Welcome back to the Mid Market Insider!

Today, I’m breaking down why strong financials alone aren’t enough to impress buyers—and how the way you present your numbers can determine whether a buyer sees a valuable, well-run business or a risky “mom & pop” operation.

Once upon a time, my PE firm was looking to acquire a business for around $100M.

But in the end, the deal fell apart.

Not because the business was bad…

But because the financials didn’t match the story we were being told.

In my experience, this is one of the most common (and expensive) mistakes business owners make when preparing for an exit.

They know they need “clean financials”…
 
But they don’t know what buyers are actually looking for.

So in today’s video, I walk you through:

✅ The financial mistake that can make you look like a “mom & pop” business – and damage your valuation.

✅ What a financial package should actually do (beyond giving a basic P&L)

✅ How to position your numbers so buyers trust you – and happily pay more

If you’re planning to sell in the next 1–5 years, this is worth understanding now, not later.

That’s all for today’s newsletter! Thanks for reading!

In next week’s edition, I’ll break down why the way you present your business can be just as important as the business itself when it comes time to sell.

And how crafting the right exit narrative can build buyer confidence, strengthen your position, and turn a presentation from a sales pitch into a compelling investment opportunity.

Keep building,
Nick