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SELL-SIDE M&A ADVISORY
Selling your business: four ways to get started
Not every business owner approaches a sale from the same starting point. Some want to understand what their business is worth before making a decision. Others want to prepare for market, while some are ready to entrust the entire sale process to Winnerge. That is why we offer four different ways to get started.
THE FIRST QUESTION
Who will manage the sale process?
The first decision is how much of the process you want to manage yourself. You can deal directly with potential buyers or entrust the entire sale process to Winnerge.
MANAGE IT YOURSELF
You manage the process, with Winnerge’s support
Winnerge helps you understand the value of your business and, if you are preparing for market, develop the materials and identify potential buyers. You remain responsible for buyer contacts and any subsequent negotiations.
WINNERGE TO CHECK →
Understand what your business is worth before you decide.
WINNERGE TO POSITION →
Prepare your business for market and identify the buyers to approach.
WITH A WINNERGE MANDATE
We manage the process through closing
Winnerge prepares the transaction materials, identifies potential buyers, manages buyer contacts, qualifies genuine interest and handles the negotiations. You decide whether to sell, to whom and on what terms.
WINNERGE TO MATCH→
Go to market quickly and entrust the entire process to Winnerge.
WINNERGE TO SELL→
Prepare the sale in greater depth and entrust the entire process to Winnerge.
YOUR STARTING POINT
Where to start
The right option depends on where you are today. Choose the situation that best reflects yours.
- I haven’t decided whether to sell yet
- I’ve received an offer and want to understand how to assess it
- I want to prepare for a sale before going to market
- I’ve decided to sell and want Winnerge to manage the process
- I’ve decided to sell and want to go to market quickly
I haven’t decided whether to sell yet
You are considering the future of your business but have not yet made a decision. Understanding what it is worth gives you a concrete reference point for deciding whether to sell, wait or continue on your current course.
THE FIRST STEP
A valuation to understand what your business is worth today before deciding what to do next.
I’ve received an offer and want to understand how to assess it
A potential buyer has already made an offer and you want to understand whether it reflects the value of your business. Before responding, you can start with an independent valuation and make your decision from a more informed position.
TO ASSESS THE OFFER
An independent reference point for the value of your business against which to assess the offer you have received.
I want to prepare for a sale before going to market
You have decided to sell, but want to prepare the business properly before going to market. You need a valuation, professional materials to present the company and a selected list of potential buyers. You will then manage buyer contacts and any subsequent negotiations yourself.
TO PREPARE FOR MARKET
Prepare your business for sale and know which potential buyers to approach.
I’ve decided to sell and want Winnerge to manage the process
You want Winnerge to prepare the business for sale, identify potential buyers, manage buyer contacts and handle negotiations through closing. Before going to market, we carry out a more in-depth preparation to build the sale process on stronger foundations.
TO ENTRUST THE SALE TO WINNERGE
A full sell-side mandate, from preparing the business through closing.
I’ve decided to sell and want to go to market quickly
You have already decided to sell and getting to market quickly is a priority. Winnerge focuses the initial phase on what is needed to launch the process, then manages buyers, negotiations and closing.
TO GO TO MARKET QUICKLY
A full sell-side mandate with a streamlined preparation phase designed to get the business to market sooner.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT OPTION
Compare the four options
The four options differ in how much you manage yourself, the depth of preparation and how quickly the business goes to market.
MANAGE IT YOURSELF
Winnerge To Check
WHO MANAGES THE PROCESS
You do. Winnerge focuses on the valuation and has no contact with the market.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
A 20–25 page valuation report setting out the most likely value, valuation range, underlying assumptions and the factors affecting value.
TIMING
You receive the valuation within 48 business hours once the required documentation is complete.
DO YOU NEED TO HAVE DECIDED TO SELL?
No. It is designed precisely for situations where you want to understand value before making a decision.
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED
Detailed financial statements for the last three financial years and some information about the business.
BEST SUITED TO
Business owners who want to understand value, assess an offer they have received or consider the future of their business.
MANAGE IT YOURSELF
Winnerge To Position
WHO MANAGES THE PROCESS
You do. Winnerge prepares the valuation, sale materials and a selected list of potential buyers. You manage the contacts and negotiations yourself.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Valuation, company profile, anonymous teaser, NDA and a selected list of 10 potential buyers.
TIMING
You provide the information and join a call of approximately 60 minutes. Winnerge then prepares the materials and reviews them with you.
DO YOU NEED TO HAVE DECIDED TO SELL?
Not necessarily. You should, however, be actively preparing for a potential sale.
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED
Financial statements, revenue by customer, financial debt, organisational structure and any other available information.
