no open houses, […]
How to Prepare to Sell a Business: What Buyers Look For and What Owners Miss
Over the years, I’ve worked on both sides of transactions, advising companies, evaluating businesses as an investor, and working directly with owner-led and family-owned companies. That perspective has shaped how I think about what it really takes to prepare to sell a business and what often surprises owners when they begin considering an exit. One of the most common misconceptions […]
What “Optionality” Means in M&A for Business Owners
When business owners begin thinking about selling their company, one concept comes up often but is rarely explained clearly: optionality. It sounds abstract, but it’s not. In the context of mergers and acquisitions, optionality is one of the most practical and valuable advantages a business owner can build. What Is Optionality in M&A? Optionality in M&A means having […]
Why Philadelphia Was the Next Right Market for Viking M&A
A diverse lower middle market, a strong base of privately held businesses, and growing succession needs made Philadelphia a natural place for Viking to deepen its Mid-Atlantic presence. Geoff Veale is building the office around that reality. When Viking Mergers & Acquisitions expanded into Philadelphia earlier this year, the move was about more than geography. It was a step into a market that […]
Empowering East TN Business Owners: Viking M&A Launches Chattanooga Office
The recent opening of our Chattanooga, TN, division marked Viking M&A’s 14th location, further solidifying our presence in and commitment to the Southeast. With established offices in Nashville and Knoxville, this expansion ensures that even more Tennessee business owners can access Viking’s trusted expertise in navigating business sales, mergers, and acquisitions. A Thriving Environment with […]
What are “Add-Backs” and How Do They Impact Business Valuations?
When it’s time to sell your business, your financial statements tell a story. But if you’re still running meals, cars, and wellness retreats through the P&L, that story might need a little editing. That’s where add-backs come in. Add-backs are a crucial part of the business valuation process, especially in the lower middle market. For […]
Viking M&A Expands to Baltimore, Strengthens Support for Local Business Owners
The business landscape in Baltimore has gained a powerful new resource for entrepreneurs looking to buy or sell a business: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions has officially opened in Baltimore, Maryland. With this expansion, we continue our mission to provide expert guidance to small and mid-sized business owners navigating the complex process of mergers and acquisitions. […]
Fort Lauderdale’s M&A Activity and Business Climate in the Lower Middle Market
A Strategic Look at Business Growth, Opportunities, and Trends in South Florida When you think of Fort Lauderdale, your first thoughts might be yachts, sunshine, and waterfront living, but there is a serious business engine powering this paradise. As one of Florida’s most dynamic economic centers, Fort Lauderdale is emerging as a prime location for […]
Viking Expands to Dallas, Texas
Viking Mergers & Acquisitions is proud to announce the opening of our newest office in Dallas, Texas, marking our fifteenth location across the Southern U.S. and our third in Texas. With established offices in Houston and Austin, this expansion allows us to better serve clients throughout the Texas Triangle, one of the nation’s most dynamic […]
6 Types of Entrepreneurs: Matching Your Style to the Right Business Model
When discussing types of entrepreneurship, it is vital also to identify and recognize types of entrepreneurs. To fully appreciate the spectrum of entrepreneurship, we’ll discuss six main types of entrepreneurs: The Creator, The Builder, The Operator, The Innovator, The Visionary, and The Analyst. We distinguish between these types of entrepreneurs based on key characteristics that […]
Advisor Feature: Ben Locke in Nashville, TN
Middle Tennessee continues to experience exciting growth, and Viking M&A is thrilled to match the dynamic pace by welcoming Ben Locke to our Nashville office. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, Ben’s journey to Nashville is as unique as his professional and athletic pursuits. An accomplished soccer player, Ben initially attended North Carolina State University on a […]
Top 5 Industries in Atlanta You Should Know About
Atlanta, GA, is a vibrant city with a diverse and thriving economy. Known for its southern charm and bustling urban energy, Atlanta has become a magnet for various industries, driving innovation and growth. Entrepreneurs looking to expand, start, or acquire a business in Atlanta are wise to understand the dynamic economic landscape. Here, we explore […]