What we would tell you across the table, written down.
Each guide is specific enough to act on. Written by Ali, dated, and revised when the market changes.
- October 10, 2026
5 minWhat makes a business unsellable and how to fix it in timeThe reasons a BC business fails to sell, from owner dependence and bad records to leases, concentration and price, and the fix for each in time - October 8, 2026
6 minHow business brokers and M&A advisers are paid in CanadaHow business brokers and M&A advisers charge in Canada, with retainers, success fees, minimums and the modified Lehman scale, using BizSell.ca pricing - October 5, 2026
5 minKeeping a business sale confidential from staff and customersHow to keep a BC business sale confidential, from blind listings and staged disclosure to NDAs, buyer qualification, site visits and telling staff - September 28, 2026
5 minMistakes sellers make in the first buyer meetingThe mistakes BC owners make when they first meet a buyer, from oversharing and underpreparing to negotiating too early, and how to run the meeting - September 15, 2026
5 minThe first 100 days after buying a business, a working planA working plan for the first 100 days after buying a business in BC, covering people, customers, cash, suppliers, systems and what to change or postpone - September 1, 2026
5 minWhat investors look for in a BC small businessWhat investors and growth partners look for in a British Columbia small business, from proven demand and unit economics to the team and the exit - August 20, 2026
5 minWhen to raise money and when to grow from profit insteadHow a BC owner decides between raising outside money and growing from profit, what each costs, what lenders and investors expect, and when to do neither - August 5, 2026
5 minStarting a business in BC as a newcomer, where to beginHow a newcomer starts a business in British Columbia, with structure questions for lawyers and CPAs, banking, registrations and what to validate first - July 25, 2026
5 minWhat newcomers need before buying a business in CanadaWhat a newcomer should prepare before buying a business in Canada, what the plan must show, and why regulated immigration consultants lead the file - July 10, 2026
5 minHow a management buyout works for a BC small businessHow a management buyout works for a small business in British Columbia, from valuation and financing to the transition of control and key terms - June 30, 2026
5 minPassing a family business to the next generation in BCA practical guide to family business succession in BC, covering successor readiness, fair treatment of siblings, price, control and the handover - June 15, 2026
5 minHow to buy an online business and verify what you are buyingHow to evaluate an online business for sale from Canada, verifying traffic, revenue, platform dependence and transfer, with tax questions for your CPA - June 1, 2026
5 minBuying a restaurant or cafe in BC without overpayingWhat to verify before buying a restaurant or cafe in BC, from the lease and liquor licence to real sales records, labour cost and equipment - May 15, 2026
5 minBuying a trades or home services business in BCHow to evaluate a trades or home services business for sale in BC, from licences and technicians to lead sources, service agreements and the owner - May 5, 2026
5 minWhat to check before buying a franchise in British ColumbiaHow to evaluate a franchise purchase in BC, from the disclosure document and unit economics to the agreement, territory and resale terms - April 20, 2026
5 minWorking capital in a business sale and why it changes the priceWhy working capital decides what a BC buyer really pays, how the target is set and adjusted at closing, and how both sides protect themselves - April 1, 2026
5 minEarn-outs and holdbacks, how they work and when to accept oneHow earn-outs and holdbacks work in a BC business sale, what each protects against, how they are measured and the terms to settle before signing - March 25, 2026
5 minHow buyers finance a business purchase in CanadaHow a business purchase is financed in Canada, from bank and government-backed lending to vendor financing and equity, and what lenders want to see - March 10, 2026
5 minA due diligence checklist for buying a small business in BCA working due diligence checklist for buying a small business in British Columbia, covering financial, legal, people and tax items with your advisers - February 20, 2026
5 minHow to read a confidential information memorandum as a buyerA buyer's method for reading a confidential information memorandum on a BC business, what each section is really saying and the questions it should trigger - February 5, 2026
5 minShare sale or asset sale, the questions to ask your advisersThe difference between a share sale and an asset sale for a BC business, framed as the questions to put to your lawyer and CPA before you negotiate - January 20, 2026
5 minPreparing your business for sale over 12 to 36 monthsA year-by-year plan for preparing a BC business for sale, from clean statements and owner independence to contracts, systems and the buyer package - January 10, 2026
5 minHow long it takes to sell a business in BC and what decides itWhat decides how long a business sale takes in British Columbia, stage by stage, and the preparation that shortens the process without cutting the price - December 15, 2025
6 minHow business valuation works in BC and what moves the multipleHow small business valuation works in British Columbia, SDE versus EBITDA, where multiples come from and which drivers you can still change before a sale
Start with a confidential conversation.
Tell Ali where the business is and what you want to happen next. You leave with a straight read on value, timing and the two or three moves that matter, whether or not we work together.