BEST SUITED TO
Business owners who want to be properly prepared for market while managing buyer contacts and negotiations themselves.
WITH A WINNERGE MANDATE
Winnerge To Match
WHO MANAGES THE PROCESS
Winnerge. We manage buyers, buyer contacts, expressions of interest and negotiations through closing.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
An initial view of value, teaser and streamlined company profile, buyer search and full process management through closing.
TIMING
The business goes to market within 10 business days of receiving the required documentation.
DO YOU NEED TO HAVE DECIDED TO SELL?
Yes. You have decided to sell and getting started quickly is a priority.
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED
The essential documentation needed to understand the business, its key financials and the scope of the transaction.
BEST SUITED TO
Business owners who have decided to sell and consider a rapid market launch a priority.
WITH A WINNERGE MANDATE
Winnerge To Sell
WHO MANAGES THE PROCESS
Winnerge. We manage preparation, buyers, buyer contacts and negotiations through closing.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
In-depth valuation, full sale materials, go-to-market strategy and transaction management through closing.
TIMING
We first complete the valuation, sale materials and strategy. Only then do we begin approaching buyers.
DO YOU NEED TO HAVE DECIDED TO SELL?
Yes. You have decided to sell and want to prepare the transaction thoroughly before going to market.
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED
Company documentation and an initial discussion about your transaction objectives.
BEST SUITED TO
Business owners who have decided to sell and want to develop the valuation, sale materials and strategy in depth before approaching the market.
If you start with Winnerge To Check or Winnerge To Position and later decide to entrust the sale to Winnerge, the work already completed is carried forward and the amount you have already invested is credited towards the next service.
HOW THE SALE PROCESS WORKS
The sale process in four stages
A business sale develops from establishing value through to closing. The four Winnerge options cover different stages of this process and vary according to what you want to manage yourself and what you prefer to entrust to us.
STAGE 1
Valuation and transaction scope
We analyse the company’s financials and key characteristics to understand its value and, when preparing for a sale, clearly define the scope of the transaction.
STAGE 2
Preparing for market
We prepare the sale materials and define how the business should be presented to potential buyers, with a level of detail appropriate to the service selected.
STAGE 3
Buyer search
We identify the potential buyers that best fit the business and the transaction, select the most relevant parties to pursue and progressively qualify their level of interest.
STAGE 4
Negotiation and closing
Under a Winnerge mandate, we manage offers, meetings, negotiations and due diligence through closing. The business owner always retains the final decision on the sale.
Winnerge To Check focuses on understanding the value of the business.
Winnerge To Position adds market preparation and the selection of potential buyers, while you remain responsible for buyer contacts and negotiations.
Winnerge To Match and Winnerge To Sell both manage the process through closing. Winnerge To Match streamlines the preparation phase to get the business to market more quickly.
Winnerge To Sell provides a more in-depth preparation before any buyers are approached.
Winnerge To Position adds market preparation and the selection of potential buyers, while you remain responsible for buyer contacts and negotiations.
Winnerge To Match and Winnerge To Sell both manage the process through closing. Winnerge To Match streamlines the preparation phase to get the business to market more quickly.
Winnerge To Sell provides a more in-depth preparation before any buyers are approached.
NOT SURE WHICH OPTION FITS YOUR SITUATION?
We can help you identify the right place to start
Not every situation fits neatly into one of the cases above. An offer already on the table, specific timing requirements, different objectives or a sale you are still considering can make the right starting point less obvious. In these situations, we start with your circumstances and help determine which option makes the most sense.
TRACK RECORD
Completed sell-side transactions
A selection of transactions completed by Winnerge, covering the process from preparing the business and identifying buyers through negotiations and closing.
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BEFORE YOU DECIDE
Not ready to discuss a sale yet?
Insights to help you understand what selling a business involves, what to consider and which questions to ask before taking the next step.
5 October 2026
Financial statements and EBITDA do not always explain how an SME actually generates its results. During a sale process, a buyer may want to analyse margins by customer, product, channel or market. Preparing this information in advance helps the company enter negotiations with clearer, more consistent and verifiable data.
28 September 2026
A company valued at €6 million does not necessarily leave €6 million to its shareholders. Net debt, cash, working capital and other adjustments can change the value of the shares and the amount ultimately paid at closing.
21 September 2026
An SME generating €5-10 million in revenue may be large enough to attract a buyer, but size alone is not enough. Profitability, revenue quality, niche positioning, independence from the founder and growth potential all influence whether there is a real market for the business.
Would you prefer a confidential conversation with an advisor?
You can contact us directly. There is no need to prepare anything in advance. Simply choose the channel you prefer.
