Clearly Acquired Blog

Expert insights, funding strategies, and practical guidance for securing capital, financing growth, and navigating business acquisitions. Whether you're raising capital for expansion, restructuring debt, or exploring your first acquisition, our blog provides the knowledge and resources to help you succeed.

Growth
March 4, 2025

HR Compliance Checklist for SMB Acquisitions

Navigating HR compliance during a small or medium-sized business (SMB) acquisition is crucial to avoiding costly mistakes and ensuring a seamless transition. This comprehensive checklist covers essential areas, including employee records, employment agreements, benefits, compensation, and workplace policies.

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Growth
March 3, 2025

Who to Include on a Deal Team

Building a strong deal team is crucial for successful acquisitions. Studies show that 60% of deal failures are linked to inadequate due diligence. Here's a breakdown of the key roles that make up an effective team.

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Growth
February 28, 2025

Ultimate Guide to Geographic Preferences in SMB Deals

Did you know that choosing the right business location can double your returns in SMB acquisitions? Location plays a critical role in market access, costs, competition, and long-term success.

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Growth
February 27, 2025

How to Draft a Letter of Intent for SMB Acquisitions

A well-written LOI plays a critical role in securing a successful SMB acquisition. It sets expectations clearly and helps establish trust between the parties involved. Thanks to digital tools, creating an LOI is now more efficient than ever.

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Growth
February 25, 2025

10 Tips for Negotiating SMB Purchase Price

Successful SMB purchase negotiations require preparation, trust-building, and using data-driven tools to bridge valuation gaps.

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Growth
February 24, 2025

How to Use NDAs to Protect Business Sale Information

A properly drafted CA sets expectations with buyers, which is critical to the M&A process. A properly prepared agreement signals to buyers that you're well-represented, and buyers will be less likely to use negotiating tactics they might try on unprepared, less sophisticated sellers

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Growth
February 23, 2025

Reinventing the Search Fund: Clearly Acquired’s Hybrid Self-Funded Model

One of the biggest challenges with the traditional search fund model is its lengthy execution time—often taking 12 to 24 months to secure a deal. These factors combined to create a model where the lengthy timeline was almost inevitable—a stark contrast to the agility required in today’s fast-paced market.

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Growth
February 23, 2025

First-Time Business Buyer's Complete Checklist

Acquiring your first business demands thoughtful planning, disciplined execution, and reliable support. By sticking to a structured approach and using proven tools, buyers can greatly improve their chances of success.

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Growth
February 22, 2025

Catalyst Fund I: Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs and Unlocking Hidden Yield in SMEs

Catalyst Fund I is a transformative initiative that marries the power of search fund investing with the immense potential of generational transition. By focusing on high-impact sectors—trades, services, and manufacturing—Moreover, our nationwide vision ensures that no quality opportunity is overlooked.

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Growth
February 22, 2025

Top 6 Business Valuation Methods Compared

Valuations often work best when multiple methods are combined. For instance, a manufacturing company might calculate asset value for equipment, use DCF for operational cash flow, and validate results with Market Comparison. Combining approaches tailored to your business's needs can provide a more accurate and well-rounded valuation

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Growth
February 21, 2025

8 Must-Have Documents for Business Purchase Agreements

Thorough preparation, clear communication, and expert legal advice are critical at every stage. When done right, these documents give both parties the confidence to move forward, enabling smooth business transitions with reduced risk.

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Growth
February 21, 2025

A New Era for Small Business: What Kelly Loeffler’s Leadership Means for the SBA

Kelly Loeffler’s recent confirmation as the new Administrator of the SBA signals a shift towards increased transparency, efficiency, and pro-business policies. The House Committee on Small Business has expressed optimism about her leadership, citing her commitment to reducing regulatory burdens, improving access to capital, and addressing past issues such as rising loan default rates and COVID-19 relief fraud. Loeffler’s background as a business executive and former senator positions her to implement reforms that will benefit lenders, small business owners, and Main Street America as a whole.

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Acquire Quality. Fund Growth. Close with Confidence.

