Selling Your Advisory Practice: Go It Alone or Hire an Advocate? (Ep.33)

Should you find your own buyer, or hire someone to run the sale of your advisory practice? In this episode of the SRG Exchange, David Grau Jr., Kristen Grau, Parker Finot and Ryan Grau compare self-negotiated, peer-to-peer deals with sell-side represented sales, and share what they see go right and wrong on both sides of the table. You will learn: The biggest risks of negotiating a sale on your own (no NDA, one-page agreements, bank financing surprises) Why fit matters, but should not cost you price, terms and taxes How headline multiples compare to what most practices actually sell for Contract protections that keep a deal from falling apart after closing Why great offers never show up in the first draft, and how to spot the gotcha What a market listing really looks like (hint: it is not an auction) How to vet an intermediary and find out how they really get paid Why you should get a valuation at least three years before you sell 0:00 - Selling your practice: the paths to an exit 1:23 - Getting pitched from every direction 2:48 - The biggest risk of negotiating on your own 5:25 - What the "best deal" means beyond the multiple 7:22 - Peer-to-peer deals: don't over-rely on the relationship 10:25 - Fit vs. competing offers 13:30 - Is fit still the top priority? 14:55 - Headline multiples vs. reality 16:47 - Why deals fall apart after closing 20:20 - Valuation dates, post-sale clauses and sell-and-be-retained deals 23:47 - Great offers don't just show up 28:45 - When would you not hire a sell-side representative? 36:20 - The ROI of an intermediary 37:49 - Retainers, success fees and the "auction" label 45:33 - Off-market buyers are students of the game 47:24 - The 20% CAGR earnout that was never achievable 50:47 - Choosing the right intermediary 57:56 - Different buyer types, different deals 1:01:09 - Closing thoughts: give the process time Ready to sell your practice on your terms? Schedule a consultation with our team. Take the Succession Readiness Quiz: https://succession.typeform.com/to/Jh... Learn more about SRG's Seller Advocacy program: https://www.successionresource.com/se... Learn more about SRG's Advisor Merger Support: https://www.successionresource.com/ad... Schedule a consultation: https://www.successionresource.com/sc... Connect with SRG: Website: https://www.successionresource.com LinkedIn:   / succession-resource-group   Email: sales@successionresourcegroup.com Phone: 503.427.9910 Address: 12570 SW 69th Avenue, Ste 100, Portland, OR 97223 Speakers: David Grau Jr., MBA - Founder & CEO, SRG Kristen Grau, CPA, CVA, CEPA - Executive Vice President, SRG Parker Finot - Director of Transaction Advisory Services, SRG Ryan Grau, CVA, CBA - Director of Valuations, SRG #sellingapractice #financialadvisors #selleradvocacy #advisorMA #successionplanning #RIA #wealthmanagement #practicevaluation #dealstructure #sellsiderepresentation #exitplanning #SRG