WHAT TO PREPARE
Explain the mix. Organize the detail.
Distinguish project work from everyday demand
Separate project orders, scheduled OEM demand, and maintenance purchases where your records allow. Note open quotes, backlog, deposits, and cancellation terms. An open quote is not the same as a confirmed order, and a confirmed order still needs context.
Review product-line and stock dependencies
Prepare a list of important suppliers and product lines. Identify discontinued items, special-order inventory, and customer-specific stock. Gather written agreements and flag questions about transfer or consent for professional review.
Make technical support repeatable
Document how the team handles cross-references, substitutes, configuration questions, and manufacturer escalation. Preserve the source documents behind recommendations. Show how another experienced team member can find the information rather than relying entirely on one person’s memory.
Your first-pass checklist
- Sales categories for projects, OEM accounts, and maintenance
- Open quotes and confirmed orders shown separately
- Supplier and product-line agreements
- Special-order and discontinued inventory report
- Technical support and escalation process
Should every open quote go into the sales forecast?
Keep quoted opportunities separate from accepted orders. Explain your own historical conversion pattern if you can support it with records. A transparent list of assumptions is more useful than presenting the entire quote book as future sales.
Prepared by Old Growth, the acquisitions division of Deep Forest AI. These prompts help organize a discussion with your advisers. They are not a valuation, technical instruction, or an offer.
