Blog

The Scouvo Deal Intelligence Blog

Practical guides on buying, selling, and valuing businesses — from due diligence to closing.

selling valuation

How to Sell Your Small Business: A 6-Month Timeline from Valuation to Closing

Selling a business isn't something you do in a weekend. Here's a realistic 6-month roadmap covering valuation, preparation, finding buyers, due diligence, and closing — plus the one mistake that costs sellers 15-30% of their sale price.

2026-07-22 8 min read
Read more
valuation finance

Business Valuation Methods Explained: Asset, Income, and Market Approaches

When someone asks 'what's my business worth,' there are three answers — asset-based, income-based, and market-based. We break down each method, when to use it, and why buyers and sellers rarely agree on the first number.

2026-07-22 7 min read
Read more
buying due-diligence

Due Diligence Checklist: 42 Things to Verify Before Buying a Business

Most failed acquisitions trace back to missed diligence items. This checklist covers financial, legal, operational, and technology review — organized by priority so you catch deal-breakers in week one, not week eight.

2026-07-22 10 min read
Read more
buying financing

How to Buy a Small Business with Little to No Money Down

Seller financing, SBA loans, earnouts, equity rollovers, and search funds — the real playbook for acquiring a business when you don't have millions in the bank. Plus: the structure that closed 34% of 2025 small business sales.

2026-07-22 9 min read
Read more
M&A timeline

M&A Process Timeline: From LOI to Close in 90 Days

The letter of intent is just the starting gun. Here's what happens in each of the ~90 days between signing an LOI and wiring funds — diligence phases, legal workflows, financing contingencies, and the closing checklist.

2026-07-22 7 min read
Read more
buying due-diligence

15 Red Flags to Watch for When Buying a Business

Customer concentration, owner dependence, declining margins, stale inventory, unresolved litigation — these are the signals that turn a 'great deal' into a nightmare. Learn to spot them before you sign.

2026-07-22 8 min read
Read more
selling tax

Selling a Business: Tax Implications and How to Minimize Your Tax Bill

Asset sale vs. stock sale can mean a 20%+ difference in after-tax proceeds. We explain the tax treatment of each structure, the QSBS exclusion, installment sales, and the 1202 rollover strategy.

2026-07-22 9 min read
Read more
valuation EBITDA

EBITDA Adjustments and Add-Backs: What Sellers Can (and Can't) Claim

Every seller has 'adjustments' that make their EBITDA look better. Buyers see right through most of them. Here's what's legitimate, what's aggressive, and how to prepare your numbers so they survive diligence.

2026-07-22 6 min read
Read more
selling confidentiality

How to Sell Your Business Confidentially Without Employees Finding Out

The #1 fear of business owners selling: employees finding out and leaving. Here's the playbook for running a confidential sale process — blind profiles, NDA sequencing, off-site meetings, and deal room security.

2026-07-22 7 min read
Read more

Subscribe to the Scouvo Newsletter

Get weekly insights on deal intelligence, valuation trends, and M&A best practices — delivered to your inbox.