Ask this: “What terms make this business pay for itself?” My Term Stack: Seller carry: seller finances part of the purchase Earn out: you pay more only if targets are hit Holdback: money stays back for surprises Transition in writing: training, handoff, intros, lease assignment Rule: If it only works with full cash up front, it’s not a deal. It’s a donation. Copy paste on your next call: “Your price makes sense. I can get there on terms. What amount will you carry and what milestones should the rest be tied to?” Comment "TERMS" and I’ll drop the follow up questions that get sellers to say yes.

Most buyers negotiate price and still lose. Price doesn’t make a deal work. Terms do. Stop asking “What’s your lowest price?” Start asking “What terms make this business pay for itself?” My Term Stack: Seller carry the seller finances part of the purchase. Earn out you only pay more if revenue cash collected hits targetsHoldback money stays back for taxes chargebacks equipment lease surprises. Transition in writing training vendor handoff customer introductions lease assignment. RuleIf it only works with full cash up front it’s not a deal. It’s a donation. Copy paste this on your next call: “Your price makes sense. I can get there on terms. What amount will you carry and what milestones should the rest be tied to?” Comment TERMS and I’ll drop the follow up questions that get sellers to say yes.

Stop negotiating price. Start negotiating terms. Price is what amateurs talk about.Terms are what buyers use to get rich. Because a seller can drop the price and you can still lose the deal if the structure drains your cash every month. So the question is not “What’s your lowest price?”The question is “What terms make this business pay for itself?” Use this Term Stack on every deal. Seller note: If they believe the business is real, they will carry part of the price. Earnout: Pay the rest only if revenue or cash collected hits specific numbers. Hold back: Keep money back for surprises: tax notices, chargebacks, broken equipment, lease issues. Working capital clarityIf the business needs cash to operate, that is not “included.” That is part of the deal. Transition requirementsTraining, vendor handoff, customer introductions, and lease assignment in writing. No handshake chaos. The ruleIf the deal only works when you pay full cash up front, it is not a deal. It is a donation. Copy and paste script“Your asking price makes sense. I can get there on terms. What amount are you willing to carry and what milestones would you feel good tying the rest to?” If they refuse seller financing instantly, you learned everything you needed to know. They do not trust the numbers. Or they are not a real seller. Either way, you just saved weeks of wasted time. Comment “TERMS” and I’ll drop my exact term stack checklist plus the follow up questions that get sellers to say yes.

That’s a rookie question. Because profit is the easiest number to manipulate. A seller can show you a profitable P&L and still have❌ no money❌ no cash❌ no real business. Profit is a story. Cash is the truth. So the real question is:“How much cash hits the bank every month?” Because deals aren’t funded by spreadsheets. They’re funded by: ✅ bank statements ✅ deposits ✅ consistency The Cash Only Filter: A real business can send you • 12 months of bank statements (PDFs, not screenshots) • monthly deposits that are steady (not random spikes) • merchant processor reports (Stripe, Square) • rent and payroll that make sense • owner add backs that are real (not fantasy) If they can’t prove that, they’re not selling a business. They’re selling a dream. One line script (copy and paste): “Perfect. Send the last 12 months of bank statements plus your P&L and I’ll tell you exactly what your business is worth.” If they hesitate, disqualify immediately.Because serious sellers don’t protect numbers. They protect time. Rule: If they can’t prove cash flow in one call, they’re not ready. They’re not real. You’re wasting your time. Because in deals, time is your only real asset. Comment “BANK” and I’ll drop my exact seller doc request list.

That’s a rookie question. Asking price is a wish. Proof is power. The real question is: “What happens if you DON’T sell in the next 30–60 days?” Because every seller has a story…but only serious sellers have pressure. ✅ Real seller = urgency + receipts - Lease renewal coming up - Partner dispute / divorce - Relocation already planned - Health situation - Burnout + replacement hired - They’ve already dropped the price - They can send documents today Then hit them with one line: “Perfect. Send the last 12 months of bank statements + your P&L.” If they hesitate…they’re not selling a business. They’re selling a dream. Rule: If the seller can’t show urgency + proof in one call…disqualify. Because in deals… time is your only real asset.