The Cash Flow Contractor 278 - Maximize Your Contractor Business Sale: How Private Equity Values What You've Built with Christian Olson
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Oct 23, 2025 Christian Olson, an investment banker and M&A advisor at Footprint Capital, reveals strategies for maximizing contractor business sales. He discusses how standardizing systems boosts valuations, the critical role of culture in deals, and the importance of preparation for acquisitions. Christian highlights the difference between business brokers and investment bankers, emphasizes the value of a solid tech stack, and warns against accepting initial offers without knowing true worth. Engage with expert insights on becoming a 'platform company' to ensure long-term benefits.
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Interest Rates Drive M&A Cycles
- Interest rate rises paused M&A activity and forced private equity to integrate acquisitions rather than keep buying aggressively.
- A future rate cut could restart consolidation and acquisition activity across contractor markets.
Create A Targeted Buyer Market
- Use an M&A advisor to build a targeted buyer market instead of blasting your sale to hundreds of buyers.
- Focus outreach on right-fit buyers to reduce noise and capture higher, cleaner valuation offers.
Position To Be A Platform Company
- Prepare to be a platform by hitting EBITDA scale and building redundant management and systems before seeking PE.
- Private equity uses platforms to buy add-ons and scale via geographic or service expansion.