For Canadian business owners of privately owned companies with $10 to $50 million in annual revenue, selling your lower-middle market business is a high-stakes opportunity. Often, an unsolicited approach from a stakeholder—such as a rival, supplier, customer, or management team member—triggers the sale process. By integrating Porter’s Five Forces analysis, a skilled M&A advisor can leverage competitive dynamics to create an auction that maximizes value. Advisors typically add 1.25x EBITDA to the enterprise value, more than offsetting their fees for businesses with $1M to $5M in EBITDA. While you might be tempted to negotiate directly with multiple parties to avoid fees, this risks negative perceptions and undermines your most significant asset. This article explores how Porter’s Five Forces, stakeholder risks, and an advisor’s expertise drive the best outcome.

You're listening to The Shaughnessy Group Podcast—insights on buying, selling, and growing Canadian businesses in the lower-middle market.
Let's begin.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not professional advice. Consult qualified advisors for your specific situation.

Important Notice: These podcast notes are unofficial summaries created for personal reference and educational purposes only. They are not intended as a verbatim transcript, official record, or endorsement by the podcast hosts, guests, or producers of Shaughnessy Group.

While every effort has been made to capture key insights, quotes, and discussions accurately, errors, omissions, or interpretations may occur due to the subjective nature of summarization. Listeners are strongly encouraged to refer to the original episode for full context, nuances, and original audio.

No Advice Provided: The content discussed in Shaughnessy Group episodes, including these notes, does not constitute professional, financial, legal, medical, or investment advice. Any ideas, strategies, or opinions shared by guests are their own and should not be relied upon without independent verification and consultation with qualified professionals.

Copyright & Usage: All rights reserved. These notes are derived from publicly available podcast episodes and are shared under fair use principles for non-commercial, transformative purposes. Reproduction, distribution, or commercial use without permission from the podcast creators is prohibited.
For questions or permissions, contact the Shaughnessy team directly. Enjoy the learning, but always do your due diligence!