How Do I Prepare My Leadership Team for an Acquisition?

If you’re considering selling your business—or even just preparing for that possibility down the road—one of the most important questions an acquirer will ask is: Can this business run without you?

1. Build a Self-Sufficient Middle Management Team

2.  Incentivize Retention the Smart Way

3. Let Them Participate (But Don’t Let Them Retire)

4. Build a Bench

5. Make the Business Run Without You

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From Chaos to Control: Surviving the 2025 Tariff Wars

Join Pipe17, Aterian, FlavorCloud, Archipelago Companies, and izba for a high-impact discussion on how brands can regain control and build supply chains that thrive under pressure. Based on insights from the eBook From Chaos to Control: A Playbook for Supply Chain Success in 2025, this expert-led session will break down what’s happening, what’s coming, and what to do now.

What We’re Reading

• The Bubble Blasters and Other Chinese Goods That Are Paralyzed by Trade Chaos: Six thousand inflatable snowmen are stuck in a Chinese factory after a U.S. toy maker canceled its order due to trade uncertainty, disrupting QVC's “Christmas in July” plans. The situation highlights how tariffs and shifting supply chain strategies are leaving both American buyers and Chinese manufacturers in limbo. (WSJ)

• Shein’s London IPO Stalled Amid US Tariff Fallout: ​Shein has stalled its plans for a London IPO as new U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports threaten its $38 billion U.S. revenue stream, prompting a reassessment of its global strategy. In response, the company is exploring alternative production hubs like Brazil and Turkey and has cut ties with UK communications firms involved in the IPO process. (Bloomberg)

• E-Commerce Sellers Brace for End of De Minimis: ​The trade provision that allows companies to avoid duties on shipments worth $800 or less is ending for products made in China.  (WSJ)

Business Worth Buying

🌟 Here are 3 key takeaways for anyone serious about building a business investors can’t resist:

• Solve the Real Pain, Don’t Just Build Tech: Maya emphasized, “Don’t build something and try to find a market. Work with the market — have the market rip out of you the technology they need to solve their problem.” (Listening trumps guessing!)

• Investors Bet on People & Learning Agility: Especially at the pre-seed and seed stages, founder-market fit, obsession with the customer’s pain, and the ability to pivot fast matter more than any spreadsheet. “Can this founder listen deeply, and, if needed, pivot? That is critical in the early stage,” said Maya.

• Position for the Right Exit — Know Your Buyer: Not all exits are created equal. Whether a buyer wants your revenue, tech, talent, or market capture should inform how you build and position your business. As Maya put it, “Know who your buyer is and what they’re optimizing for.”

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