Title: The Rise of Sell-Side M&A in 2025, and why sales experience is the Secret Weapon for business owners looking to exit

In 2025, the sell-side M&A market is booming, and it’s not by accident. Demographic shifts, economic pressure, and an influx of private equity capital are converging to create a historic surge in business exits. Baby Boomer entrepreneurs are retiring in record numbers. Growth-stage founders are seeking liquidity. And investors are hungry for quality companies with sustainable cash flow. But here's what many don’t realize: selling a company is more like selling a high-ticket product or service than a financial transaction.

That’s where sales expertise comes in and with 3 decades of leading sales teams selling just about anything, here is why I see salespeople as HUGE assets to M&A firms looking to grow their business.

The New Era of Exits

The sell-side M&A landscape has matured significantly over the last decade. Gone are the days when a basic pitch deck and a few warm introductions could sell a company. Today’s buyers, strategics, private equity firms, and family offices are disciplined, data-driven, and laser-focused on ROI. That means sellers need more than a broker, they need a closer.

In 2025, we’re seeing more M&A advisors with sales backgrounds step into this role, bringing with them a deep understanding of how to:

• Build buyer interest and urgency (It’s how we sell)

• Position the company as an opportunity, not just a transaction (Value Prop)

• Handle objections and negotiate value beyond the numbers (The sale doesn’t start until you hear the word “NO”)

• Create competitive tension between buyers (use urgency to sell)

Why Sales Professionals Make Great M&A Advisors

Selling a company is emotional. It's personal. It’s, in most cases, your life’s work and dream,  and it's complex. A sales professional who’s spent decades navigating long, high-stakes deal cycles is uniquely equipped to guide an owner through the exit process. They know how to listen, frame value, manage expectations, and, most importantly, drive the deal forward.

A good sales-driven M&A advisor thinks in pipelines, touchpoints, buyer psychology, and momentum. They know how to:

• Tell a company’s story to maximize perceived value

• Reframe risks as opportunities

• Follow up relentlessly but tactfully

• Protect the seller’s leverage during negotiations

And when you consider that most business owners have never sold a company before, having someone with closing DNA in their corner is not just helpful, it’s essential.

Owners Don’t Just Need a Banker. They Need a Rainmaker.

In the current market, many companies selling under $50M in enterprise value don’t have the luxury of multi-million-dollar advisory retainers. They need someone who can sell the company, not just package it.

That means understanding what makes a company attractive to acquirers, identifying strategic buyers, making the outreach, handling objections, and driving multiple offers. It’s not just financial modeling, it’s sales leadership.

2025 Outlook: Strong Demand, Stronger Need for Sales-Minded Advisors

The outlook for sell-side M&A remains strong through 2025. But the competition for buyer attention is heating up. That makes differentiation key, and sales-driven advisors are rising to meet the challenge.

For founders thinking about an exit, partnering with an advisor who knows how to sell, not just a suit and tie who can transact, can make the difference between a disappointing offer and a life-changing outcome.

Bottom Line:
If you're a business owner eyeing an exit in 2025, don’t underestimate the value of sales experience at the deal table. It’s not just about EBITDA multiples. It’s about strategy, storytelling, and negotiation. Selling your company is the biggest sale you'll ever make; make sure you have a salesperson on your side.

Additionally, M&A firms that hire trained sales professionals as deal advisors gain a competitive edge. They’re not just adding headcount, they're embedding velocity, buyer engagement, and conversion expertise into the heart of the deal process. In today’s market, financial acumen is table stakes. The ability to sell the deal? That’s the differentiator.