New Businesses for Sale Listings Edit ???????? + The Skills of Successful Salespeople + The Difference between Strategic VS Financial Acquirers

Welcome Back to this week's Edit of the Excuse Me SIR. ICYMI Newsletter!! ???? As always we are bringing the JUICE, so kick back, dive in and let's make you smarter in 15 Mins or Less.?

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ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:

THIS WEEKS MANTRAS:?

1. MOST things in life happen for a reason:

Besides serious illness and death ( tragedies ) MOST things in life happen for a reason, in this life I choose to believe that everything is always working in my favour to bring me to my ultimate vision, even if it is not happening in the way I have planned.?

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2. You don't have time to move slowly in an industry that moves at 100Miles Per Hour.

One compliment I receive OFTEN is how quickly I move and I attribute my success to my speed time and time and time again. The speed in which I go from consumption > decision > execution is oftentimes a matter of hours - days because that is what is required of us as CEOs in this current marketplace. How quickly do you move? How quickly do you make decisions? What mechanisms do you have in place to support speed and agility??

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Exciting News!

We are thrilled to introduce a brand-new segment to our ICYMI Newsletter: VENTURA LISTINGS. This segment is dedicated to showcasing companies that are up for sale and ready to be acquired, providing you with exclusive access to some of the most promising opportunities in the market.

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What to Expect:

• Exclusive Listings: Get a first look at companies that are ripe for acquisition, spanning various industries and sizes.
• Detailed Insights: Each listing will come with comprehensive details, including financials, market position, growth potential, and strategic advantages.
• Buyer Resources: We will provide resources and tips to help you evaluate these opportunities and make informed decisions.

Why VENTURA LISTINGS??

Whether you're an investor looking to expand your portfolio, a business owner seeking strategic growth through acquisition, or simply curious about market opportunities, VENTURA LISTINGS is designed to keep you informed and ahead of the curve.

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Stay tuned for our first batch of listings coming soon inside of the ICYMI Newsletter. We are currently filtering through applications and pulling the most promising listings! We can't wait to help you discover your next big opportunity!

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WANT TO FEATURE YOUR COMPANY/ASSET IN THE NEWSLETTER? FILL OUT THIS FORM HERE.?

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READY TO BUY A COMPANY/ASSET AND WANT TO START RECEIVING DEAL FLOW? FILL OUT THIS FORM HERE.?

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For more information and to stay updated, make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter and follow us on our social media channels.

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Happy Acquiring!

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?THIS WEEKS QUESTIONS:?

1. How much controlled exposure do you currently have access to, to improve your skillset?

2. Why are you starting a business or acquiring customers or creating a new product/service from scratch? When you can expand through acquisition??

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PODCASTS I LOVED THIS WEEK:

1. The School of Greatness Episode with Evy.P HERE. They went into how to read people, building mental resilience, human archetypes and so much more.?
2. Kate Perkovic AMBITIOUS: Mastering Multiple 7-Figure Businesses with Ashli Pollard HERE.
3. Family & Friends with Aurora James : How to Scale a Brand at your Pace HERE.

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???? STARTUP EDIT: Skills all Successful Sales People Possess?

????VENTURA EDIT: Strategic VS Financial Acquirers ( How to choose the right buyer )?

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?Startup Edit: The Skills of Successful Salespeople

Whether you want to or not…your job as a founder is to sell. Without sales - you have no business which means mastering sales is crucial to your company's success. HOWEVER, I do not teach sales mastery how MOST teach it, systems and processes and medium mastery are the icing on the cake… but it doesn't make you a master of sales. Regardless of the medium, audience, or sales process, the success of your sales efforts hinges on a set of core skills. These skills go beyond industry specifics and are rooted in understanding people. Because people are sales.?

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So let's dive into the fundamental skills you absolutely must master when wanting to master sales:?

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1. OBSERVATION & RESEARCH?

Most people don't know how to make accurate observations and turn perceptions into controls. And let's be honest, not enough people gather enough data before sales calls. You need to come in equipped, knowing who your target is, how they act, how they communicate, and ultimately, how to win?

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Key Points:?

• Conduct detailed research on prospects, including their behaviour, communication style, and pain points.
• Use this information to tailor your approach and control the conversation.
• The person with the most knowledge and the best controls wins the negotiation.
• 73%+ Of how we communicate is Non-Verbal…let that register.

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2. MANIPULATION OF PERCEPTION?

Perception is reality in sales. How prospects see you and your product can make or break the deal. Your job is to shape and influence that perception positively and all of this happens BEFORE the call or sales conversation.?

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Key Points:?

• There are certain credibility markers that are pretty consistent per industry but can be nuanced to industry & consumer economics also… that drive initial know, like, trust and authority within your marketings so that the sales scenario is more a sorting of agreements rather than an exploration of trust/validation/credibility.
• Your non-verbal communications shape your consumer's perception of you and your company. Master this before anything else.
• I want you to reflect on how you think you are currently perceived vs how you wish to be perceived and come up with a strategy for how to fill that discrepancy.

