For about 1.5 months, she tried to sell the salon on her own. The result? A few phone calls, a few viewings of the premises – and not a single buyer ready to move to serious conversations.
This is a very typical situation.

Many owners assume that posting an ad and waiting for interested parties is enough.
In practice, the ad is only the beginning of the whole process.

We start every project with a business analysis. We checked the financial results, the operating model, the strengths and weaknesses of the company, and looked at it through the eyes of a potential investor. Right at the start, we noticed two significant challenges.

From the very beginning, we knew that this topic would come up during conversations with investors. After the analysis, we prepared a new investor presentation, organised the way we communicated the offer, and developed a sales strategy.

After preparing the offer, we published ad on OLX. The effect came quickly. Within 12 days, the first seriously interested buyer contacted us.

For comparison – during the previous weeks of selling on her own, the owner had not found a single person ready for real negotiations.

The buyer viewed the salon, analysed the business, and started conversations. And that's when the real negotiations began. After the meeting, he offered a price nearly 50% lower than expected. Additionally, he tried to contact the salon employees directly. Ultimately, the transaction did not go through.

At the same time, this was an important signal for us: the price and the way we presented the business were correct – the market began to react.

The next stage was promotion through Facebook groups and industry communities.
During the project, we published over 200 posts. However, these were not random publications.
We tested:

• different ad content,
• different photos,
• different ways of presenting the business,
• different groups and communities.

Out of about 300 groups, we created our own database of those that actually generate interest in buying a business. Thanks to this, new enquiries appeared regularly.

In parallel, we ran an advertising campaign. The advertising budget was approximately $500. We obtained 44 contacts from potential buyers. However, the number of leads alone does not matter much. The hardest part begins only after the form is submitted.

You have to answer dozens of questions, verify the buyer's intentions, schedule a meeting, prepare them for discussions, and maintain their interest. Each contact required at least five interactions:

• phone calls,
• messages,
• answering questions,
• qualification,
• organising meetings.

In practice, every lead had to be moved to the next stage of the process. That is why a dedicated sales manager worked on the project.

That is why we never base the whole process on a single person. While negotiations were ongoing, we continued searching for other candidates.

After a month, a new buyer appeared. He understood the market, the salon's operating model, the value of the equipment, and the importance of the customer base.

From first contact to signing the reservation agreement, it took about a month. The next month was spent on preparing documents, agreeing on terms, and handing over the business.

Most owners see only the final result – the signed sale agreement. Behind one transaction, however, are months of work:

• business analysis,
• preparing the offer,
• searching for buyers through multiple channels,
• dozens of conversations,
• buyer due diligence,
• document negotiations,
• failed deals,
• further rounds of discussions.

That is why selling a business rarely looks like this: "I post an ad – I find a buyer – I get paid."

In reality, it is a full‑fledged project involving marketing, sales, negotiations, and coordination of the entire process. And while the owner is running their business, someone needs to handle the sale.