My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Lust Not Love in M&A
Buyers should feel immediate, intense desire for your company rather than slow-building appreciation
Decision Rule
Position your company as the urgent solution to an immediate pain point rather than a nice-to-have addition
How It Works
Lust creates urgency and willingness to pay premium prices, while love can be patient and price-sensitive
Failure Modes
Building slow relationship without urgency
Positioning as general improvement rather than specific solution
Not tapping into buyer's emotional drivers
Example Decision
“Instead of positioning as 'great team and technology,' position as 'the only solution that can solve your regulatory compliance problem before the deadline.'”
Related Knowledge
Psychology management is the most important skill during M&A
Founders should invest in mental preparation and support systems before starting a sale process
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
Create comprehensive materials that remove all friction from the buying decision
Buyers can easily understand your value proposition, team, technology, and strategic fit without additional meetings or