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3. COMMUNICATION?

Communication is the bedrock of sales. Effective communication involves both speaking and listening. The irony is that MOST people don't know how to shut the fuck up long enough to actually listen, and once they listen they don't know how to read between the grey. These are skills that are sharpened with practice, not by consuming theory.?

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Key Points:?

• Communication is a fine balance between what you say ( verbal ) and how you say it (nonverbal) cues. The smaller the discrepancies between the two communication forms, the better at communication you will be.
• I talk alot about feedback loops ie. Inquiry & Advocacy loops in sales essentially meaning the skill of effectively asking the right questions and advocating your offer as the solution to the questions/pains/desires they have. This feedback loop is the key to great communication on sales calls and in sales interactions.
• Listen more than you talk. Stop putting words in your consumer's mouths and let them formulate the response that comes to their head. This is TRUE insight. Curated Insight = ie. insight encouraged by you, is inaccurate and subjective.

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4. CREATIVITY?

Want to know why sales isn't working for you? Your sales might be boring. Your buyers are fatigued. You are using the same runs as sally, Joe and John next door. You are providing the same solutions as Suzanne, Kelly and greg down the road. BREATH SOME LIFE into your sales strategy and get fucking creative.?

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Key Points:?

• I highly encourage you to Think outside the box to solve problems and meet customer needs.
• I want you to ask yourself what you are doing to make it memorable. How are you innovating your sales approach to keep it fresh and engaging? Last year we did a "strategic partner tour" - we hit hard with ABM marketing on a very small Hitlist, organised calls and then sent out custom cakes to each lead with a slogan that was part of the pitching campaign and we saw INSANE interest and conversions.
• Stop being so boring, get some skin in the game and sell differently than anyone in your industry.
• Make a point to Use creative storytelling to make your pitch more relatable and memorable because people move from emotions and stories are the best way to pull on those emotions.

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?5. REPETITION?

You are struggling to make sales because you do what all people who struggle with sales do. You find it very difficult to do the same thing day in and day out, you are embarrassed and feel like a burden by saying the same thing in the same/different ways 100x and you let your internal dialogues around repetition control your actions. But here is the thing…Repetition is a skill, a very important skill, that aids in helping you do what needs to be done to catapult sales through the roof = ie. repeating your core messages time and time and time again.?

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Key Points:?

• Most people need to interact with a single message 7+ times before they even consider moving throughout that buying process. If you think you have said it too many times, say it 12 more times.
• Fortune is in the follow-up - A study found that it took up ways of 14 follow-ups ( strategic ) before a company was seriously ready to convert..most people don't make it past the first 1 - 2 follow-ups.
• Remember that you cannot build know, like and trust, you cannot build credibility, you cannot establish brand/message recall - if you are not REPEATING yourself enough to develop these things.

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These skills are not innate; they can be developed and refined with practice and dedication but the key thing you need to understand is that controlled exposure is where the most growth occurs.?

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The truth of the matter is - simply being EXPOSED TO MORE sales environments, does not make you a better sales person…why? because there is no feedback on your actual performance besides win/lose. CONTROLLED environments like the ones in SBA? allow us to truly understand the gaps and opportunities in your current skills, strategies and processes so that you can refine them and truly master these skills before being thrown into true exposure scenarios.?

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Sales is not theory. It is chemistry and at the heart of its principles is people.?

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Understanding and connecting with people is at the heart of successful sales, and by focusing on these core skills, you can drive growth and scale your startup effectively. For more insights and guidance on building, growing, and scaling your business, explore the resources available through SIR. BUSINESS ACADEMY? and SIR. VENTURES?.

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LISTEN TO THE STARTUP EDIT ?? HERE: SKILLS OF SUCCESSFUL SALES PEOPLE

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HEADLINERS TO KEEP TABS ON:

• Fierce Foundry Launches Venture Studio for Female Founders in Femtech HERE.

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• New Grants Funding Women-Led Organisations & Startups HERE.

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• Wellbeing of Women & Maroon Venture Fund team up to create a new venture studio, Astrawell, focused on women's health HERE.

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• Australian Startups seeing fundraising rise with startups fundraising over 1.9 Billion in the first half of 2024… yet only 5% of all female-founded teams received said funding. Time for reform. HERE.

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• JSHEALTH Vitamins sets its sights on the US Market! Love seeing another local brand doing such amazing things - JS Health is BOOMING right now with 84% YoY growth…they are a company to watch because they are not slowing down any time soon. HERE.

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• 52% of Americans spend more in the summer… E-COM Brands Listen Up because this is how you are boosting your sales with a summer high this year! HERE.

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• Access is such an important factor companies need to be considering when it comes to facilitating sales & loyalty - Aussie Brands are doing what needs to be done to fuel global expansion and make access easier than ever to global markets HERE.

