There are those obvious things above, of course, but it also depends on what comes up during your conversations and what you really want to verify. You also want to look at any other entities they own, beneficial ownership etc. A good investigator understands what a red flag is and what requires further investigation, rather than simply giving you a report of the basics.

Brynn — “background check” gets used to mean a lot of different things, and the gap between a basic screen and real diligence can be bigger than people realize. We did a session with a private investigator (now housed in VAULT) that unpacked this really well. At a minimum, I’d think in three buckets: • Personal risk: criminal history (and what databases that actually means), bankruptcies, major civil judgments, etc. • Deal-specific risk: litigation patterns, regulatory issues, prior business failures, undisclosed affiliates/other entities, beneficial ownership complexity • Integrity/verification: credential claims, reputation/behavioral red flags, consistency across the story you’re being told Two practical takeaways: • Scope should follow what you’re hearing in calls — a good investigator (or counsel) follows threads, not checklists. • Timing matters: too early is wasteful; too late and you may lose leverage. If it’s useful, the VAULT session is Nona Patronite: “Uncovering the Truth — How Executive Investigations Discover the Facts.” It covers what’s typically included, what’s commonly misunderstood (especially “national” searches), and how to scope an engagement. There’s a 7‑day trial for myVAULT.tv, and Searchfunder members can use code SEARCHFUNDER for a discount. Be sure to try the new Create Video Notes feature, which summarizes all the tips and links to the exact spot in the video. Hope to hear soon that your deal has closed. —Karen