Common Queries About Advisors
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Acquire.com M&A advisors trustworthy?
We have a stringent onboarding process established by legal professionals that helps to filter out any bad eggs. Soon, you’ll also be able to screen advisors by ratings and client testimonials. To avoid misunderstandings, please review engagement requests carefully before accepting them. If in doubt, drop us a line and we’ll help out.What’s an engagement request?
An engagement request is an official offer from an advisor to work with you. It outlines the scope of services being offered, the fees, and any engagement documents and other relevant information critical to the offer.You’re under no obligation to accept an engagement request. Review every engagement request in detail and only accept if you’re happy with the terms.
I’m not happy with my advisor. What now?
You can cancel your engagement at any time.Can I hire more than one advisor?
Yes! However, for our first release of the advisor directory, you can only have one advisor engaged at a time. This means if you've hired an M&A advisor to perform due diligence, you'll have to wait until their work has been done to "complete" their engagement, then engage another advisor to perform negotiations. While it might seem like you’re doubling your chances, it just ends up being messy and confusing. Acquisitions are hard enough without advisors fighting over who does what!How much information must I share with an advisor?
You don’t have to share anything with advisors, but that kind of undermines the reason for hiring them. At the very least, you should be willing to share your private listing information, and from there you can share almost everything – including the right to negotiate with buyers on your behalf.How much does it cost to hire an advisor?
It varies. Some advisors charge an hourly rate, some a percentage on the sale, and others a flat fee. You’ll find estimated fees on the advisor’s Acquire.com profile. The fee will also be included in any engagement request the advisor sends you.What services do advisors offer?
An advisor gives you professional advice. They might also act on your behalf in certain capacities, such as editing your listing or negotiating with buyers or their legal counsel. Our approved advisors cover a wide range of acquisition services, including:- Legal
- Accounting
- Escrow
- M&A
- Valuations
- Negotiations
My startup got acquired. What happens to the advisor engagement?
This depends on the scope of services on offer. In most cases, the engagement would end when your startup was acquired but not all (for example, if you need help administering an earn-out, you might retain the services of a legal advisor).We recommend you agree with the advisor on what completion of the engagement looks like and then you can extend or close the engagement as necessary when your startup is acquired.