Marc Rosset, president of Professional Vending Consultants, has spent over 30 years advising owners in the convenience services industry on how to successfully sell their companies. Over the course of his career, he has completed more than 350 transactions and transitioned over $950 million in gross revenues.
“I hear about failed or undervalued deals all the time,” Rosset said. “Many owners come to us after hearing about my successful closings from a friend or colleague or reading about one of my many completed transactions. When you begin the action of selling your company, by using Professional Vending Consultants, you won’t experience many failed processes or disappointing offers – all issues that could have been avoided with an experienced M&A intermediary leading the transaction from the start.”
Not a listing, a strategy
“Sell-side brokers typically focus on exposure: listing the business, circulating summaries, and waiting for interest,” Rosset said. “That approach may work for simple transactions, but it rarely produces optimal outcomes for established, profitable companies.”
Instead, Rosset approaches every sale as a strategic process designed around the seller’s long-term goals.
“As an experienced M&A intermediary, I treat a sale as a success story, not a listing,” he said. “I begin the process by understanding your personal objectives, growth story, including what you will do after the sale. From there, we design a transaction structure that maximizes value, protects your interests, and aligns with your long-term goals, not just the closing date.”
That approach includes evaluating the company’s financial story, identifying potential strategic buyers, and preparing the business for the scrutiny that comes later in the transaction.
Generating higher valuations
According to Rosset, one of the most important drivers of valuation is the quality and competitiveness of the buyer pool.
“The strongest offers rarely come from the fastest buyer,” he said. “They come from strategic acquirers and well-capitalized investors who understand your business and see long-term value.”
Professional Vending Consultants maintains relationships with a broad range of potential buyers, including private equity firms, large national operators and strong regional players. By contrast, he notes that brokers without these relationships often rely on a much smaller buyer pool, which can limit both competition and negotiating leverage.
“We also won’t begin the deal with a buyer who hasn’t shown, in the past, the ability to complete a cash transaction. Virtually all my deals will pay the seller between 80-90% cash at close, with the remainder held for a short period to guarantee all reps and warranties. I never advise a seller to “hold paper” or help finance the deal,” Rosset said.
Experience matters
While receiving an offer is an important milestone, Rosset says the most difficult part of a transaction often happens afterward.
“Most deals don’t fail at the offer stage, they fail during due diligence and negotiation,” he explained. “Financial scrutiny intensifies. Legal risks emerge. Buyers push for price reductions or unfavorable terms. This is where experience can play a critical role.”
“I prepare sellers well before going to market, anticipating diligence issues and addressing them proactively,” Rosset said. “We manage negotiations aggressively but professionally, protecting our clients from unnecessary concessions and ensuring that deal terms truly reflect the agreed-upon value.”
That preparation often includes cleaning up financial reporting, anticipating buyer concerns and structuring the transaction in ways that reduce surprises during the closing process.
Going beyond price
For many sellers, the headline purchase price becomes the primary focus of negotiations. Rosset encourages owners to think more broadly about the overall structure of a deal.
“Many sellers focus exclusively on headline price. Sophisticated sellers focus on net proceeds and post-closing risk,” he said. “I always tell the seller it’s not the stated purchase price, it’s what you put in your pocket after the sale that makes the difference.” Rosset added that deal structure can include a range of financial and contractual elements that significantly affect a seller’s outcome.
“Employment agreements, earn-outs, escrows, indemnities, non-competes and allocation of proceeds dramatically affect what a seller ultimately walks away with,” Rosset explained. “My role is to optimize the entire transaction, not just a number in the press release.”
Protecting confidentiality
“A poorly managed sale process can disrupt employees, concern customers, and weaken leverage,” Rosset said. “Our firm runs controlled, confidential processes designed to protect your business while maintaining momentum and buyer engagement.”
Part of that process includes carefully vetting potential buyers before sharing sensitive information.
“We rigorously vet buyers, financially and strategically, to reduce the risk of failed closings and last-minute surprises,” Rosset said.
Choosing the right advisor
For business owners, selecting the right advisor can ultimately shape the entire outcome of the transaction.
“Choosing an experienced M&A intermediary is not about paying a fee at close. It is about netting more, reducing risk, and achieving certainty,” Rosset said.
At Professional Vending Consultants, Rosset measures success through several key outcomes: higher valuations, stronger deal terms, smoother transaction processes and, most importantly, completed deals.
“Our success rate is the completion of over 95% of listings,” he noted.
Preparing for the next chapter
Rosset begins working with owners well before they officially decide to sell. That early conversation allows time to evaluate both the business and the owner’s personal readiness for a transition.
“I will evaluate your company and your tolerance for a sale, without a cost,” Rosset said. “I will ask you about timing and always want to be sure that not only are you ready for a sale but will work with you on figuring out what you will be doing afterward.”
He is also willing to openly discuss the likely buyer landscape for a particular business.
“I have no problem discussing with you who I feel the best purchaser is,” Rosset said. “Do I run the risk of you taking my advice and then turning around and approaching the buyer yourself? Absolutely not. I know with my experience, and relationships with the best serious cash buyers and how to set favorable terms, I will net you more money than if you try it yourself. You have a business to run. Let me do all the work and hand you a successful finished transaction.”
To learn more, Contact Marc Rosset at Professional Vending Consultants Inc.
- Phone: 312-654-8910
- Call or text: 847-814-3939
- Email: [email protected]