Our Process

A rigorous process, built for the most important transaction of your life.

Most owners spend decades building something valuable — and less than a year preparing to sell it. That gap is where deals fail. FFBA's five-stage process closes it.

01

Stage One

Discovery

Valuation, strategic alignment, and a plan built around your goals.
Before anything else, we need to understand your business and your objectives. Most sellers don't have a clear picture of what their business is worth, what the process looks like, or what they actually want on the other side. We fix that first.
What happens in this stage:

  • Confidential intake conversation with Ben Calkins — no obligation, no fee

  • Preliminary financial review to assess deal viability and value range

  • Broker Opinion of Value, delivered in person

  • Alignment on your goals: timeline, confidentiality, post-close involvement

  • A clear explanation of the full process and what to expect at each stage

02

Stage Two

Preparation

Building the strongest possible case for your business before a single buyer sees it.
The difference between a business that sells for full value and one that struggles through diligence is almost always preparation. We invest heavily here because it determines everything that follows.
What happens in this stage:
What happens in this stage

  • Financial normalization — recast financials to reflect true owner earnings

  • Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) — the primary document buyers use to evaluate your business

  • Legal documentation prepared in coordination with your legal counsel — NDAs, engagement letters, and standard deal documents

  • Pre-listing tax and financial planning with your trusted advisors

  • Operational documentation review — closing the gaps buyers commonly raise in diligence

03

Stage Three

Go-to-Market

Targeted, confidential outreach to qualified buyers — not a listing on a public marketplace.
We don't post your business and wait. We run a structured, confidential outreach program targeting buyers actively looking for businesses like yours — strategic acquirers, financial buyers, search funds, and our own buyer network.
What happens in this stage

  • Blind teaser distributed to qualified buyers — business described without identifying information

  • NDA executed before any identifying information or financials are disclosed

  • Outreach to FFBA's in-house Midwest buyer database — including our active buy-side client book

  • Coordinated outreach to strategic acquirers in your industry where applicable

  • Buyer qualification — financial capacity, strategic fit, and seriousness of intent assessed before any meeting

04

Stage Four

Negotiation

Driving a competitive process — and protecting you on the terms that matter most.
An offer is not a deal. The terms of a letter of intent — price, structure, earnout provisions, representations and warranties, transition requirements — carry financial consequences most sellers don't fully see until it's too late. We negotiate every element.
What happens in this stage

  • Letter of intent (LOI) review and negotiation — price, structure, and key terms

  • Deal structure guidance — asset sale vs. stock sale, seller financing, earnout provisions

  • Legal integration with your chosen legal counsel from the first LOI review

  • Multiple buyer management where applicable — creating competitive tension that lifts value

  • Representation and warranty negotiation — protecting your post-close exposure

05

Stage Five

Closing

Seamless execution through closing — and a transition that protects what you built.
More deals fall apart in due diligence than most sellers expect. FFBA's preparation-focused approach is designed to reduce surprises — but when issues arise, we manage them. We stay in the deal through the day funds transfer.
What happens in this stage

  • Due diligence management — document room organization, buyer Q&A coordination, issue resolution

  • Ongoing legal coordination with closing counsel through the purchase agreement and final documents

  • Financing coordination — lender communication, SBA process management where applicable

  • Closing logistics — timeline management, condition satisfaction, final walkthrough

  • Post-close transition planning — employee communication, customer transition, and operational handover

Ready to understand what your business is worth?

A confidential conversation with Ben Calkins is the first step. No obligation, no fee.

Schedule a Confidential Consultation