Preparing for M&A: Key Lessons for MSP owners from IT Nation Grow
The Creditor's Perspective on M&A
Mistakes I Made or Witnessed in M&A
How early preparation can strengthen valuation, improve leverage, and create better M&A outcomes.
If you wait to bring in M&A advisors until after buyers are already engaged, you may have surrendered meaningful leverage. The strongest outcomes are built well before a deal is on the table.”
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Cristian Anastasiu and Madhur Duggar of Excendio Advisors were honored to serve as panelist and moderator at another successful IT Nation Grow event – our fifth time playing an integral role in the conference.— Cristian Anastasiu
“As always, this was another great conference with great takeaways”, said Madhur Duggar, Senior Advisor at Excendio. “Our main observation was many more MSPs are thinking of exiting this year than were a year ago. It’s palpable. As Robert J. Scott said it – if you're not passionate about AI, this could be your best time to exit.”
Our Top 10 Takeaways from IT Nation Connect 🚀
1️⃣ The biggest regret founders have after selling?
Not building a leadership team sooner. The more your business depends on you, the harder the exit.
2️⃣ Get your house in order before going to market.
A clean cap table, experienced legal counsel, and proactive estate planning can save months of headaches—and potentially millions in taxes.
3️⃣ Run a process, not a negotiation.
The best outcomes happen when multiple buyers compete at the same time. One buyer is a conversation. You need an Open House.
4️⃣ Choose your advisors carefully.
Your M&A advisor should be the quarterback of your transaction. Industry expertise and relationships matter far more than a flashy pitch deck.
5️⃣ Work yourself off the org chart.
If you don't plan to run your company in a few years, you shouldn't be central to every decision today. Build leaders, not dependencies.
6️⃣ Growth is still the holy grail.
Many MSPs are growing slowly—or not at all. Sustainable growth continues to be one of the biggest drivers of valuation.
7️⃣ AI expertise is becoming a premium asset.
Buyers are increasingly evaluating AI capabilities, governance, security, compliance, and internal controls as part of diligence.
8️⃣ Culture can make or break integration.
Processes can be standardized, but people are harder to integrate. Culture fit, customer alignment, reporting, and technology all determine post-close success.
9️⃣ Your exit doesn't end at closing.
Founders who thrive after selling have a purpose, a schedule, and something meaningful to run toward—not just something they ran away from.
🔟 The best exits don't start with a transaction—they start with a plan.
Business readiness. Ownership readiness. Personal readiness. The companies that prepare years in advance almost always have better options when it's time to sell.
Cristian Anastasiu
Excendio Advisors
+1 917-470-9470
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