Questions, answered before the first call.

Everything we get asked

• What does it cost to work with you?

  Consultations are fixed price: a 90-minute Strategy Session is $499, a 60-minute Business Acquisition consultation is $399, a 75-minute Canadian Market Entry consultation is $449 and a 60-minute Startup Advisory session is $349. A BizSell.ca business valuation is $3,500 flat. Selling a business under $2M is a $5,000 retainer plus 10% of the transaction value, with a $25,000 minimum. Larger engagements are quoted after the first conversation.

• How long does it take to sell a business in British Columbia?

  It depends on size, industry, price and how prepared the company is. The process runs consultation, valuation, package, qualified buyers, offers and negotiation, due diligence, then closing and transfer, and each stage takes as long as the business and the buyer need. Owners who start a year or more before their target date have the most choice. Owners who need to sell this quarter have the least.

• Will anyone find out my business is for sale?

  Not from us. Nothing with your name on it is shared until a buyer has signed a non-disclosure agreement, told us who they are and shown they can fund the purchase. Early marketing uses a blind profile that describes the business without identifying it. We sign an NDA with you at the start, and your staff, customers and suppliers learn about the sale when you decide.

• Who are you not?

  We are not a law firm, an accounting firm, a lender, a registered securities dealer or adviser, a licensed real estate brokerage or a regulated immigration consultancy. We are business advisers and, through BizSell.ca, business brokers and M&A advisers. Legal, tax, immigration, securities and property work is always done alongside licensed professionals, and we introduce you to ones we have worked with when you need them.

• How does Ali work with clients?

  Ali leads every engagement personally. He holds an MBA in Technology Management, founded his first company in 2007, moved to Vancouver in 2019 and has founded eight companies, including BizSell.ca. Behind him is a team of more than thirty specialists across finance, operations, sales systems, data, marketing, technology and development, distributed across Canada, who join an engagement by function when the work needs them.

• Where do you work?

  We are based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and British Columbia is our primary market. We work with clients across the province and in every other province by video, phone and on site. Consultations are held by video, by phone or in person in Vancouver, and for transactions we travel to the business when a visit is needed.

• I am new to Canada. Can you help me buy or start a business?

  Yes. Many of our clients are newcomers, and Ali has been through the same learning curve himself. We advise on the business side: what to buy or build, what it is worth, how to finance and structure it and how to run it in Canada. Anything connected to immigration status is handled by a regulated immigration consultant or lawyer, with whom we work closely. We never promise immigration outcomes.

• How should I prepare before I call?

  Have a rough idea of what you want to achieve and when, and gather what you can of your recent financial statements, tax filings, leases and any offers or correspondence you have received. If you are a buyer, think about what you can invest, what you can run and where you want to be. None of it needs to be perfect. The first conversation is about understanding your situation, not judging your paperwork.

• What is my business worth?

  Only a valuation can answer that properly. A BizSell.ca valuation costs $3,500, uses three methods (discounted cash flow, market multiples and asset-based), presents normalised EBITDA and seller's discretionary earnings and comes as a 25 to 35 page report with a review session. It is the starting point for a sale, an exit plan, a partner buyout or a financing application, and it tells you what would move the number.

• Do I need a lawyer and an accountant as well?

  Yes, for any transaction. Your lawyer drafts and negotiates the legal agreements and advises on structure and liability. Your CPA advises on tax and tests the financial statements. We do the valuation, the preparation, the buyer or target search, the commercial negotiation and the project management, and we coordinate the professionals so the deal moves as one. If you do not have them, we introduce you to professionals we have worked with.

• What size of business do you work with?

  On the sell side, our Main Street engagement covers deals under $2M and carries a $25,000 minimum fee, which suits businesses selling for several hundred thousand dollars and up. Lower mid-market engagements cover $2M to $10M. The Growth Partner model is for companies doing roughly $500K to $30M with proven demand. Valuations, consultations and startup advisory have no minimum size.

• Do you invest in businesses?

  Through the Growth Partner model, yes, as capability rather than a cheque. For Canadian companies with proven demand and revenue between roughly $500K and $30M, Ali and his team embed across marketing, sales, operations, finance and technology and are paid by revenue share, equity or a hybrid retainer plus bonus. We do not buy or sell securities and never advise anyone on whether to invest.

• How do I contact you, and how quickly do you reply?

  Phone or text (604) 632-4959, or email ali@sedighi.ca. There is no automated reply. We respond within one business day, and we sign a non-disclosure agreement on request before you share anything about your business. Consultations are booked by the same phone number or email.

• Can you help me buy a business if I have never owned one?

  Yes. First-time buyers are a large part of our buy-side work. We start with a Business Acquisition consultation to set criteria: what you can afford, what you can credibly run and what to avoid. Then we screen opportunities, value the target independently, structure the offer, coordinate due diligence with your lawyer and CPA and plan the handover so the business stays steady after closing.