THE OWNER’S JOURNAL / SOUTHEAST U.S.
You built it.
What comes next?
Practical reading for specialty distribution and industrial supply owners thinking about a sale. Start with the question on your mind, and leave with one useful next step.
A buyer’s perspective from Old Growth, the acquisitions division of Deep Forest AI.
START HERE / A PLAN YOU CAN KEEP
A little preparation.
A clearer next chapter.
You can get organized before deciding to sell. Our 90-day planner gives you a manageable place to start.
Explore the 90-day planFree worksheet. No email required.
01 / THE OWNER’S JOURNAL
Thinking about a sale
Start with your objectives, your advisers, and the questions worth asking.
SALE PREPARATION · 5 MINUTE READ
Thinking about selling your distributor? Start with 90 days.
A practical 90-day preparation plan for Southeast distribution owners considering a sale, with a private planning worksheet.
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SOUTHEAST RESOURCES · 5 MINUTE READ
Selling a business in the Southeast: where to start with advice
Find public business resources in six Southeast states and prepare useful questions for your accountant, attorney, and prospective buyer.
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SALE CONVERSATIONS · 4 MINUTE READ
Seven questions to ask a buyer before sharing detailed business records
Prepare questions about a buyer’s role, funding, information handling, proposed operator and next steps before a detailed sale discussion.
Read the article02 / THE OWNER’S JOURNAL
People & relationships
Understand what customers and colleagues rely on you to do.
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS · 4 MINUTE READ
Will customer relationships carry through an owner handover?
Map how customer relationships work beyond the owner, with a handover worksheet for specialty distributors preparing for a sale.
Read the articlePEOPLE AND TRANSITION · 4 MINUTE READ
Selling your business: put your team questions into words
Turn concerns about your team, company name, location, and future role into specific questions for a potential buyer.
Read the articleOWNER INDEPENDENCE · 4 MINUTE READ
Could your distribution business run without you for two weeks?
Use five everyday decisions to find where your distribution business still depends on you, then choose one responsibility to hand over.
Read the article03 / THE OWNER’S JOURNAL
The business behind the records
Make inventory, supplier relationships, and specialist work easier to explain.
OPERATING PERSPECTIVE · 5 MINUTE READ
The product knowledge behind a repeat order
A distribution perspective informed by spill kits and pipe plugs: make product knowledge, order changes, and approval responsibilities easier to carry forward.
Read the articleSUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS · 4 MINUTE READ
Supplier records to organize before selling a distributor
Build a practical index of product lines, supplier agreements, rebates, and open questions before discussing the sale of a distributor.
Read the articleHOSE AND FLUID POWER · 4 MINUTE READ
Selling a hose distributor: explain the product and service mix
Organize product sales, assembly, and service work before a buyer conversation, with a blank work-mix worksheet for hose distributors.
Read the articleDISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS · 4 MINUTE READ
Slow-moving inventory: explain the shelf before discussing a sale
Organize aging, customer-specific and discontinued stock before a buyer conversation, with a downloadable inventory discussion template.
Read the articleTURN READING INTO A NEXT STEP
Start with your business.
Eight questions can help you decide what to prepare first. Keep your results without sharing your email.
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We welcome introductions from owners and advisers of specialty distribution and industrial supply businesses in the Southeast U.S.
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