Question 1

What does a boutique M&A advisory firm do?

Accepted Answer

A boutique M&A advisory firm specializes in guiding business owners through mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Unlike large investment banks that focus on billion-dollar deals, boutique firms like Next Point LLC provide hands-on, personalized advisory for small and mid-market businesses—typically companies with $3M to $100M+ in revenue. Services include business valuation, buyer identification, deal negotiation, due diligence management, and closing support.

Question 2

How do I know if my business is ready to sell?

Accepted Answer

Your business may be ready to sell when it has consistent or growing revenue over 3+ years, documented processes that don’t depend solely on you, a diversified customer base (no single client exceeding 15–20% of revenue), and clean financial records. The ideal time to start planning is 2–3 years before your target exit date. Next Point offers confidential consultations to assess your readiness.

Question 3

What industries does Next Point LLC specialize in?

Accepted Answer

Next Point LLC has deep expertise in metal manufacturing, healthcare (medical, dental, and physical therapy practices), food and beverage manufacturing and distribution, service businesses (HVAC, environmental, business services), photonics and advanced technology, and industrial distribution. With over 450 completed transactions across 20+ years, Next Point brings sector-specific knowledge that general M&A firms typically lack.

Question 4

How long does it take to sell a business?

Accepted Answer

The typical timeline from engagement to closing is 9 to 18 months, though complex deals may take longer. The process includes 1–2 months of valuation and preparation, 2–3 months of marketing to qualified buyers, 2–3 months of negotiation and letter of intent, and 2–3 months of due diligence and closing. Starting preparation early and having organized financials can significantly shorten the timeline.

Question 5

What is the difference between a business broker and an M&A advisor?

Accepted Answer

A business broker typically focuses on smaller transactions and often uses a listing-based approach to find a buyer. An M&A advisor, by contrast, takes a more strategic role in larger or more complex transactions. At Next Point, we do more than bring a business to market. We help owners prepare in advance through exit planning, pre-transaction strategy, and value-building efforts designed to improve the M&A outcome. From buyer positioning and targeted outreach to negotiations, deal structure, and transition planning, our role is to help clients maximize both value and fit.

Question 6

What makes Next Point different?

Accepted Answer

We are not a volume shop, a listing broker, or a firm trying to be everything to everyone. We bring more than 20 years of M&A experience and have facilitated over 450 transactions, but just as important, we bring judgment, honesty, and an owner’s mindset to the table. Every one of our advisors has been a business owner. We understand what it means to sit in the seller’s seat, and that changes how we guide a process, negotiate a deal, and think about the outcome.

Question 7

Who do you typically work with?

Accepted Answer

We typically work with privately held businesses, often family-owned, in the lower middle market, generally ranging from $5 million to $100 million in revenue. In healthcare, our primary focus is on multi-location, multi-provider practices, though we also work with individual practices starting around $1.5 million in revenue, depending on the specialty, location, and overall situation.

Question 8

What industries do you specialize in?

Accepted Answer

We focus on selected industries rather than taking a broad generalist approach. Our experience includes manufacturing and industrial businesses, healthcare, service-based companies, food and beverage, distribution, and advanced technology. Within healthcare, we have particular depth in dental, physical therapy, and medical practices. That industry familiarity helps us understand value drivers, identify the right buyer universe, and position opportunities more strategically.

Question 9

I already have interest from a buyer. Do I still need an advisor?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. An interested buyer is not the same thing as the right outcome. The first offer may be credible, but that does not mean it reflects the best value, structure, or fit. A well-run process can create leverage, surface alternatives, and improve not just price, but terms, timing, and what your life looks like after the deal is done.

Turn The Business You’ve Built Into The Life You Deserve.

Next Point is a specialized boutique M&A advisory firm dedicated to transforming successful businesses into exceptional exits.

Next Point LLC | Boutique M&A Advisors

What We Help With

Unlock the Value of Your Precious Asset.

Divestiture

Mergers & Acquisitions

Management Buy-Out

Turnaround

ESOP Acquisitions

Who We Help

Industries of Expertise

In Our Clients’ Words

Honest input from people (formerly) in your position

Your “Living the Dream” Team.

Meet the Team

Equipped to Help

Dean "Rocky" Rockwell

Charlie Maclay, CTP

Jui Trivedi

Cathy Willig

J. Michael Grady

Ronald Teplitsky

Ben Woodring

Advisory Team

Medical & Dental

Dr. Peter Michael Tan, DDS, MSHS, FACD, FICD

Dr. Angela Isaacs, DDS, MBA

Dr. Grace Harriman

Resources

Insights, Authenticity, and Exits, Oh My

FAQs - Homepage

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