Confidential sell-side M&A advisory
SeaRidge Advisory is a sell-side M&A advisory firm for owners of privately held companies. We typically advise on transactions of about $3 million to $50 million or more in enterprise value.
We help you prepare for market, connect with qualified buyers and negotiate your exit, from preparation through closing.
Free Business ValuationWe work with owners at different points in the decision:
We are based in San Diego, California, and work with owners nationwide.
We also advise companies in other sectors. Several of these industries have a dedicated SeaRidge Advisory specialist firm. See Our Brands.
One advisory team runs the sale with you from the first valuation question to the handover.
An initial view of value, the earnings measure buyers are likely to use, and the issues worth fixing before buyers see them.
Organizing financial statements, tax returns, adjustment support and the operating information buyers will ask for.
Identifying the types of buyers that fit your goals, then screening them for funding, decision authority and plans for the business.
Confidentiality agreements and staged information sharing, so sensitive detail goes only to buyers who have earned it.
Comparing cash at closing, seller notes, earnouts, retained equity, conditions and your role after the sale.
Organizing buyer requests, tracking open items and coordinating with your attorney, CPA and other advisors.
Agreeing your support period and how key relationships and responsibilities move to the buyer.
Your legal, tax and financial advisors lead the legal documents, tax treatment and other specialist decisions. We coordinate the process around them.
Fees. SeaRidge Advisory does not charge an upfront retainer, listing fee or ongoing advisory fee. Under the engagement agreement, we earn a commission only if the business sells.
The titles overlap, and firms differ more than the labels suggest. As a rough guide:
| Topic | Business broker | M&A advisor | Investment bank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual deal size | Main Street sales, often under about $2 million | Lower middle market, roughly $2 million to $50 million | Larger, more complex transactions. Minimums vary by firm. |
| Typical buyers | Individual buyers, often buying their first or second business | Private equity groups, strategic acquirers, family offices, industry operators and qualified individuals | Large strategic and institutional buyers |
| Earnings buyers usually price | Seller’s discretionary earnings (SDE) | Adjusted EBITDA | Adjusted EBITDA |
| How buyers are found | Listings and buyer databases are common | Targeted, confidential outreach to selected buyers | Structured processes run across a wide buyer list |
Size bands follow the segments IBBA and M&A Source use in their quarterly Market Pulse survey: Main Street under $2 million, lower middle market $2 million to $50 million.
SeaRidge Advisory works as a sell-side M&A advisor for lower middle market companies. Whoever you hire, ask who will prepare the business, find and qualify buyers, control disclosure, negotiate terms and stay through closing. Our guide to choosing between a business broker and an M&A advisor covers the questions in more detail.
SeaRidge Advisory coordinates preparation, buyer outreach, offer evaluation, and transaction execution around your objectives. Each stage informs the next.
Clarify sale objectives, assess readiness, and organize the information buyers will need.
Screen relevant buyers and use confidentiality agreements before sharing sensitive information in stages.
Compare price, payment terms, conditions, and your role after closing.
Coordinate buyer questions and work toward closing alongside your legal, tax, and financial advisors.
Plan for months, not weeks. Most sales we run take 4 to 9 months from engagement to closing, with about 6 months typical. Complex deals can take longer.
Before Going to Market
You do not need a finished sale plan to speak with us. We start with what matters to you, then identify the information and preparation your business needs.
The First Conversation
Tell us what you want from a sale, not just when you want to leave.
Exploring now or planning ahead? Either is a useful place to start.
The Initial Review
We help identify the records and questions that deserve attention before buyer outreach.
Bring what you have. We can identify gaps together and discuss whether to prepare further or explore a sale.
Free Business ValuationBuyer Qualification
Interest alone is not enough. SeaRidge Advisory evaluates a buyer’s financial capacity, decision-making authority and acquisition plans before discussions advance.
Understand how the buyer expects to fund the purchase, what financing is needed and what evidence supports the plan.
Can they fund the acquisition?Identify who approves the acquisition, which partners or committees are involved and what could delay a decision.
Who can commit to the deal?Discuss why the buyer wants the company and how their plans affect your team, customers and role after closing.
Is the fit right for your exit?Evaluating an Offer
An offer is more than one number. SeaRidge Advisory helps you compare when you would be paid, what must happen before closing and what you would still be responsible for afterward.
At Closing
Review the amount due when ownership changes hands, then distinguish it from what you would actually keep.
After Closing
Some offers include money paid later or an ownership stake you keep. Neither is cash you receive on the closing date.
Compare financing, approvals, due diligence and the proposed timetable.
Review what is sold, what you retain, transition duties and continuing liabilities with your advisors.
Review the buyer’s plans for your team and customer relationships.
A higher headline price may include delayed or conditional payments. Compare the whole offer, not just the number at the top.
From Accepted Offer to Handover
An accepted offer starts the next phase of work. We coordinate buyer requests, open decisions and transition planning so you can stay focused on running the business.
The buyer checks the records behind the offer. We help organize information requests, coordinate responses and keep outstanding questions visible.
The focus: accurate financial, operating and contract information.
We track unresolved terms, financing milestones and required approvals with the buyer and your advisors.
The focus: who owns each open item and what needs to happen next.
Clarify your agreed support period, the handover of key relationships and how responsibilities will move to the buyer.
The focus: a clear transition plan and defined obligations after closing.
SeaRidge Advisory coordinates the sale process alongside your legal, tax and financial advisors. Those advisors guide the legal documents, tax treatment and other specialist decisions.
Most owners worry about employees, customers or competitors finding out too early. The process is built around that concern.
Buyers are screened before discussions advance, and confidentiality agreements are in place before sensitive information is shared.
Access expands as the discussion becomes more substantive, not simply because someone asks.
Requesting a valuation does not market your business, contact prospective buyers or commit you to sell.
A controlled process reduces unnecessary exposure. It cannot eliminate every confidentiality risk.
For more on keeping a sale quiet, see how to sell a business confidentially.
Tell us about your company and your goals. We can discuss timing, preparation and the next step.
Looking for industry-specific advisory? Find your specialist team.
