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The acquisition library

Start anywhere. Each lesson explains one idea you will meet in a real deal.

A–Z Glossary

Every term, with examples

Resource Center

Marketplaces, SBA, professionals

Beginner Basics

10 lessons

The language of acquisitions, from revenue to multiples.

4 min

What Is a Business Acquisition?

Buying an existing company — its customers, cash flow and operations — instead of starting from zero.

3 min

Why Buy an Existing Business?

Existing revenue changes the risk profile — but it does not remove risk.

3 min

Revenue vs. Profit

Revenue is what comes in. Profit is what survives the costs.

4 min

What Is SDE?

Seller's Discretionary Earnings: the total financial benefit one full-time owner-operator receives.

3 min

What Is EBITDA?

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation — with management paid.

3 min

What Is Cash Flow?

Accounting profit is an opinion about timing. Cash flow is money actually moving.

3 min

What Is a Business Multiple?

The shorthand for price: asking price divided by earnings.

5 min

How Business Valuation Works

Earnings, comparables and assets — triangulated, then negotiated.

4 min

Asset Purchases vs. Stock Purchases

Two ways to buy the same company, with very different consequences.

3 min

What Does 'Owner-Operated' Mean?

If the owner is the business, you are buying a job with risk attached.

Finding Businesses

2 lessons

Where deals come from and how to read a listing.

4 min

Where Businesses For Sale Are Found

Marketplaces, brokers, and direct outreach each produce different deal flow.

4 min

How to Read a Listing

What listings contain, what they omit, and what to ask immediately.

The 7-Step Process

7 lessons

Find, analyze, contact, negotiate, finance, diligence, close.

3 min

Step 1 — Find a Business

Define your criteria before you browse, or every listing looks attractive.

5 min

Step 2 — Analyze the Numbers

Normalise earnings, compute multiples, and identify what is missing.

4 min

Step 3 — Contact the Seller

Thirteen questions that separate a real opportunity from a story.

5 min

Step 4 — Negotiate

Price is one term among many — structure often matters more.

4 min

Step 5 — Financing

Most acquisitions stack several sources rather than using one.

5 min

Step 6 — Due Diligence

Verify everything you were told, in documents, before you close.

3 min

Step 7 — Closing and Transition

LOI → diligence → financing → purchase agreement → closing → transition.

Financing & SBA 7(a)

6 lessons

Seller notes, SBA basics, lenders, credit considerations.

5 min

Seller Financing Explained

The seller accepts part of the price over time instead of all cash at closing.

5 min

SBA 7(a): What It Is

A government-guaranteed loan programme delivered by participating lenders.

5 min

SBA Application & Documents

What lenders commonly request, why, and where the current version lives.

4 min

How to Find an SBA Lender

Compare lenders the same way they compare you.

4 min

What Credit Score Do I Need?

There is no single universal minimum — and anyone quoting one is guessing.

4 min

DSCR: Debt Service Coverage Ratio

Cash available for debt service divided by annual debt service.

Due Diligence

3 lessons

The documents and questions that reveal the real business.

4 min

Reading Business Tax Returns

The number a seller reported to the tax authority is the number to start from.

3 min

Customer Concentration Risk

One customer leaving should not end the business.

4 min

Working Capital in an Acquisition

The cash the business needs to keep operating the day after you own it.

AcquireAI is an educational platform. Information provided is for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, accounting, lending, or financial advice. Financing is subject to lender approval and current program requirements.