Your Next Move: Buying or Selling a Business in Today's Market

Your Next Move: Buying or Selling a Business in Today’s Market

Presented by the Small Business Development Center at Temple University

Friday, September 25, 2026

9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI)

1810 Liacouras Walk

Philadelphia, PA 19122

Every thriving business eventually faces the same question: what comes next?

For the owner who has spent decades building something of value, "what comes next" means finding the right successor — someone who will honor that legacy and carry it forward. For the entrepreneur who is ready to own and lead, it means finding the right opportunity — a business with proven fundamentals and a clear path to growth.

Your Next Move brings both sides of that equation together for a focused, practical half-day summit on entrepreneurship through acquisition and business succession planning. Whether you are looking to exit, looking to enter, or helping clients do either, this event was built for you.

What to Expect

The summit will feature three breakout session blocks, each offering parallel tracks tailored to where you are in the transition journey:

The Buyer Track is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors who are actively exploring or pursuing business acquisition. Sessions will cover how to identify and evaluate acquisition targets, understand deal structures, secure financing, and set yourself up for a successful transition into ownership.

The Seller Track is designed for established business owners who are planning for succession, preparing for a sale, or beginning to think seriously about their exit. Sessions will address business valuation, readiness assessment, finding qualified buyers, and the legal and financial steps that protect your interests through the transaction.

You will have the opportunity to attend sessions in both tracks, connect with advisors, attorneys, lenders, and fellow business owners, and leave with a clearer picture of your next step — and the professionals who can help you take it.

For Buyers: Build Your Path to Business Ownership

From identifying the right opportunity to understanding financing and navigating the transaction process, the Buyer Track will help attendees ask better questions and prepare for the road ahead.

Session #1: Is Acquisition Right for You? The Mindset, the Math, and the Search

9:45 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.

Thinking about buying an existing business? Before you start reviewing listings or contacting sellers, it’s important to determine whether acquisition is the right path for you—and what the right opportunity looks like.

This session will walk prospective buyers through the fundamentals of the acquisition journey, including how buying a business compares with starting from scratch, how to define your acquisition criteria, and where to find potential opportunities. You’ll also learn how to approach sellers, conduct an initial screening, and spot red flags before investing significant time or resources in a deal.

Session #2: Financing the Deal — A Lender Panel

10:40 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Financing is the single biggest practical barrier for most acquisition-minded entrepreneurs. Yet the landscape is confusing, lenders seem inaccessible, and many deals fall apart at the financing stage simply because buyers didn't understand what was possible—or what lenders want to see.

This panel brings together three lenders from our region, moderated by Ray Haden, SBDC Access to Capital specialist, to demystify the process and put faces to the institutions. You'll learn how SBA 7(a) loans work as the primary acquisition vehicle, including what lenders look for and who qualifies. You'll understand seller financing—when to ask for it, how it works, and how it interacts with bank financing. You'll discover what makes a borrower attractive to a lender, what role your equity and down payment play, and the common reasons deals collapse at the financing stage—and how to prevent them. We'll also cover ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) as an alternative financing path. Whether you're months away from making an offer or years away from thinking about acquisition, this conversation will give you a realistic roadmap for the financing side of the deal.

Session #3: Closing the Deal: Due Diligence, Deal Structuring, and What You Need to Know

11:35 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.

You've found the business. You've secured financing. Now comes the part that trips up most buyers: closing the deal. Many acquisition-minded entrepreneurs underestimate the complexity of due diligence and deal structuring, and many deals that should close don't—simply because the buyer wasn't prepared for what's really involved.

This session walks you through the critical mechanics of an actual transaction, from start to finish. You'll learn how to conduct comprehensive due diligence across financial, operational, legal, and cultural dimensions. You'll understand the crucial distinction between an asset sale and a stock sale—what it means for you, what it means for the seller, and why it matters. You'll explore key deal terms beyond price: earnouts, non-competes, transition periods, representations and warranties, and what each protects. You'll discover when and how to work effectively with an attorney and an accountant, what each brings to the table, and when to bring them in.

For Sellers: Prepare for What Comes Next

Whether a sale is around the corner or still years away, the Seller Track will provide business owners with information and perspectives to help them begin preparing for a successful transition.

Session #1: Are You and Your Business Ready to Sell? Valuation, Readiness, and the Exit Mindset

9:45 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.

Session #2: Finding the Right Buyer and Managing the Process

10:40 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Once you've decided to sell, the real work begins. You need to identify qualified buyers without tipping off your employees, customers, or competitors. You need to run a process that protects your leverage. And you need to evaluate offers that may look completely different from one another—different structures, different terms, different buyer types. How do you know which is best for you?

This session walks you through the operational and strategic center of a business sale. You'll learn the landscape of buyer types: strategic acquirers, financial buyers, trust-based ownership models, employee succession through ESOPs, family succession, and individual entrepreneurs—and what each brings to the table and what they're looking for. You'll understand when it's worth working with a business broker or M&A advisor, what to expect from them, and how they are compensated. You'll discover how to maintain confidentiality throughout your process—why it matters, what can go wrong, and the practical steps that protect it.

You'll learn what a confidential information memorandum (CIM) looks like and what buyers want to see. You'll explore how to evaluate offers that go well beyond the headline purchase price: earnouts, seller notes, transition periods, and terms that affect your real take-home. And you'll understand what "qualifying a buyer" really means—not just financial capacity, but intent, fit, and whether they're serious or just fishing.

Session #3: Maximizing Your Exit: Tax, Deal Structure, and Legal Protections for Sellers

11:35 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

Who Should Attend

This summit is designed for:

• Business owners considering a sale, transfer, or succession within the next one to five years

• Entrepreneurs actively seeking to acquire an existing business

• Business owners who have inherited or recently acquired a business and are navigating the transition

• Advisors, lenders, and professional service providers who serve clients in ownership transitions

Registration is required for guests.