Most business owners spend years building the company, then treat the sale like it will “just work out.”

In this episode, Sam Diarbakerly sits down with Kurt Steinkrauss, Partner at Mintz-Levin, to talk about what actually protects your outcome, before you ever go to market. Kurt breaks down what makes deals go smoothly and what quietly breaks them. Together, they unpack why “time is the enemy” once a sale process starts, why running your business like it’s for sale can change everything, and why the right advisory team matters more than most founders realize. The conversation also covers real tax and deal-structure landmines and how planning early can create options that simply disappear later.

What to expect:

• How to get “sale-ready” before an investment banker runs a process
• Why entity structure (S corp vs C corp) can change your tax outcome
• What reps and warranties insurance is, and why sellers care
• The hidden leverage of early gifting and valuation discounts
• Why your CPA, attorney, and advisor need to work as one team
• And more!

Resources:

• Peer groups mentioned: Vistage, YPO

Connect with Sam Diarbakerly:

• LinkedIn: Sam Diarbakerly
• LinkedIn: Generation Capital Advisors
• Generation Capital Advisors

Connect with Kurt Steinkrauss:

• LinkedIn: Kurt Steinkrauss
• LinkedIn: Mintz
• Mintz

About our Guest:

Kurt Steinkrauss is a partner at Mintz, chair of the closely held business practice, and co-chair of the private equity practice. He advises entrepreneurs and executives through business sales, succession planning, and complex tax and estate planning, with a focus on protecting value on the front end and reducing risk on the back end.