Dear Insider,

When selling your architecture, engineering, or environmental consulting firm, it's natural to feel like you're in the hot seat. Buyers ask the questions. They dive into your financials. They evaluate your team and culture. But here’s the reality: every buyer conversation is just as much your chance to assess them.

This is a two-way street—and sellers who embrace that mindset walk away with better outcomes, better partners, and a better future for their people.

Even better? Sellers who navigate this process with the support of an experienced M&A advisor gain a crucial advantage: time and clarity to evaluate not just the numbers, but the people, culture, and long-term alignment behind each offer. A well-managed process gives you the breathing room to explore, compare, and ultimately choose what’s right for you, your firm, and your legacy.

A buyer may promise to “preserve your culture,” but you need to verify—not just trust. Ask:

• What other firms have they acquired, and how were those teams integrated?
  

• What changed post-transaction—and what didn’t?
  

• Can they connect you with other sellers who have joined them for a candid perspective?

These are the types of questions that often get overlooked in fast-moving one-off conversations. A managed process ensures you have the structure and support to dig deeper and understand whether their values truly align with yours.

2. Vision and Strategy: Are You Headed in the Same Direction?

Whether you plan to stay on or step away, a buyer’s strategic vision will shape your firm’s next chapter. Understand:

• How do they define success?
  

• What’s their five-year plan for your team, your clients, and your brand?

• Pay close attention to upcoming openings on their leadership team- we have seen plenty of our sellers’ leaders end up in high places after the transaction.

• Will your team still recognize the firm a year after closing?
  

Your advisor should help you draw out these insights, even if the buyer doesn’t offer them upfront. This is where an experienced partner can help translate vision into practical implications—before you make a commitment.

3. Track Record Tells You Everything

Does the buyer have a good track record? Ask:

• How many deals have they closed?

• How many LOIs do they issue and sign each year—and how many close?
  

• How do they handle post-deal challenges?
  

• What do their past acquisitions say about them now?
  

A good M&A advisor will have seen these players in action—and can provide honest insight into which ones follow through on promises and which ones don’t.

4. Are They Willing to Invest in People?

Your people are your greatest asset. Make sure the buyer sees it the same way.

• Will they retain key leadership?
  

• How do they support employee development and engagement?
  

• What happens to benefits, bonuses, and culture?
  

With a managed process, you’ll have more than a quick conversation—you’ll have a structured framework to evaluate how each offer affects your team and the deal.

5. Chemistry Counts

This isn’t just about capital—this is about partnership. And the right partner feels right.

• Do they listen as much as they talk?
  

• Are they transparent and collaborative?
  

• Can you envision working together through difficult moments?
  

Don’t underestimate your instincts—but also don’t rely on them alone. Your advisor should help surface red flags and validate gut feelings with hard facts.

The Power of a Managed Process

Running a disciplined M&A process doesn’t just invite multiple buyers to the table—it ensures you’re not rushed into the wrong one. With the right advisor, you gain:

• A structured timeline that allows you to evaluate each offer fairly
  

• Clear, consistent information to compare buyer intentions and terms
  

• Expert guidance in asking the right questions at the right time
  

• A team that is analyzing every moment of the process, with expertise in managing both internal shareholder groups and multiple buyers.

In short, you gain control and lose the headache, in a way that pays for itself multiple times over.

Bottom Line: Don’t Just Sell. Select.

The difference between a good deal and a great deal often comes down to how well you’ve evaluated the buyer—not just the offer.

At PSMJ, we don’t just help you sell. We help you select—from the right pool of buyers, under the right conditions, with full visibility into the road ahead. Tell us your goals, and we’ll help you achieve them.

Let’s talk if you’re considering your options. We’ve helped hundreds of A/E firm owners navigate the process with confidence—and we’re here to help you too. Whether you have a deal in hand, or would like to expand your discussions- we’re here to help.

This is part one of a three part series on knowing your buyer. In the next Insider, we will dive into the critical question of integration and how to make sure your firm will thrive post-transaction.

At PSMJ, it starts with a discussion: what are your goals? We’ll help you achieve them. We bring award-winning, unparalleled expertise to each and every M&A or internal ownership transition process, whether you’ve just started your tenure as a firm owner and want to build a multi-decade strategy, or if you’ve signed an LOI and want to make sure the deal gets to the finish line. The truth is in the numbers, we have the highest success rate in the M&A industry with dozens of clients whose expectations have been blown away.

If you’re curious, give us a call through this page, or leave a question or comment in the box and you’ll hear from us. Comments are not shared publicly.