| Episode Type | Expert Insight Interview |
| Guest | Gregory Kovsky, President & CEO, International Business Associates (IBA) |
| Guest Website | ibainc.com |
| Listen | View on Sales POP! Podcast Page |
Selling a privately held business is one of the most consequential decisions an owner will ever make, yet most founders approach it without a clear plan. Gregory Kovsky, President and CEO of International Business Associates, has guided more than 300 business owners through this process over 32 years, and he knows firsthand how quickly a poorly prepared sale can unravel.
In this episode, Gregory walks through the full lifecycle of a business sale — from defining your exit objectives to structuring the deal and managing commercial real estate. He shares why clean financials, realistic timelines, and the right advisory team separate successful exits from costly mistakes.
Key Insights
1. Here is what you need to know about defining your exit objectives before you sell.
Before engaging a broker or testing the market, business owners must define exactly what they want to achieve from a sale. For some, the priority is a specific financial outcome; for others, it is freedom or the opportunity to pursue something new. Gregory emphasizes that you cannot begin the journey without a destination, because your goals will shape every major decision that follows, from buyer type to deal structure.
2. Here is what you need to know about preparing your financials for maximum valuation.
Clean, scrutiny-ready financials are the single most important factor in achieving top enterprise value. Owners should plan at least one year in advance to eliminate gray-area expenses, overpaid family members, and non-recurring costs that distort true profitability. With EBITDA multiples of five or six times common in the market, a $100,000 discrepancy buried in the books can cost an owner $500,000 or more at closing.
3. Here is what you need to know about common deal-killing mistakes family businesses make.
The biggest mistakes Gregory sees involve internal succession — selling to family members or employees through an ESOP without fully assessing their capability to run the business. He also warns against cutting marketing and sales investments in the months leading up to a sale. Short-term profit improvements look attractive, but they signal future revenue risk to buyers and can erode valuation significantly during due diligence.
4. Here is what you need to know about realistic timelines and deal structures.
Owners consistently underestimate how long a business sale takes. Gregory’s firm typically requires six to twelve months to complete a transaction, followed by a transition period of three months to three years. Deal structures rarely involve all-cash payment; sellers must understand seller notes, escrow holdbacks, earn-outs, and retained equity stakes — each with different risk profiles and tax implications depending on the buyer type and the seller’s goals.
5. Here is what you need to know about building the right transaction team.
A successful exit requires a coordinated team: an M&A intermediary, an attorney, a CPA, and a wealth advisor. Each professional brings a distinct perspective, and their advice will not always align. Gregory notes that the business owner must act as the team’s decision-maker — gathering every option, weighing the trade-offs, and making the final call that reflects their personal risk tolerance and legacy goals.
Pull Quotes
“I’m more of a holistic M&A broker, trying to create win-win outcomes and make sure all the appropriate elements are at least thought about before decisions are made.” — Gregory Kovsky
“You can’t start a journey without a destination.” — Gregory Kovsky
“If you’re 70 years old and you want to be retired by 72, you better start moving that train because it’s not going to just happen overnight.” — Gregory Kovsky
“I believe someone who’s earning several hundred thousand a year has built something of worth and deserves professional representation.” — Gregory Kovsky
Business Sale Metrics: Key Statistics from International Business Associates (IBA)
| Statistic | Detail |
|---|---|
| IBA Founding Year | 1975 — Pacific Northwest’s oldest and largest business brokerage firm |
| IBA Office Locations | 10 offices across Oregon and Washington |
| Gregory Kovsky’s Experience | 32 years as an M&A intermediary |
| Transactions Facilitated | Over 300 sales of privately held companies and family businesses |
| Enterprise Value Range | $1 million to $30 million per transaction |
| Average Time to Sell a Business | 6 to 12 months with IBA |
| Transition Period Post-Sale | Commonly, 3 months to 3 years are negotiated for leadership handover |
| Industries Represented | Approximately 20 industries, including technology, manufacturing, marine, education, and services |
| Compensation Model | 100% performance-based — no fee unless the business sells |
Related Resources
Our Host
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
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