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• The Butterfly Effect - Casting a Shadow on Diversity Funds Across the US HERE.

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• Nikes Stock tanked 20% marking its lowest same-day drop in 4 years… Read about it HERE.

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• TikTok Launches Its New SOAR Program Designed to Empower Sales Channels and Investment for SMBs. HERE.

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• With all eyes on the Olympics, Nye Partners with Rising Gymnast HERE. However, I think this is bringing forth a much larger conversation around the need for further development in beauty & fashion brands for athletes long term, not just because of the Olympics.

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• IFW How to raise your first 30k Workshop! Absolute MUST WATCH HERE.

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SUBSTACKS I AM LOVING THIS WEEK?

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• Two ways to visualise the importance of churn & retention ( ie. your money makers and recommended key growth drivers. This substack is geared towards subscription companies but there is a lot to learn regardless of industry. HERE.

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LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE HEADLINE NEWS ON SPOTIFY HERE.?

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M&A Edit: Strategic VS Financial Acquirers ( ie. Buyers ) & What the Difference is.?

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When you're looking to sell your business, it's crucial to understand the type of buyer you're dealing with. The two main categories are strategic buyers and financial buyers. Each has its own motivations, strategies, and implications for your company post-sale…SO naturally…closing the RIGHT type of buyer is incredibly important!! This week, we’ll dive into the differences between strategic and financial buyers, so you can navigate the M&A landscape with absolute confidence.

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STRATEGIC BUYERS?

What are Strategic Buyers??

In a nutshell, Strategic Buyers are buyers who view your company/asset as essential to their company's growth. There is something valuable that you have, that they don't, that they want to leverage to drive growth, innovation etc Strategic buyers can come from various industries, not just the same one as the business they are looking to acquire & Their primary goal is to enhance their existing operations, enter new markets, acquire new technologies, or achieve synergies that will create long-term value. These buyers are typically more involved in the mission and the long-term success and integration of your company/asset.?

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Key Characteristics:

• Synergy and Integration: Strategic buyers look for potential synergies through integration.?
• Long-term Vision: They generally have a long-term perspective and are willing to invest in the acquired company to ensure its growth and integration into their existing operations.
• Higher Valuations: Because strategic buyers see value beyond the standalone financials of the target company, they are often willing to pay a premium.

Example: When Disney acquired Pixar, it wasn’t just about getting into the animation market. Disney saw the potential to integrate Pixar’s technology and creative talent into their existing operations.

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Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Because Strategic Buyers place more value onto your company/asset there is Potential for higher valuations, you also have access to greater resources if you are acquired by a significantly larger company, and can be assured that the buyer that will carry on your mission and vision in some way shape or form and enhanced market position.
• Cons: Unfortunately, as with all acquisitions, no matter how much you vet…it is no longer your business so there may be Possible loss of company culture, significant changes in management, and integration challenges. There can also be longer negotiation times to ensure you are both the right fit!?

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FINANCIAL BUYERS?

What are Financial Buyers??

Financial buyers, such as but not exclusive to private equity firms, serial entrepreneurs, hedge funds, or venture capitalists, are primarily interested in the financial return on their investment. They typically seek to improve the company’s profitability and sell it at a higher price in the future.

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Key Characteristics:

• Investment Focus: Financial buyers are focused on the potential return on investment. They often look for companies with strong cash flows, growth potential, and operational efficiencies that can be improved.
• Short to Medium-term Horizon: Unlike strategic buyers, financial buyers usually have a shorter investment horizon (typically 3-7 years) before they look to exit through a sale or going public ( IPO ).
• Operational Improvements: They often bring in management expertise to streamline operations, reduce costs, and drive profitability.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: The upside is that these investors put in the work to provide the company the resources and restructuring it needs to 100x growth providing Access to capital for growth, expertise in operational improvements, and potential for high financial returns.
• Cons: To say it bluntly, they don't care about culture, retaining staff or aligning with your vision and mission. They want to buy the company for as cheap as possible and sell it for as much as possible.?

Key Differences

Motivations:

• Strategic Buyers: Look for long-term growth, synergies, and market expansion.
• Financial Buyers: Seek high financial returns, operational efficiencies, and profitable exits.

Approach:

• Strategic Buyers: Focus on integration and leveraging synergies.
• Financial Buyers: Emphasize financial performance and operational improvements.

Impact on Your Business:

• Strategic Buyers: May lead to higher valuations and significant changes in operations and culture.
• Financial Buyers: Provide growth capital and management expertise but may also impose stringent performance targets.

Valuation:

• Strategic Buyers: Often willing to pay a premium for synergies.
• Financial Buyers: More focused on current financial performance and future profitability.

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Disclaimer:

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Always consult with a professional advisor before making any financial or legal decisions related to mergers and acquisitions.

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That is all for this Month!!?

xox, Lace

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