Checklist

M&A Readiness Checklist (Vendor Readiness): how to prepare your company for a successful sale

Getting your house in order before selling the company maximizes its value and reduces the risk of the deal falling through. See the full readiness list.

Preparing a company for an M&A process is like preparing an athlete for a championship final: the win is decided long before stepping onto the field. Trying to sell a business without proper preparation destroys deal value and exposes the company to unnecessary risks. The M&A Readiness Checklist (Vendor Readiness) organizes your housekeeping, guiding you through building a clean data room and turning your company into a liquid, safe and highly attractive asset for the best buyers.

What's inside

Governance and legal structure: mapping corporate records, key contracts, intellectual property and liabilities.
Finance and controlling: organizing balance sheets, normalized EBITDA and realistic financial projections.
Commercial and operational management: structuring the org chart, reviewing employment ties and reducing dependencies.
Practical tips for the owner: immediate actions to think like a buyer, separate personal finances and build the business's narrative.
Guide to building an equity story: guidance to sum up the business's growth thesis in a compelling narrative.

Designed for strategic guidance of partners and business owners, this list is a practical roadmap to prepare the business before negotiations start. The checklist works for quick diagnoses, letting you map contingencies, adjust the operation and secure maximum value at the time of sale.

Governance & legal: Frequency: One-off / Pre-M&A · Priority: Critical · Goal: ensure corporate compliance, valid contracts and IP protection
Finance & controlling: Frequency: Monthly / Pre-M&A · Priority: Critical · Goal: normalize EBITDA, map debt and project the business plan
Operations & people: Frequency: Ongoing / Pre-M&A · Priority: High · Goal: map labor risks, the org chart and reduce operational dependencies
Strategy & equity story: Frequency: Pre-M&A · Priority: High · Goal: consolidate the investment thesis and growth pillars for buyers
Owner's immediate actions: Frequency: Immediate · Priority: High · Goal: professionalize management and strictly separate accounts

Get the material

Get the material for free

Fill in the form and get the material in your email.

Questions

What does Vendor Readiness mean in M&A?

It is the preparation the selling company carries out in advance to organize its finances, contracts and governance. It speeds up due diligence, reduces the risk of price cuts and increases the business's perceived value for buyers.

What is normalized EBITDA and why is it crucial?

Normalized EBITDA is adjusted operating profit, removing non-recurring revenue and expenses and the partners' personal expenses. It is the main metric investors use to price the company in a negotiation.

Why should I separate personal and business finances before selling?

Personal expenses paid by the company signal financial disorganization and directly reduce auditable EBITDA. Separating the accounts shows management maturity and ensures the buyer sees the business's real cash-generating capacity.

How do I get the material?

The material is free. Fill out the form on this page and you will receive the download link by email within a few minutes. If you can't find it, check your spam folder or contact Vispe on WhatsApp.

Is the material available in English?

This page is in English, but the checklist itself is in Brazilian Portuguese.

M&A Readiness Checklist (Vendor Readiness): how to prepare your company for a successful sale

Get the material for free

Questions

More free materials

Cost Center Spreadsheet

Cash Cycle and Working Capital Simulator

Contribution Margin and Operating Leverage