Due Diligence Support: From LOI to Close
What is due diligence support? Due diligence support is The Exit School's full, coached process that takes a buyer from an accepted LOI to closing. It brings together Quality of Earnings, legal and operational due diligence, negotiation, SBA and investor funding, and transition planning, with a go/no-go decision 3 weeks after the seller's documents arrive.
Who it's for
- Buyers with an accepted LOI who want a proven process, expert eyes on the numbers, and a team that keeps the deal moving with the seller, lender and attorney.
What's included
- Quality of Earnings: Verifying the seller's real earnings and cash flow
- Legal due diligence: Contracts, leases, licenses and liabilities, with a deal attorney
- Operational due diligence: How the business runs: people, customers, marketing, facilities
- Negotiation support: Training, prep and live support on negotiation calls
- SBA application support: A lender-ready SBA 7(a) loan package
- Fundraising support: Pitch deck, practice and investor meetings
- Transition support: A 90-day plan for your first three months as owner
How it works
- Launch (week 1): kickoff, due diligence checklist, a weekly seller meeting, and the start of 30 industry CEO interviews.
- Financial due diligence (3 weeks after documents arrive): build the Quality of Earnings, business growth plan and 36-month pro forma.
- Go/no-go decision: our leadership team reviews your findings with you and recommends whether to proceed.
- Funding: SBA loan, investors, or both.
- Operational due diligence and closing: finish remaining checks, prepare closing schedules, work with the deal attorney, and close.
Explore due diligence services
Frequently asked questions
How long does due diligence take when buying a business?
You reach a go/no-go decision 3 weeks after the seller provides financial documents. Funding and closing follow; the biggest variable is how fast the seller responds.
What happens if due diligence uncovers problems?
You may renegotiate or walk away. A no-go is a good outcome when it saves you from a bad deal, and you return to deal sourcing with what you learned.
What are the 30 CEO interviews?
Conversations with owners in the same industry that help you validate the business, spot risks and build your growth plan.
Do you do the due diligence for me?
You do the work with our templates, coaching and expert reviews, so you understand the business you're buying.