07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Mastering the sale: 2025 insights for private business owners
BNY Wealth recently conducted an in-depth study with 127 owners of successful privately held businesses who are either contemplating or have recently completed a business sale. The findings are presented in our report: Mastering the Sale: 2025 Insights for Private Business Owners. With its candid, first-hand accounts and expert advice from BNY specialists, this report offers unique perspectives on the business of selling a business.
Smart sellers plan ahead
A business owner who begins deal preparations today won't be selling into the market we have now, but the market of tomorrow. Indeed, 38% of owners in this study expressed regret they didn't devote enough time to deal preparation. Ideally, a two-year runway ensures a smoother deal process. While the timing of a sale depends on each business owner's unique circumstances, dedicating more time to developing the right strategy beforehand can ultimately result in a successful exit.
Make it less taxing
Tax and estate planning can make or break the overall success of a sale. In fact, 40% of study participants wished they had engaged in tax and estate planning earlier. Trusts, such as Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs), Dynasty Trusts, and other wealth planning strategies may be essential for managing and protecting sale proceeds, reducing income and estate taxes, and transferring wealth across generations.
Build your team
To effectively navigate a sale, business owners will need to assemble their 'deal team' of expert advisors. This team will likely include an investment banker, wealth manager, certified public accountant, mergers & acquisitions attorney and a trust & estate attorney. Access to well-connected professionals with strong industry expertise provides sellers with essential guidance, advice and greater peace of mind throughout the deal process.
'You want advisors close to you who know your business and your family. Set this team up early. Establish regular meetings, so everyone knows each other and can work well together. You're leveraging your team's expertise, and that team is greater than the sum of its parts. Setting up this team early will allow the most success during and post-sale.'
Heather B. Cheney
Senior Wealth Strategist, BNY Wealth
Add AI to your deal team
A larger than expected 75% of respondents said they used or plan to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist them with selling their business. As AI technology rapidly evolves, it is expected to play a growing role in ways that assist the sale of a business, including compliance, valuation, accounting and financial preparation.
Life beyond the sale
Preparing for a sale can take years, making it easy to overlook the importance of what comes afterward. Sellers often leave behind longstanding relationships with employees and customers and are worried about carving out a new identity. To ease the transition, 90% remained involved temporarily as consultants or advisors, while 70% maintained an ownership stake in the business.
We understand that navigating the sale process can appear to be a formidable challenge. With careful planning, strategic guidance and the right support, a successful business sale can be a catalyst for unlocking new opportunities and securing a lasting legacy.
Gain access to exclusive insights and expert guidance – download your copy of Mastering the Sale: 2025 Insights for Private Business Owners.
This material is provided for illustrative/educational purposes only. This material is not intended to constitute legal, tax, investment or financial advice. Effort has been made to ensure that the material presented herein is accurate at the time of publication. However, this material is not intended to be a full and exhaustive explanation of the law in any area or of all of the tax, investment or financial options available. The information discussed herein may not be applicable to or appropriate for every investor and should be used only after consultation with professionals who have reviewed your specific situation.
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