The Founder Briefing, Q4 2026: What Buyers Are Seeing

A few times a year we write down what we’re hearing from owners of founder-led businesses, names stripped out, so others in the same position can see what their peers are weighing. This edition covers what’s bringing owners to the table right now, why half the deals we looked at had the owner keeping a stake, and the gaps buyers dig into most, including the finance seat, which most owners don’t think about until a sale is underway. The full briefing is below.

Download a PDF version of this report here.