Seller Profile — Understanding Why You're Selling

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Before we begin

Six questions — about you, not the business.

The BRS tells you whether your business is ready and whether you are ready as an owner. The Seller Profile tells a different story — it tells you what kind of seller you are, what you truly need from this process, and what deal structure fits your real situation.

Sellers who enter a process without this clarity often end up in the wrong conversations, with the wrong buyers, making the wrong compromises. These six questions help you understand what you're really selling — and why.

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Question 1 of 6

Why You're Selling

Your primary motivation — the real one, not the one you'd say in the room

Motivation shapes everything in a sale process — the timeline you'll accept, the buyer you'll prefer, the structure you'll negotiate, and the compromises you'll make. A seller who is retiring comfortably has very different needs from one who is selling out of fatigue, financial pressure, or health. Being honest here is the most valuable thing you can do.

If you're honest with yourself, the primary reason you're considering a sale is:

Planned retirement or succession — this is the right next chapter and I've been thinking about it for years Fatigue or burnout — I've given this business everything and I need to move on Financial need or opportunity — I need to unlock the capital in this business Health or personal circumstances — the timing is not fully in my control A new chapter — there's something else I want to build or pursue Market timing — I believe the business is at peak value and this is the right window

Is there anything else driving this decision? (optional)

Question 2 of 6

Timeline Urgency

How much time you have — and how much you're willing to wait

Timeline changes everything about how you sell. A seller who needs to close in 6 months will compromise on price to get certainty. A seller with two years of runway can walk away from deals that don't meet their criteria. Knowing your real timeline — not your ideal one — helps calibrate the right kind of buyer and the right kind of process.

Your genuine timeline for completing a sale:

As soon as possible — within 6 months ideally. There is real urgency here. 12–18 months — I want to move forward but won't sacrifice everything for speed 2–3 years — I'm prepared to wait for the right outcome No fixed timeline — if the right buyer comes along, I'll consider it

What's driving the timeline? (optional)

Question 3 of 6

Price vs Certainty

The honest tradeoff at the heart of every deal

Every seller faces a tradeoff between maximising price and securing a certain outcome. A deal that offers ₹10 crore with high certainty of close is often more valuable than a deal that offers ₹13 crore with a 30% chance of falling apart in due diligence. Understanding which end of this spectrum you're on shapes who you should be talking to and how you should structure the process.

If a buyer offered you 20% below your target price but guaranteed a clean, fast close, you would:

Take it — certainty and speed matter more than squeezing the last amount Try to negotiate but would probably accept a 10–15% discount for certainty Unlikely — I've built this business and I won't leave significant value on the table Walk away — if the price isn't right, I'd rather continue running the business

What is the minimum outcome you could live with from this transaction? (optional)

You don't have to share a number. What does the floor look like — what must this transaction deliver for you to consider it a success?

Question 4 of 6

Post-Sale Involvement

Whether you want a clean break or a transition role

Some sellers want to be done the day the deal closes — gone, free, moved on. Others are willing to stay involved for 1–2 years to ensure the business transitions well. This preference has direct implications for deal structure: earnout components, handover periods, equity rollover, and the type of buyer who will pay most for what you're offering.

After the sale closes, your preferred involvement is:

Clean break — I want to hand over and be done. No ongoing role or accountability. Short transition — I'll stay 3–6 months to hand over, then I'm done Advisory — I'd stay on as a non-executive advisor or board member for 1–2 years Partial equity rollover — I'd keep a minority stake and stay involved in the business I built

What's driving this preference? (optional)

Question 5 of 6

Your Ideal Buyer

Who you actually want to sell to — not just who will pay most

The right buyer is not always the highest bidder. Many sellers — particularly founder-owners who have built something over decades — care deeply about what happens to the business, its employees, and its customers after they leave. Knowing what kind of buyer fits your situation narrows the field and improves the quality of conversations you have.

Your preferred buyer type:

An individual operator — someone who will roll up their sleeves and run the business personally A strategic buyer — a larger company in the same industry who can absorb and grow what I've built Private equity or a family office — professional capital that will professionalise and scale the business Family succession — I'd prefer to sell or transfer to a family member if possible Whoever makes the best offer — I'll let the process decide

What matters most to you about who owns this business after you leave? (optional)

Question 6 of 6

What Must Be Protected

The things you cannot compromise on — regardless of price

Every seller has things that are not for sale along with the business — commitments to employees, a community relationship, a brand that carries the family name, a team member who must be protected. These are the elements of a deal that can make or break the negotiation if they're not identified and communicated early enough.

What must this deal protect, regardless of the price? (optional)

This is one of the most important questions in any sale process. Be specific.

What would make you pull out of a deal even after signing an LOI?

The way you sell mattersas much as the price you get.

Six questions — about you, not the business.

The way you sell matters
as much as the price you get.