Due diligence
Due diligence is where a deal either proves itself or falls apart. For a buyer, it is the only chance to verify what the seller has claimed before the money is gone. For a seller, preparing for it in advance is the difference between a smooth closing and weeks of renegotiation. We organise the process and coordinate the professionals who verify each piece.
What you leave with
You close with a clear understanding of what you are buying or selling, or you walk away before it costs you.
Who it is for
- Buyers who have a signed letter of intent and a deadline
- Sellers who want to find and fix problems before a buyer does
- Investors and lenders who need an independent review of an operating business
What we deliver
- A due diligence checklist specific to the business, its industry and the deal structure
- Financial review: earnings quality, revenue trends, margins, receivables, inventory and debt
- Commercial and operational review: customers, contracts, suppliers, staff, systems, licences and premises
- Coordination of legal, tax, environmental and technical specialists where needed
- A findings report with deal implications: proceed, renegotiate or walk
How it runs
01Scope
We agree what must be verified, who verifies it and by when, working back from the closing date.
02Request and gather
We issue the request list, set up the data room and track what has arrived and what is missing.
03Review
We analyse the financial and commercial material and brief your lawyer and CPA on legal and tax items.
04Report
You receive the findings and our view on price, structure and conditions, and we support any renegotiation.
Engagement and fees
Scoped per transaction after a 60-minute Business Acquisition consultation at $399. For sellers, vendor diligence is usually bundled with the valuation and sale preparation. Every engagement is scoped after a call and confirmed in writing. See consultations and fees.
What buyers most often find
The same issues come up in BC deal after deal. Earnings that depend on one or two customers or on a contract that expires soon. Add-backs that turn out to be ordinary operating costs. A lease with no renewal option, or a landlord who will not consent to assignment. Staff who are contractors on paper and employees in practice. Equipment older than the depreciation schedule suggests. Unpaid remittances. None of these necessarily kills a deal, but each changes what the business is worth or how the agreement must be written.
Why sellers should run their own diligence first
A buyer who finds a problem late does not simply note it. They reprice, add conditions or walk, and every week of delay weakens the seller. Vendor due diligence means we look at your business the way a buyer's accountant will, before anyone else does. Issues get fixed, explained or priced in up front. The data room is complete on day one. The buyer's diligence confirms what we already disclosed instead of discovering surprises, and the deal keeps its momentum.
Working with your professionals
Due diligence is a team effort. Your lawyer reviews contracts, corporate records, litigation and the purchase agreement. Your CPA tests the financial statements and advises on tax exposure and structure. Specialists handle environmental, technical or regulatory questions where the business needs them. Our role is to run the process, do the commercial and financial analysis, make sure nothing falls between the professionals and turn the findings into decisions about price, structure and conditions. You get one coordinated view, not a stack of separate reports.
Industries where we run this most
Questions about this service
How long does due diligence take?
The letter of intent usually sets the period, and it depends on the size and complexity of the business and how organised the seller is. Clean, well-documented companies move fast. Missing records cause delay.
What if diligence turns up a serious problem?
You have three options: renegotiate the price or structure, add protections such as a holdback or a specific indemnity, or walk away. We help you decide which and handle the conversation with the seller.
Is due diligence necessary for a small business?
Yes, scaled to the deal. A small business still has a lease, staff, customers and tax obligations, and the buyer is often putting their savings and a personal guarantee on the line.
Do you do the legal and tax review?
No. Legal and tax work belongs with licensed lawyers and CPAs, and we coordinate with yours or introduce professionals we have worked with. We do the financial and commercial analysis and manage the whole process.
Start with a confidential conversation.
Tell Ali where the business is and what you want to happen next. You leave with a straight read on value, timing and the two or three moves that matter, whether or not we work together.