We begin the Market Scan by helping you identify the business and financial characteristics that you seek in an acquisition opportunity. The Market Scan then aims to identify all of the companies that are currently ‘on the market.’ We accomplish this by looking at the companies we represent, surveying business broker associations, searching appropriate websites, and working with our extensive, informal network of intermediaries, financial people and professional advisors.

There is no charge for this service. Since the companies that we find in this process are already on the market, typically our fees are covered via a fee sharing arrangement with the seller’s intermediary.

While many excellent companies are on the market at any one time, finding one that meets your specific criteria is not always possible. Moreover, since virtually all of these companies have been looked at by other buyers, you find yourself in a bidding war for the best ones.

If you seek to uncover hidden opportunities – i.e., companies that are not on the market – you should consider Fox & Fin’s other buyer service: the Proactive Search.

Our experience indicates that many of the best acquisition opportunities are companies that are not on the market but could be available to the right buyer. The key advantages of pursuing a company identified through our Proactive Search are:

• the companies identified are often a better fit for you, and, perhaps more important,

• you may be the first potential buyer to look at the company and the only potential buyer talking with the owner.

Similar to our Market Scan, the Proactive Search begins by identifying the specific business and financial characteristics of the company the buyer seeks. In contrast to the Market Scan, we use different search techniques to identify all companies that meet your criteria and then contact the owners directly to assess their interest in selling. In our experience, excellent companies typically are available.

After we receive positive responses from the companies we targeted, we handle the following tasks for you:

• Qualify the opportunity

• Arrange a confidential introduction for the buyer

• Help value and structure the offer

• Negotiate terms

• Facilitate due diligence

• Assist in arranging financing as needed.

Examples some of our more recent Proactive Search engagements include:

• Working with a private investment group to acquire add-on acquisitions for a platform company in their portfolio.

• Assisting a corporate/strategic buyer expand to new markets.

• Working with a former, high-level executive to identify and acquire a company in a targeted industry.

Under the terms of our Proactive Search, you would pay a small retainer to Fox & Fin, with the majority of the fee paid only if a transaction takes place. This arrangement creates the professional approach that maximizes the response we receive from business owners. Buyers acting on their own behalf are simply not as successful in uncovering all of the hidden opportunities that are available. For you, the cost is essentially the same as if you purchased a company that was on the market, since the price tag for those companies includes an intermediary’s fee.