Sell-Side Considerations: Inside the Buyer’s Mind—What Sellers Need to Know
Presented By: Ascent Advisory Partners / Nelson Mullins
When you’re selling a company, knowing what the other side is looking for can help you maximize valuation and smooth your path to closing. This session pulls back the curtain on what buyers really want—from financial readiness and operational transparency to cultural fit and post-close involvement. Learn what questions buyers are asking—and how smart sellers prepare to answer them to position for a smoother, more successful deal.
Moderator:
Managing Director
Ascent Advisory Partners
Gordon R. Watt is a Managing Director & Co-Founder, Ascent Advisory Partners. Gordon has over 30 years of M&A and investment banking experience. He has both middle-market and Wall Street experience, having advised clients ranging from small, founder-owned businesses to large, publicly traded companies. He was a Managing Director at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist) responsible for the execution of both M&A and capital raising transactions. Prior roles included Managing Director in the investment banking group at The Robinson-Humphrey Company (a division of Citigroup). He started his career in the corporate and investment banking group at Chemical Bank (now JPMorgan) in New York City. In 2019, he co-founded Ascent Advisory Partners to provide M&A advisory services to family and founder-owned companies in the lower middle-market.
Panelists:
Partner
Nelson Mullins
Michael is co-head of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group and its Investment Management Group. He focuses on middle-market corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures. He also serves on the firm's Executive Committee, the governing body of seven partners who oversee firm standing committees, strategic initiatives, and firm operations.
Partner
Eagle Merchant Partners
Bill Lundstrom is a founding member of Eagle and has 20 years of experience in private equity and accounting industries. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Code Ninjas, Enviro-Master Services, Puget Collision, Eskola Roofing & Waterproofing, and Impact Home Services. Prior to Eagle, he was a Director at Arcapita and served on the Boards of Varel International Energy Services, Cirrus Industries, The Tensar Corporation, PODS and American Pad and Paper LLC. Prior to Arcapita, he served as a Principal with Industrial Growth Partners (IGP) in San Francisco, CA. While at IGP, Bill worked with Seaboard International, AmerCable Incorporated, Global Power Systems, Consolidated Precision Products and The Felters Company. Before IGP, Bill worked at Richards Capital and Arthur Andersen LLP.
Bill has a Master of Accounting and a B.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.B.A. and Master of Engineering Management degrees from the Master of Manufacturing and Management (MMM) program at Northwestern University.
