A Startup founder looks for some M&A info

May 26, 2025

by a searcher from New York University in New York, NY, USA

I'm a startup founder and plan to sell my company in next three years. I didn't raise any funding from VCs. And now the product have a few thousands users and make around 1M annually. How can I just start and prepare for that?

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Reply by a professional
from Texas State University in Sidney, NE 69162, USA

You're wise to be thinking about this now. Most founders wait too long and leave leverage and legacy on the table. An exit isn’t a finish line. It’s the result of building something transferable, durable, and valuable in someone else’s hands. Here’s where I’d focus: 1. Make your numbers tell a story. Clean, accurate, and segmented financials aren't just for tax season. They’re how buyers decide if you're a risk or a reward. 2. Build the business beyond you. The less it relies on your presence, the more it's worth. Start extracting yourself from operations and documenting what drives results. 3. Understand your likely buyer. Different buyers value different things. The more clearly you understand who you’re building for, the better decisions you'll make today. We guide founders through this all the time. If it would be useful to walk through what a thoughtful exit might look like in your case, happy to share what we’ve seen work. You're asking the right question. Now’s the time to shape the right outcome.

Reply by a professional
from The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX, USA

Good question. We've bought and sold, so we can tell you what the buyer is looking for and how to best prepare yourself to get your goal. First of, they'll want 3 years of financials done by a professional accountant. We can do a valuation to help you get a sense of what they market with pay, so you're not blind sided by offers. Happy to talk more: redacted

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