buyer one-pager guidance

searcher profile

October 14, 2024

by a searcher from Brown University in Westport, CT, USA

hi all - i am putting together a one-pager on my (and my partner/brother's) background + our search criteria that I can share with the brokerage community. can you share any feedback or examples of what you have included in these docs in terms of how specific you are getting on your criteria (variables we intend to include: geographic focus, industries, deal size, pp multiple, our professional backgrounds, etc)? thanks in advance for any guidance.

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Reply by a searcher
from University of California, Berkeley in Seattle Metropolitan Area, WA, USA
I cannot speak to the brokers but I can't imagine they're checking out many websites. A one-pager that holds your specifics for any deal you're seeking will be more valuable. With the searchers I've worked with and the acquisitions that I've done with partners, we always try to niche these down far more in a Google Doc or other shareable item and then include the most specific criteria (that make your search stand out to those you're trying to seek help from) as they pertain to your longer set of criteria.
Example - everyone is searching for $.5-$10mm in EBITDA/SDE but are there thresholds that stick to what would be doable from a transaction / capital structure for you? Or are you targeting better margin performance or revenue growth (Rule of 40 is generic but maybe answering why or an industry for how you can become specific)? Does your industry background serve you better vertically or horizontally and are you comfortable with products/services/etc....?


These are the types of things that need to jump off a page, particularly if you're not coming to the table with a wad of 100% cash at 20% over asking (I've yet to hear anyone say they do this when it fits all of their listed criteria - we still look for deals within a multiple range).
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Reply by an intermediary
from The Johns Hopkins University in Gainesville, FL, USA
I get a lot of these, and they are usually laid out as follows:
1 - Industries
2 - Geographic Locations
3 - Revenue Range
4 - EBIDTA Range (or other indications of profitability and/or cash flow)
5 - Key people bios (basic info with LinkedIN or web page links for more details)
It helps to include additional information about your investment criteria. Are you OK with CapEx heavy businesses? Do you hope the owner will stay on for a significant period of time? It also helps to include info about your longer-term goals and post-purchase strategy, e.g., what is your investment horizon, or are you doing an industry roll-up?
The bottom line in my opinion is alignment. Good brokers look for buyers whose needs and goals match their seller's needs and goals.
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