M&A 101

GOOD businesses grow fast. GREAT businesses grow on purpose.

New to M&A? Welcome. You’re in the right place.

Mergers & Acquisitions don’t have to be shady, sharky, or extractive. Here’s how founders like you are using M&A to scale their values—not just their revenue.

This page is for B Corps, social enterprises, and purpose-led founders who want to grow—but don’t want to sell out.

We built this to answer the questions you might not even know you should be asking yet, including:

  • What actually happens during an acquisition?

  • How do you fund a deal without private equity?

  • Can I use M&A to scale my mission?

Spoiler: You can. And we’re going to show you how.

  1. M&A Roadmap

    Here’s what the M&A process actually looks like- minus the jargon and Wall Street drama.

Step-by-step visual roadmap of the M&A process for impact-focused businesses.

2. how to fund & structure a deal

Think you need millions in the bank or a call from Goldman? Think again.

Founders we work with are using structures like these to buy businesses without compromising their values—or their balance sheets.

Examples of creative acquisition funding strategies for B Corps and ethical founders

3. Key Terms to know

Clarity builds confidence—especially when you’re stepping into something that feels big.

Glossary of M&A terms simplified for mission-driven business owners.

4. Case studies: Scaling Good, IRL

So what does this look like in real-life? How could it work for you?

  • Civil Engineering Firm
     A firm in the built environment space used a roll-up strategy to bring smaller, like-minded businesses into their ecosystem—without ever taking outside money or selling to private equity.
    They remained 100% employee-owned, giving every team member a stake in the growth.
    → They didn’t just scale revenue. They scaled ownership. They built equity—literally and financially—for everyone involved.

  • Organic Produce Distributor
    Leveraged the immense benefits of an ESOP structure to scale quickly by acquisition and with their value intact. Later transitioned to a Perpetual Purpose Trust to protect its mission and reinvest profits.
    → Continued to grow post-transition while embedding values structurally into the business.

  • Professional Services Firm
    A founder came to us thinking M&A was all suits, spreadsheets, and sharks.
    Five months later, they’d closed a creative seller-financed deal with a complementary firm that shared their values—and added $1M to the topline.
    → No outside capital. No dilution. Just a bold move that changed the game for their team and their impact.

  • Food & CPG Brand
    This values-driven B Corp scaled nationally by acquiring complementary product lines.
    They stayed employee-owned, protected their supply chain standards, and held tight to their purpose in every term sheet.
    → They built a national brand—without selling out. Every new aisle, every new region, still reflects who they are.

Bottom line?
M&A isn’t just about what you gain. It’s about how you grow.

and who grows with you.

…and it is more accessible than you think.