FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions by founders and owner management teams considering a sale of their company

The “right time” depends on three things:

  • your growth trajectory
  • market appetite (which fluctuates)
  • your personal objectives


In practice, the best outcomes occur when businesses are:

  • growing consistently
  • demonstrating strong recurring revenue
  • not under pressure to sell

Valuation depends on a combination of:

  • recurring revenue quality (ARR, contract strength)
  • growth rate
  • customer concentration
  • margin profile
  • scalability


For IT service companies including MSPs and Software and SaaS businesses, buyers focus heavily on predictability and resilience of revenue, not just EBITDA.

Buyers usually fall into three categories:

  • Private equity-backed platforms looking to scale
  • Trade buyers seeking capability or market expansion
  • International buyers entering the UK or European market


The right buyer depends on your priorities: price, culture, growth, or legacy.

Transactions now involve partial sales where founders but most businesses we transact to trade buyers are for 100% of the equity.

  • realise value today
  • retain a stake for a “second exit”


This can significantly increase total proceeds—but requires alignment with the right partner.

A typical process runs 6–9 months from preparation to completion:

  1. Preparation and positioning
  2. Buyer outreach
  3. Offers and negotiation
  4. Due diligence
  5. Completion


Preparation is often the most critical and most underestimated stage.

We:

  • position your business around the strategic value proposition and opportunity going forward to maximise value
  • identify and approach the right buyers
  • create competitive tension
  • manage the entire process
  • negotiate terms and structure
  • guide you through diligence to completion



Our role is to protect value and reduce execution risk.

We combine:
  • deep sector knowledge
  • an established global buyer network
  • tailored outreach strategies

For IT Software and Service not, all buyers value your business the same way.
Yes. Confidentiality is tightly controlled through:
  • phased information release
  • NDAs
  • carefully managed buyer communication

Your team, customers, and competitors are protected throughout.
Typically:
  • financials (historic and forecast)
  • customer and revenue data
  • operational overview
  • product and service solutions
  • technology/platform information

We guide you through this and help present it in the strongest possible way.
Key drivers include:
  • recurring revenue quality
  • growth rate
  • customer retention
  • margin profile
  • scalability
  • management strength

Small improvements in these areas can materially impact value.
Common issues include:
  • customer concentration
  • weak contracts
  • inconsistent financials
  • over-reliance on the founder
  • technical or operational risks

Most of these can be identified and mitigated early.
Yes—and often significantly. Typical value enhancement actions:
  • improving contract structures
  • reducing churn
  • strengthening management
  • clarifying financial reporting
  • articulating a clear growth story

We often work with clients ahead of a process to optimise outcomes.

Critical.

Buyers place a premium on:

  • predictability
  • visibility of future earnings
  • contract-backed income
Buyers focus on:
  • financial quality and consistency
  • customer retention and concentration
  • contracts and revenue visibility
  • technology robustness
  • operational scalability

Preparation here directly impacts deal certainty.
Most failed deals are due to:
  • issues uncovered in diligence
  • misaligned expectations
  • poor process management

A well-run process significantly reduces these risks.
Usually, yes—at least for a transition period. In many cases:
  • founders stay 1–3 years
  • or take on a strategic role post-transaction

This is structured to suit both your preferences and the buyer’s needs.

Technology businesses are different.

Key reasons:

  • valuation drivers are more nuanced
  • buyer universe is more specialised
  • positioning is critical



Generalist advisors often fail to fully articulate tech value.

We are:
  • sector specialists in software and IT services
  • former operators, not just advisors
  • every member of the transaction team is highly experienced
  • deeply embedded in the IT Services and SaaS ecosystems

This allows us to:
  • speak the same language as buyers
  • position your business credibly
  • maximise value through insight, not just process

Fees are typically:

  • success-based (aligned to outcome)
  • with a modest capped component



We are incentivised to maximise value and complete the transaction.

Such situations rarely happen but if they did, we always align with our sell-side client

Ideally well before you plan to sell. Early engagement allows:
  • better preparation
  • value enhancement
  • strategic positioning

Even if a sale is 1–2 years away, early advice can make a significant difference.

An initial discussion is:

  • confidential
  • exploratory
  • focused on your objectives



We will give you:

  • a view on value
  • likely buyers
  • timing considerations
  • recommended next steps

No.

Many of our most successful engagements begin well before a formal process, allowing us to maximise outcomes. We provide an exit planning service, which enables a business to get ready for a potential sale. This could be over an extended period, which would explore options and changes that the business could undertake prior to marketing through a process.

Simply arrange a confidential conversation with the team at WTA Partners.