I don't know who to sell to
Trade buyers, private equity, competitors, family — each brings a different future for the business and for you.
For owner-founders
Built it over a lifetime. Now you're thinking of letting it go.
Selling a business you've grown for decades is as much an emotional decision as a financial one. Here is what we have learned helping owner-led companies move on without regret.
What owners tell us
The worries that keep you up at night.
Will my legacy disappear?
The brand, reputation and customer relationships you built over decades can be absorbed, renamed or dismantled after a sale.
What happens to my team?
Redundancies, relocations and culture clashes are common after a change of ownership. Your people deserve a plan.
Am I going to get clobbered by tax?
The headline price is rarely what lands in your bank. Tax, fees and deal structure can take a bigger bite than expected.
Is it the right time?
Market timing matters, but so does your own energy, health, family plans and whether the business can thrive without you.
Will I be tied in forever?
Long tie-ins and open-ended consultancy roles can keep you emotionally — and financially — locked in longer than you want.
Practical guidance
Four tips from the buyer's side of the table.
1
Don't judge a deal by the headline price
Net proceeds matter more than the sticker. Factor in tax, warranties, working-capital adjustments and professional fees before you celebrate.
2
Protect your people before you protect the price
Ask how the buyer treats staff, contracts and culture. Continuity clauses and retention agreements can protect the team that helped build the business.
3
Get the house in order before you go to market
Clean accounts, signed customer contracts, clear IP ownership and a management team that isn't just you all make the business more valuable — and the sale far smoother.
4
Choose a buyer who understands the long game
A quick flip can look tempting, but a patient owner who plans to hold for years is far more likely to honour your legacy than one buying to strip and resell.
This is practical guidance, not financial advice. Every sale is different — talk to a qualified accountant and solicitor before committing to a structure.
Why Malins Group?
Patient capital. Continuity first.
We buy owner-led businesses in telecoms, fire & security, pest control and self storage — and anything else with a good management team in place. We plan to hold them for the long term. We are not here to strip assets, flip in three years, or install a management layer that forgets your customers' names.
Every conversation is shaped around what you want next. If you want to step back gradually, we can make that work. If you want a clean break, we can do that too.
Above all, we protect what you built: the people, the reputation and the legacy that made the business worth buying in the first place.
Tell us about your business