Q2 2026 · Sale Window Brief

Sale window intelligence for owner-led businesses.

An independent platform built around the most consequential question in M&A: when. Six-dimension methodology. Productized pricing. Confidential by default. 21 days from intake.

Begin engagement View methodology
Operated by Bevsan × Emerald Wave
Platform Independent · Confidential
Sectors Trades · MSP · Insurance · Healthcare
vesper / brief · NORTHSTAR-2026-04
Northstar Mechanical Services
HVAC · $14M revenue · Florida
Brief delivered
Sale Window Score 68/100 Optimize, then sell
Window
9 months
Conf: HIGH
Floor $26M (today)
Ceiling $41M (Q1 2027)
Six dimensions Score
Buyer demand
91
Market timing
84
Internal trajectory
72
Operator fit
58
Floor risk
35
AI exposure
28
350,000 Lower-mid market companies
$2.5T PE dry powder seeking deals
75% Owners exiting by 2034
74% Regret selling within a year
21 days Intake to recommendation
Operating principles

Built for trust.

Four commitments that shape every engagement on the platform. Stated, not negotiated.

01
Confidential by default
Engagement data never leaves the platform. Not shared with brokers. Not sold. Not used to train external models. Anonymized case study material requires written client consent.
02
Independent recommendations
Each engagement produces one recommendation. The analysis drives it. Downstream economics do not. Five possible outcomes including "do not sell."
03
Productized methodology
Same six-dimension framework on every engagement. No bespoke scoping calls. Same delivery timeline regardless of tier.
04
Separated execution
Vesper analyzes. Vesper does not transact. Sell-side execution, when applicable, runs through independent broker partners under separate engagement.
Sectors

Built for owner-led businesses where timing matters most.

Concentrated in sectors where consolidation, AI exposure, and demographic transition are converging on the same window.

HVAC · Plumbing · Electrical · Roofing

Trade businesses at the rollup peak.

PE consolidation continues at near-record pace. Trade businesses with the right operational systems are commanding multiples 2x above historical averages. The window is real but not permanent.

  • 01
    Multiple intelligenceWhat buyers actually pay in your sub-segment, by size band and geography.
  • 02
    Systems-vs-service gapThe operational distance between your business today and a top-multiple acquisition target.
  • 03
    Operator profile matchThe capability and capacity required to execute the optimization path.
  • 04
    Execution partner networkCurated short list of independent broker partners with closed-deal record in your segment, when applicable.
Begin engagement View methodology
Path forecast HVAC · $14M rev
Sell now $28M
Today · 6.5x EBITDA
Optimize, then sell $41M
9 months · 8.2x EBITDA
Systematize dispatch, lock 3 service contracts, normalize EBITDA. Window closes Q1 2027.
Hold & reassess $32–48M
24+ months · High variance
Managed Service Providers

Recurring revenue facing AI compression.

MRR makes you attractive to PE today. AI is compressing your acquisition value every quarter. Most MSP owners are deferring this question — the multiple of those who do is declining.

  • 01
    AI exposure scoringFunction-by-function vulnerability across 12–36 month horizons.
  • 02
    MRR quality benchmarkHow acquirers actually value your contract book in the current market.
  • 03
    Margin compression timelineProjected pricing parity dates with AI-native competitors in your tier.
  • 04
    Strategic vs. financial buyer mapIdentifying highest-value acquirer profiles for your specific MSP.
Begin engagement View methodology
Path forecast MSP · $8M ARR
Sell within 6 months $32M
4.0x ARR
AI compression model projects 18–22% multiple decay by Q4 2027.
Wait 12 months $26M
3.2x ARR
Wait 24 months $19M
2.4x ARR
Independent Insurance Brokerages

Independent agencies under aggregator pressure.

Hub, Acrisure, and BroadStreet are paying premium multiples. The spread between top-tier and bottom-tier acquirers has never been wider. Most agencies sell to the first call they take.

  • 01
    Aggregator multiple comparisonReal numbers across major buyers, with retention claw-back terms surfaced.
  • 02
    Book quality scorecardCommercial vs. personal mix, retention curves, AI exposure by line.
  • 03
    Earn-out structure analysisWhat "premium multiple" actually pays once dust settles.
  • 04
    Wave-timing forecastProjected duration of current rollup multiple environment.
Begin engagement View methodology
Multiple landscape P&C · $4M revenue
Aggregator A 2.4x
3-year earn-out · 60% upfront
Strategic regional 3.1x
Cash + 1-year retention
Best risk-adjusted outcome. Window: 8–14 months.
Aggregator B 2.7x
2-year earn-out · Retention tied
Specialty Practices · Dental · Vet · Behavioral

Practice owners facing DSO consolidation.

