My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Psychology management is the most important skill during M&A
Evidence
Successfully managing your own emotions affects negotiation performance, daily operations, and decision quality throughout the process
Implication
Founders should invest in mental preparation and support systems before starting a sale process
Counter Belief
Technical due diligence and financial modeling are more important than psychology
Example Application
A founder works with an executive coach and establishes regular check-ins with mentors before starting buyer outreach to maintain emotional balance during negotiations.
Related Knowledge
One Choice Is No Choice
Having only one potential buyer gives you essentially zero leverage in negotiations, equivalent to having no buyers at a
Lust Not Love in M&A
Buyers should feel immediate, intense desire for your company rather than slow-building appreciation
Four Buyer Categories Framework
A systematic way to categorize potential acquirers into four distinct types based on their acquisition motivations and strategic needs.
DENNIS System for M&A
A systematic 6-step approach to selling your company, adapted from the comedy show Always Sunny in Philadelphia's 'DENNIS System' for dating.
Startup Sale Readiness Assessment
A four-question framework to assess whether you should sell your startup by comparing your current beliefs against your founding assumptions.
Gather comprehensive intelligence on potential acquirers to position your company optimally
Having detailed insights into buyer priorities, pain points, decision makers, and internal dynamics before your first pi