Know what you are buying before you sign.
You have found a business you can picture yourself running. The seller is friendly. The broker is keen. The numbers look good on paper. Before you put your savings on the line, get an honest read from someone who works for you, not the seller.
Book a Clarity SessionSee services and pricingYou want something of your own. Just not at any price.
Maybe you are tired of building someone else's business. Maybe you want control over your own hours, an income you set yourself, and something real to hand down to your family. Buying a business can get you there. Buying the wrong one, or paying too much for the right one, can cost you years of savings.
The seller wants the best price. The broker gets paid when the deal closes. That is their job. Your job is to find out what is really behind the numbers before you sign. That is where I come in.
I work for the buyer
I am not paid by the seller or the broker. I have no stake in whether you buy. My only job is to help you see the business clearly and decide well, even if the right decision is to walk away.
Plain, straight answers
No jargon and no sales pitch. If the numbers do not hold up, I will tell you. If something is missing, I will tell you what to ask for.
Start small
The Clarity Session is 90 minutes for $300, invoiced after the session, and fully credited toward any future work.
The worries you might not say out loud
Your savings and your family's security are on the line. These should be on your mind.
Paying too much
Is the profit real once someone is paid to do the owner's job?
Example (illustrative): the books show a healthy profit. The owner works 70 hours a week and pays himself nothing. Pay someone for those hours and most of that profit is gone.
Bad books and hidden debts
Unpaid bills and missing records only show up after you own them.
Example (illustrative): sales in the books do not match deposits in the bank. The seller says the difference is cash. Cash you cannot prove is cash you should not pay for.
Being pushed to decide
Another buyer is interested. The seller wants an answer by Friday. Pressure is how people skip the questions that matter.
What leaves with the seller
You are buying whatever survives the handover.
Example (illustrative): the lease runs out in 14 months, and the manager who really runs the place plans to leave when the seller does.
Common myths, busted
Profit on paper often leaves out the owner's own time. If the seller works long hours for free, you are buying a job, not just a business. Ask what it would cost to pay someone to do what the owner does.
It gives you a head start: customers, staff, a location. It does not promise any of them will stay once the owner leaves. Check who the customers come back for, and who on the staff you cannot lose.
Know your breakeven before you sign. If you cannot say how much you need to sell each month to cover rent, staff, supplies and your own pay, you are not ready to make an offer.
They work for the seller. Their job is to get the best price and close the deal. You deserve someone in your corner whose only job is to ask the hard questions for you.
What clients said
"I highly recommend Dave for his professionalism, expertise, and thoughtful guidance. He helped me evaluate a potential business partnership in a healthcare clinic, understand the financial implications and risks involved, and identify important questions to consider before making a significant investment. His insights were practical and thorough, helping me assess the opportunity more objectively and make a well-informed decision. I really appreciated his support and would recommend him to anyone seeking reliable business advice."Ana Decanini
"When I started building Resilient Ones, I had a big vision for what I wanted to create, but I didn't necessarily have the business experience or structure to bring it all together. Coming from a decade in firefighting, I knew how to work hard, lead people, and make an impact, but building a business was a completely different world. I needed someone who could help me organize my ideas, create a clear direction, and turn my vision into something sustainable.
Working with you has been incredibly valuable, not just from a business perspective, but personally as well. You've always been someone I could bounce ideas off, who would challenge my thinking, ask the right questions, and give me honest feedback rather than just telling me what I wanted to hear. You helped me bring clarity and structure to areas of my business that felt overwhelming. More importantly, you've always genuinely cared about me as a person, not just the success of my business. You've been in my corner wanting me to succeed and grow every step of the way and for that I am forever grateful.
If you're serious about building a business and want someone who genuinely cares about your success, I'd absolutely recommend David. He brings years of experience, practical business knowledge, and the ability to see things you might be missing when you're caught up in the day-to-day. He's not there to just tell you what you want to hear. He'll challenge you, help you think differently, and give you the guidance and structure to move forward with more confidence. He's been both a mentor and a friend to me, and I'm grateful for the role he's played in my journey."
Adam Kunder
Founder, Resilient Ones | Identity Coach
"Before I met David, my Pilates business was struggling with significant operational challenges. He stepped in and worked closely with me to build a custom KPI dashboard for tracking all of our core data, while also developing clear SOPs for my team.
That work completely transformed our operations from the top down. I’m incredibly proud of how organized, standardized, and streamlined we’ve become, and our KPI dashboard has made a massive difference in how we operate day-to-day.
What stood out most about working with David was his patience. He never makes assumptions; instead, he asks thoughtful questions and truly listens to understand rather than just waiting to reply.
I’d highly recommend David to any owner looking to get their business on track. Working with him is almost like having a business therapist, he listens to your challenges and equips you with the right tools, but he also holds you accountable to follow through and get results"
Michael Asante-Mensah
Free: The Buyer's Red-Flag Checklist
27 questions to answer before you buy an existing business, in plain language. Get it by email.
Get the checklistHave a deal in front of you?
Book a 90-minute Clarity Session. Bring the listing, the numbers you have and the questions that keep you up at night. Leave knowing whether to walk away, dig deeper or move ahead, and what to ask next.
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