Exit &
M&A Advisors
Strategic Solutions for Complex or Unready Small Business Sales
Exit planners, M&A advisors, and business brokers operate in a demanding environment, one where owner expectations, deal complexity, and business readiness rarely align. For businesses under $20 million in revenue, the road to closing is often uneven: messy books, founder fatigue, distressed conditions, inventory and asset uncertainty, or lack of succession planning.
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Fortis Business Advisors steps in when traditional transaction support isn't enough. We help advisors salvage at-risk deals, prepare sellers for market, stabilize businesses in decline, and, when necessary, execute orderly liquidations that protect reputations and preserve value. Whether as a behind-the-scenes advisor or a hands-on operator, we extend your reach into transactions that others may pass on.
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​We also provide interim management when parties are in conflict, when successors are unqualified or disengaged, or when a third party has taken over the business and needs operational continuity to complete a sale. Our team can step in, stabilize the company, and manage short-term execution while advisors focus on structuring the transaction.
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Fortis understands the structural and emotional realities of small business sales, where valuation gaps, working capital dysfunction, and legacy decision-making can derail even the most promising opportunity. We bring real-world tools to bridge these gaps: cash flow modeling, inventory diagnostics, margin analysis, and operational cleanup that clarify the picture for buyers and increase the close probability.
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We also provide fallback strategies when deals collapse. For listings that go stale, seller distress that accelerates, or buyers that walk at the 11th hour, Fortis can pivot quickly, repositioning the business, launching monetization strategies, or supporting an expedited wind-down.
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The result: smoother transitions, cleaner exits, and better outcomes for advisors and their clients, regardless of the starting point.
WHAT FORTIS PROVIDES
Execution support that helps M&A advisors close more deals or recover value when a sale can't move forward.
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Fortis works alongside exit planners, business brokers, and M&A advisors to bridge the gap between business owner intent and transaction readiness. We step in when businesses are unprepared for market, in operational decline, or facing liquidity pressure, bringing structure, stability, and clarity to deals at risk.​
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Whether the goal is to clean up financials before listing, stabilize a faltering seller, or execute a recovery strategy after a deal collapses, Fortis delivers practical, small-business-focused solutions tailored to sub-$20M engagements.
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We act as a force multiplier for M&A professionals, bringing tools and insight that improve close probability, minimize reputational risk, and preserve stakeholder trust.
Exit- & M&A-Aligned Solutions
WHEN WE HELP
M&A advisors know the deal landscape is full of hurdles -- messy financials, emotional owners, buyer hesitancy, and operational breakdowns. Fortis steps in when your advisory role needs tactical execution support to keep a transaction alive, prepare a business for sale, or recover value when a deal can't close.
Valuation Gaps or
Buyer Hesitancy
When poor records, operational volatility, or cost misalignment make buyers pause, Fortis delivers clarity through diagnostics, modeling, and sales-stage cleanue.
Stalled Transactions or Withdrawn Offers
When buyer interest fades or a deal breaks down, Fortis pivots quickly to unlock residual value through business repositioning, asset monetization, or expedited wind-down.
Seller Distress or
Business Decline
If the seller's condition deteriorates during the sales process, Fortis steps in to stabilize operations, preserve enterprise value, or execute a fallback monetization plan.
Conflict, Fatigue, or Founder Exit Readiness
When ownership conflict or emotional disengagement risk derailing a sale, Fortis provides interim management, operational continuity, and owner transition planning.
Disorganized Financials or Inventory Confusion
When a business lacks clean books or inventory clarity, Fortis conducts a targeted review to align expectations, resolve unknowns, and support due diligence.
Deal Too Small or Complex for Traditional Support
When the business falls below the radar of large investment banks or restructuring firms, Fortis brings real-world execution built for smaller, nuanced situations.
Why Fortis Business Advisors
Trusted by M&A advisors, exit planners, and transaction professionals, Fortis delivers execution-ready support in small business deals where complexity, messiness, or last-mile risk threatens the outcome.
COMPLEMENTARY INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
An integrated suite of services designed to help advisors prepare, reposition, or resolve small businesses in the lead-up to sale, during a deal, or when fallback strategies are required.
FEATURED SUCCESS
Entrepreneur &
Investor
Fortis Business Advisors provided me with an accurate analysis and valuation that save me from making a $450,000 mistake.
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Fortis offers field-tested strategies (owner-focused and consultant-focused) to prepare small businesses for sale during economic volatility, providing advisors with a toolkit designed to stabilize, optimize, and navigate deal readiness through cash flow, operations, and asset clarity.
In the current economic environment, many small businesses face rising interest rates and cash-flow pressure that can turn healthy operations into "zombies." Fortis helps advisors and their clients proactively navigate these risks, stabilizing cash flow, restructuring debt, and deploying turnaround and monetization strategies before the deal window closes.