Hear directly from a former buyer of technology companies who then co-founded and sold his own technology company about how to make a buyer interested in acquiring your company. Get first hand insight into what your business might be worth, when and why to sell, what companies are buying when they buy, how to prepare for a sale and what the sales process looks like.
Lowell will review the five step process that he has documented for finding a buyer:
1. Planning & Research
2. Outreach
3. Engagement
4. Term Sheet & Due Diligence
5. Negotiation and close
Lowell Ricklefs twice built the leader in the online market research data collection industry - GMI (sold to WPP for $100M) and Toluna (sold to a Private Equity firm for $260M). He co-founded FlexMinder - the leader in Healthcare IT automated claim submission (sold to JellyVision), in addition he led the buying side of several transactions including a $10M technology company in Texas and a $40M technology company in Connecticut. At F500 Rockwell Automation as a Global Sales VP he worked closely with Corporate Development on acquisition strategy. Lowell started Traction Advising to pursue his passion: helping fellow entrepreneurs scale and sell software companies.
Gary Kocher is a partner in the Seattle office of K&L Gates with over 25 years of experience working with emerging growth companies and investors that support them. He counsels founders on business formation issues and works with clients on a wide range of transactions, including financings, strategic partnerships and acquisitions, intellectual property creation and protection, and exit transactions. Over his career, Gary has represented more than 100 start-ups. He serves as outside counsel to the Alliance of Angels in Seattle and is a member of the Public Policy Advisory Council to the Angel Capital Association. He has helped several angel groups form side-car investment funds and is a frequent speaker and writer on topics relevant to angel investing. In his spare time, he loves to fly fish and will talk for hours about pescatory pursuits.
