8. Going to Market – How We Find the Right Buyer
A story about letting your business speak for itself and learning to listen to what buyers hear.
James read the first draft of the Information Memorandum in silence.
His company, his team, his numbers, his legacy - laid out in bullet points, charts, and market positioning language. It was polished. Clear. Even… impressive.
But it was also strange. Like reading your own obituary, written in the present tense.
Sarah had done a careful job. No names, no logos, no locations, just the essentials. It was anonymous but alive. “We only release this to qualified buyers under NDA,” she’d said. “It’s your story, told carefully.”
Still, James felt vulnerable. This is what the world will see, he thought. This is who we are, without me telling the story.
And for the first time, he realised: the buyer wasn’t just buying numbers. They were buying trust. And it had to start here.
The Psychological Perspective
Going to market marks the moment your business shifts from a private, owner-led entity to a public opportunity. Emotionally, that can feel like walking into a room naked.
It’s a loss of control, but it’s also a leap of faith.
This is where trust in your broker, confidence in your preparation and clarity in your exit goals must converge. Without those, owners often sabotage the process by micromanaging marketing, second-guessing buyer intent, or pulling back when the first enquiry comes through.
The best way to stay steady? Remember this - buyers are not judging you. They’re assessing the business. That distance is important and freeing.
HR Best Practice
When a business is quietly listed for sale, internal stability becomes paramount. Your staff shouldn’t find out from the outside.
HR best practice at this stage includes -
Clear internal confidentiality policies
Strategic timing for staff communication (when and how you’ll inform key personnel)
Preparing team leads to handle questions with calm and confidence
Ensuring all employment terms are in order to withstand buyer scrutiny
James and Sarah agreed on a “quiet phase” of marketing, targeting strategic buyers from Sarah’s network before any online listing. It gave James peace of mind and protected his team from unnecessary speculation.
Red Flags To Be Mitigated Against
When going to market, missteps can cause reputational or operational damage. Watch out for -
Leaking sale details before the team is ready
Over-promising in marketing materials (buyers will fact-check everything)
Responding slowly to buyer enquiries—interest fades fast
Presenting the business before it’s fully prepared (incomplete financials, messy systems, unclear value proposition)
Sarah handled this stage like a campaign manager. Every move was timed, measured, and communicated and that, James realised, was the difference between listing a business and positioning it to sell.
Ideal Owner Mindset
At this point, the owner becomes a partner in presentation, not the narrator.
The ideal mindset is -
Trusting the process and the broker’s judgement
Letting go of needing to be the “face” of the business
Staying responsive and flexible as buyer interest unfolds
Staying emotionally grounded—curious, not defensive
James didn’t love the feeling of being “on the market.” But he respected the process and for the first time, he began to see his business not just as his legacy, but as someone else’s future.
Key Takeaway - When you go to market, you stop selling your story—and start letting your business tell its own. Confidence, clarity, and control come from preparation, not perfection.