Things that ACTUALLY kill deals...
November 06, 2025
by a professional in Windermere, FL 34786, USA
Everyone loves to talk about “deal killers.”
But after closing $1.5 billion in SMB deals since 2022, here’s what actually ends them and what just feels scary but usually doesn’t.
Things That Rarely Kill Deals (But Everyone Thinks They Do):
1. Personal guarantees in sellers notes.
2. Sellers getting cold feet once they see the finish line.
3. Landlord lease negotiations.
4. Seller shopping the business and getting a “higher offer.”
5. Exclusivity running out.
6. Lending delays or extensions.
7. Asking the seller to stay on for a period post-close.
Things That Actually Kill Deals:
1. QoE findings that blow up the valuation.
2. Realizing you won't have enough working capital.
3. Lawyers making unreasonable liability asks or slowing down the process eventually breaking buyer/seller trust.
4. Confession of judgment in seller's notes, push back on the noncompete or other extreme risk risk allocation demands.
What am I missing?
from Harvard University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
from The University of Chicago in Chicago, IL, USA