As an AI-driven Business Acquisition Marketplace and Financing Platform, we are on a mission to simplify and accelerate the MainStreet to MidStreet lending and acquisition ecosystem.

We specialize in technology that supports price discovery, identity verification and financial qualification, and buy-side tools to help searchers source and manage deal flow, make offers, secure lending/financing solutions, and close with confidence.

illustration of team with digital platform

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions by users that are looking to buy businesses on Clearly Acquired:

How can I show business owners I'm a legitimate buyer and that I'm interested?

With a Clearly Verified account, you can instill confidence in other users, brokers and sellers that you are, who you say you are, when you "verify" your identify.  This is the key to instilling confidence in the users on the platform,  gaining traction and getting instant access to financials, supporting data and insight to quickly move to making an offer or moving on.   This will save you months of wasted time and expedite the closing of a sale.

How are my finances verified?

Using financial technology the Clearly Acquired Platform safely and securely verifies your finances, to help sellers understand your closing capability and help lenders expedite your financing. Additionally, the buy-side deal room will help you get your documentation in order, to prepare you for the debt and equity financing you will need to close your acquisition.

Can I get in touch with advisors to help support me in this process?

The Clearly Acquired team is here to support you on your business acquisition or business sale journey. That said, the platform is designed to connect you with a community of users, who are identify verified, which include: investors, lenders, advisors, brokers, consultants, and other buyers who are looking for partners.  

What is a Deal Hub?

The Deal Hub is the central repository for all transaction-related activities on our business acquisition platform. It serves as a secure and organized space where buyers and sellers can access critical information and manage the entire acquisition process efficiently. The Deal Hub is divided into two main components: the Data Room and the Deal Rooms.

Data Room: The Data Room is a secure, virtual storage space where sellers can upload and share essential documents related to their business. This includes financial statements, legal contracts, operational reports, and other due diligence materials. Buyers can access these documents to conduct thorough evaluations and make informed decisions. The Data Room ensures that all sensitive information is protected and only accessible to authorized parties.

Deal Rooms: The Deal Rooms are dedicated spaces for each business listing where buyers and sellers can collaborate and negotiate terms. Each Deal Room is equipped with tools for real-time communication, document sharing, and tracking the progress of the deal. This streamlined environment facilitates transparent and efficient interactions, helping to expedite the acquisition process and ensuring that both parties are aligned at every stage.

The Deal Hub's comprehensive and secure infrastructure simplifies the complexities of business acquisitions, providing a seamless experience for all users involved.

What is Plaid?

Plaid is a financial technology company that provides a secure and seamless way to connect and interact with financial institutions. It enables applications to access users' financial data with their consent, facilitating a wide range of services such as identity verification, account authentication, and transaction history retrieval. Plaid's robust API infrastructure ensures high security, reliability, and compliance with regulatory standards.

By integrating Plaid, Clearly Acquired can offer a secure, efficient, and reliable method for identity verification, building trust among users and ensuring the integrity of the acquisition process.

I am new to the idea of business acquisition, where can I get more information on how to get started?

Make sure to check out our Educational Course on Business Acquisition that is offered in our paid plans for buyers: From Purchase to Profit: Mastering the Art of Business Acquisition.

This Membership Course for buyers is designed to empower individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the business acquisition process successfully. Whether you're a first-time buyer or an experienced entrepreneur, our course equips you with the tools and insights needed to make informed decisions and achieve your acquisition goals. Join us and embark on your journey to buying a business with Clearly Acquired.

Easy as 1, 2, 3

Create Your Account. Get Verified. Start Searching.

1

Create an account

Every day, lenders, investors, brokers, and sellers come to Clearly Acquired looking for qualified operators like you. Creating an account and getting verified helps you stand out and build trust.

2

Build your profile

Build your profile to get matched with capital and opportunities. Showcase your expertise and resume, to connect with the right capital and acquisition partners—making every opportunity count.

3

Search & Connect

Browse Verified listings, source off-market deals, & manage deal flow with powerful tools to underwrite opportunities, and connect with capital to streamline the entire acquisition and funding process

Join the Clearly Acquired Search Community

Create Your Profile & Get Verified for Free