SELLING, WITH CLARITY
For maintenance contractors, automation integrators and technical field-service firms, show how expertise becomes deliverable work. This guidance focuses on services and integration; businesses primarily producing products should also review the manufacturing page.
Start a confidential conversationWHAT A BUYER NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND
Show planned maintenance, emergency calls, shutdown assignments and implementation separately. Identify signed scope, renewal history and response obligations. Requests under a framework agreement may not guarantee volume. Explain the hours and specialist availability needed to meet commitments before labelling revenue dependable.
Inventory software, drawings, configurations and documentation. Distinguish company-owned material from customer property and third-party licences. Ask counsel to review employee and contractor IP terms and supplier permissions. Do not disclose credentials, control-system details or production access during an initial buyer discussion.
Map who diagnoses faults, estimates shutdowns, commissions systems and manages major customers. Record training and practical backup coverage. Explain vacancies and where the owner remains essential. A credible transition specifies the work to transfer rather than promising that undocumented know-how is easily replaced.
Reconcile estimated and actual labour, travel, materials and subcontractor costs. List acceptance milestones, warranties and unfinished commissioning. Prepare site qualifications, safety records and insurance for specialist review; vendor status or a customer logo does not prove that work continues under new ownership.
PREPARING FOR A SALE
Use this as a preparation checklist. An initial inquiry only needs your contact details and a brief introduction; keep sensitive records for a later, agreed review.
Explore business valuationFROM PREPARATION TO HANDOVER
Our business-value focus is approximately CAD5–50 million, not an annual revenue threshold. The preparation questions are editorial guidance; they do not establish a valuation, buyer interest or transferable approval.
Begin with a non-sensitive introduction. Keep customer identities, employee information and detailed financial records for a later, agreed review.
A LITTLE MORE CLARITY
Only if the business owns or can transfer the relevant rights and the parties agree to include them. Customer-funded work, contractor code and third-party tools require separate review.
Services depend heavily on technical labour, customer obligations and knowledge continuity. Manufacturing also requires product economics, inventory and production-asset analysis. Mixed businesses should segment both activities.
BEFORE THE NEXT CHAPTER
Practical reading for owners thinking about what comes next.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
Start with a confidential conversation about selling your business. A few details are all we need to begin.
A confidential first conversation
Space to explore your options
No commitment to list your business