Andrew GazdeckiSerial Entrepreneur Driving Startup Acquisitions

Don't meet with buyers until you do this

18 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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In this segment, Andrew Gazdecki advises business owners to fully commit to the sales process before meeting potential buyers. He stresses the importance of having clean, well‑documented financial statements and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that clearly explain how the business operates. He recommends rehearsing answers to the typical buyer questions—why the business was started, customer acquisition methods, and any financial dips—by putting oneself in the buyer’s shoes. Gazdecki also urges owners to evaluate whether their valuation multiple and asking price are realistic for the current market, and to consider the balance between cash up‑front and deal structure. The overall goal is to ensure all “ducks are in a row” so the seller can secure the best price and terms, not merely to add extra work.

Chapters

First, you should be committed to the sales process. And from there, you should have all your financials documented, make sure it's clean, SOPs in place, all the documentation of your business, how it works. Make sure you've rehearsed and you completely understand what the buyer is going to ask. They're going to ask you, why did you start the business? How do you get new customers? What happened here in this dip in your financials? If you were the buyer, what would you focus on? And be able to put yourself in the buyer's shoes. What are they looking for? Is my multiple and my asking price realistic in today's market? Is important to me in terms of cash upfront versus deal structure, overall consideration of price. You just want to make sure all of your ducks are in a row. And this is not to just make more work for you, but it's really to help you get the best price and best terms.