What Buyers Actually Look For — And Why Most Businesses Never Sell
A guide for owner-managed businesses thinking about exit in the next 3 to 5 years.
Written by Niels Siskens after two years on the buy side, screening and evaluating owner-managed businesses across Europe. The guide walks through all seven dimensions of the 7 Mills Framework: what each one means, what buyers are really asking, and what it costs when any one of them is missing.
- M1 · The Post Mill — Owner Independence
- M2 · The Saw Mill — Documented Process
- M3 · The Tower Mill — People & Management
- M4 · The Paper Mill — Financial Clarity
- M5 · The Water Mill — Revenue Quality
- M6 · The Millstone Mill — Competitive Value
- M7 · The Wind Mill — Owner Readiness
The 7 Mills Framework
What Buyers
Actually Look For
And Why Most Businesses Never Sell
Post Mill Saw Mill Tower Mill Paper Mill Water Mill Millstone Mill Wind Mill