In this episode of Charting Opportunities, Portus Wealth Advisors sits down with JT Schroeder, a seasoned M&A advisor from Atlanta, to discuss the high-stakes world of business acquisitions.

Most business owners sell a company only once in their lives, while professional buyers might close dozens of deals a year. This "imbalance of power" puts the seller at an immediate disadvantage. JT explains how to level the playing field by building a "deal team" of experts, including M&A attorneys, wealth advisors, and investment bankers.

Discover why a business worth selling is a business worth keeping. JT breaks down the process of professionalizing your company, from cleaning up HR "sloppiness" to conducting a sell-side Quality of Earnings (QofE) report.

Learn how to mitigate post-LOI risks, avoid the "death by a thousand cuts" during due diligence, and why making yourself obsolete is the best way to maximize your exit price.

Key Topics Covered:

- The professional buyer vs. the one-time seller.

- Why the "best buyer" isn't always the one with the highest price.

- How to survive the "colonoscopy" of due diligence.

- The critical members of your Deal Team.

- The role of AI and automation in modern business valuation.

This is an essential conversation for any founder looking to protect their legacy and ensure they don't leave money on the table during a sale.

A HUGE THANK YOU to JT Schroeder for sharing his expertise on the complexities of M&A and business professionalization.

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0:00 – Pro Buyers vs Sellers
4:39 – Price vs “Right Buyer”
8:11 – Post-LOI Risk
14:49 – Getting Sell-Ready
20:07 – The Deal Team
26:36 – Red Flags & Trust
31:44 – Clean Financials
39:15 – Picking an Advisor
46:17 – Succession & Obsolete
54:15 – Key Employees
58:24 – Valuations & Timing
1:03:19 – LOI, Fees & Wrap

ORIGINAL MEDIA SOURCE(S):
JT Schroeder: What to Expect From an M&A Advisor | Charting Opportunities
Originally Recorded on November 12, 2025
Charting Opportunities: Season 2, Episode 1
Images courtesy of: JT Schroeder and NorthView Advisors

#BusinessSale #MandA #BusinessOwner #ExitStrategy #WealthManagement

What happens when a founder has the ultimate leverage... but chooses differently?

In this rare, unfiltered story from Charting Opportunities, founder John Lesnik of Lending Science DM shares his journey of building a 10X value business that caught the attention of top-tier Private Equity firms. He was weeks away from cashing a massive check when he did the unthinkable: He walked away from the PE deal.

This isn't a story about a failed sale; it's about the power of choice. John breaks down the pros and cons of selling to Private Equity versus pursuing an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), explaining why he chose to put his people and his company culture first. This conversation is packed with hard-won lessons on:

- The critical steps to structuring your business to sell for maximum valuation.

- How to tackle major sale hurdles like customer concentration.

- The profound reason time kills all deals in the M&A process.

- Why the final decision for the business was the ESOP route.

John’s story is a powerful reminder that while money matters, a lasting legacy and culture may be the most valuable asset you can sell.

BIG THANKS to John Lesnik for being so transparent in sharing his journey with the Charting Opportunities community.

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00:00 Welcome: Charting Opportunities' 1-Year Anniversary
03:00 ESOP vs. Private Equity: The Core Decision
03:50 What is an ESOP? A Simple Definition
06:00 How We Knew It Was Time to Sell the Business
10:45 Going to Market: Hiring the M&A Firm
14:00 The First M&A Process: 383 Contacts, 7 LOIs
17:35 When the First Deal Fell Apart
19:40 Lessons Learned: Fixing Customer Concentration
22:15 Maximizing Value: Different Multiples for Different Business Lines
29:00 The Second Process and the ESOP Feasibility Analysis
37:00 The 10:30 Hour: Walking Away from Private Equity
40:55 The Biggest Hindsight Lessons (Time Kills All Deals)
45:00 Life Post-Sale: Finding Purpose and Starting Hooks of Hope
57:45 Final Thoughts and Next Speakers

ORIGINAL MEDIA SOURCE(S):

Based on the full episode "10X Your Business Selling to ESOP"
Originally Recorded on October 12, 2025 Charting Opportunities: Season 1, Episode 12
Images courtesy of: John Lesnik and Lending Science DM

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, David Vines, a practicing CPA and business attorney, provides an essential guide to the business documents that form the foundation of any successful company. He explains why meticulous record keeping isn't just about compliance but is a critical factor evaluated by potential buyers, creditors, and the IRS.

David stresses that organized, accurate, and complete documentation signals a well run business, while messy records act as a major red flag during due diligence for a sale.

David breaks down the concept of proactive legal maintenance, urging business owners to get their documents in order while things are good, not after a problem arises. He explains the serious risks of failing to observe corporate formalities, which can lead to creditors "piercing the corporate veil" and going after an owner's personal assets.

David demystifies the key differences between various business structures, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, S-Corporations, and C-Corporations, focusing on the crucial distinction of owner liability protection.

A significant portion of the discussion is dedicated to the specific documents every business owner needs to understand. David details the nuances of partnership agreements, corporate bylaws, shareholder agreements, and LLC operating agreements.

He offers practical advice on common but costly mistakes, such as outdated "Tax Matters Partner" clauses, failing to hold and minute annual corporate meetings, undocumented shareholder loans, and the disastrous consequences of incorrect asset titling.

Through cautionary "horror stories," he illustrates how simple oversights with deeds and leases can lead to thousands in legal fees and jeopardize major transactions.

David provides actionable insights into what should be included in these agreements, from buy sell provisions to restrictions that protect a company’s S-Corp status. The conversation also covers the importance of filing annual reports to prevent administrative dissolution and the necessity of documenting major business decisions.

This episode is an invaluable resource for any business owner who wants to fortify their company's legal structure, protect their personal assets, and ensure they're fully prepared for a smooth and successful exit.

A HUGE THANK YOU to David Vines! His detailed explanations and real world examples offer crucial guidance for business owners looking to protect their assets and maximize their company's value.

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