Newbie Looking For Thoughts on Deal Eval and Due Diligence Team

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by a searcher from Pepperdine University
in Houston, Texas, United States

3h ago

Newbie Looking For Thoughts on Deal Eval and Due Diligence Team

Hey SF Community, Since starting to search I'm being bombarded with all sorts of courses, consultants, etc. to help out with due diligence and deal evaluation. I'm an expert on the legal side of things, esp re: intellectual property (I can confidently do this myself, and can help you if you're interested). I know I need a team for this, but have no sense on what fees I should expect, and am looking for your thoughts. Financial analysis, QoE, Accounting, Legal diligence to me seem to be the big buckets (what else should I add to this big bucket list?). I'm looking at small acquisitions, in the $1-2M range. Can you give me a sense of what I should be prepared to pay for a team of experts from LOI, to DD, to financing, and signing a deal? Any resources you could point me to are much appreciated. Thank you, Arien

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reply by a professional 2h ago
from Binghamton University, State University of New York in New York City, NY, USA

^redacted‌ We help buyers throughout the entire deal lifecycle, from pre-LOI strategy (helping them in structuring the LOI and calculating the net working capital adjustment (PEG amount)) and QoE analysis all the way through post-close accounting and tax. So whatever you need on your deal, we've got you covered. Which brings me to this. 👇 If there's a deal you're seriously considering submitting an LOI on, right now or down the road, the moment you get the CIM or even just initial data like a P&L and balance sheet etc, forward it over. And what I'll do is give you a quick gut check on whether the numbers are worth chasing before you submit the LOI or spend any more time on it. So If you want to connect with us for your deal, you cam DM me here or can email my partner Eli at redacted Wishing you the best of luck with your search and we hope you'll find the right business soon so you can finally move forward with your plans.

reply by a searcher 2h ago
in Hemlock, MI, USA

Arien, I’d think about this in stages rather than trying to assemble the full team too early.
For $1M–$2M deals, the first layer should be a disciplined pre-LOI screen:
Can the cash flow support the price?
Are the add-backs supportable?
Is the owner actually replaceable?
Is revenue durable?
What working capital is really needed?
Would an SBA lender see the deal the same way the seller does?
Then once a deal earns serious attention, I’d bring in the professional diligence team: transaction attorney, QoE/accounting, lender/SBA advisor, insurance, and potentially industry/operator help depending on the business.
The mistake I see buyers make is spending heavily on diligence before they have pressure-tested whether the deal even deserves that spend.
That is actually why I’ve been building Acquisition Decision Engine — not to replace attorneys, CPAs, lenders, or QoE providers, but to help buyers organize the first-pass questions before they commit real time and money.
For a newer searcher, I’d focus less on finding every advisor immediately and more on building a staged process:
screen first, then LOI, then deeper diligence.