Service Organization platforms are reshaping the market. The first acquirer to call is rarely the right one. Independent analysis before the sale conversation determines whether you maximize value or merely exit.

  • 01
    DSO landscape mappingActive platforms in your specialty with current multiples and post-sale terms.
  • 02
    Practice value driversClinical and operational factors with greatest impact on enterprise value.
  • 03
    Post-sale autonomy analysisRealistic clinical control under each acquirer structure.
  • 04
    Confidential clinician readinessPrivate addendum on personal exit fit. Clinician's eyes only.
Begin engagement View methodology
Acquirer profile Dental · 4 ops · TX
National DSO 7.5x
Maximum check · Minimum autonomy
Regional partnership 6.2x
Equity rollover · Clinical control
Best alignment with stated goals: practice longevity + partial liquidity.
Solo successor 4.8x
Note carry · Long timeline
Methodology

Goals first. Recommendation last.

The platform produces one defensible recommendation per engagement. Same four-stage sequence every time. No bespoke scoping calls.

01
Goals discovery
Structured 90-minute working session. Financial targets, life-stage priorities, risk tolerance documented and signed off before analysis begins.
Week 1 · 2 hours founder time
02
Six-dimension analysis
Internal trajectory, market timing, AI exposure, buyer demand, operator profile, floor risk. Scored against your sub-segment with comp benchmarks.
Weeks 2–3 · Internal
03
Forked path modeling
Two or three paths modeled with financial outcomes, operator demands, risk bands, and explicit match-back to stated goals.
Week 3 · Internal
04
Founder-led recommendation
90-minute walkthrough. Strong recommendation embedded. Final decision is yours. 30-day Q&A access on Tier II+.
Day 21 · 90 min walkthrough
The deliverable

22 pages. One recommendation.

A defensible written analysis to share with your spouse, CFO, attorney, or board. Plus a 90-minute live walkthrough where the recommendation lands in person.

Sale Window Score (1–100)
One of five recommendations
Six-dimension breakdown
Floor & ceiling analysis
Forked path modeling
Comp transactions in band
Buyer landscape map
90-minute walkthrough
Vesper · Sale Window Audit
Northstar Mechanical Services
22 PP.
APRIL 2026
Sale Window Score 68/100 Optimize 9 months, then sell.
Optimal window
Q1 2027
CONF: HIGH
Executive verdictP.01
Goals alignmentP.03
Six-dim. scoringP.06
Floor riskP.10
Ceiling pathP.13
Comp transactionsP.17
Buyer landscapeP.19
RecommendationP.22
v.2026.04 · Confidential Vesper Advisors
Five possible recommendations

Five outcomes. One fee.

Each engagement produces one of five recommendations. Each carries the same fee. The recommendation reflects the analysis, not the downstream opportunity.

Sell now
Floor risk imminent. No realistic optimization closes the gap.Audit collapses to a vetted sell-side referral.
3–6 months
Light optimization. Defined upside. Narrow window.Short-form retainer engagement available.
6–12 months
Real value-creation work with clear ceiling and timeline.Most common verdict. Optimization retainer follows.
12–24 months
Higher upside, longer build, more execution risk.Goals alignment becomes critical at this horizon.
Don't sell
The business is fine. The market timing isn't. Or fix something first.No follow-on engagement. Quarterly recheck included.
Pricing

Three tiers. Productized.

Pricing scales with company complexity. The same six-dimension methodology runs across all tiers — depth and deliverable scope expand at higher revenue bands.

Tier I · Founder
Sub-$5M revenue
Owner-operated SMB
$2,950
One-time · 21 days
  • Sale Window Score + recommendation
  • Two forked paths modeled
  • 22-page deliverable
  • 60-minute walkthrough
  • Comp benchmarks for size band
Begin engagement
Most common
Tier II · Strategic
$5M–$25M revenue
Lower middle market
$9,950
One-time · 21 days
  • Everything in Tier I
  • Three forked paths, risk-adjusted
  • AI exposure assessment
  • Buyer landscape (15–25 candidates)
  • 90-min walkthrough + 30-day Q&A
  • Confidential founder addendum
Begin engagement
Tier III · Enterprise
$25M+ revenue
Mid-market
$24,950
One-time · 28 days
  • Everything in Tier II
  • Four forked paths inc. stay-and-grow
  • Buyer map (40+ candidates, ranked)
  • Three live sessions + board briefing
  • Vetted broker shortlist + intros
  • 90-day post-engagement consultation
Begin engagement
All tiers include the same six-dimension methodology and 21-day delivery window from complete intake. Add a Founders Strategy Session with both partners for $2,500. Above $50M revenue, contact for enterprise scope.
Engagement intake

Begin a Vesper engagement.

Tell us which tier fits your revenue band and where you are in your thinking. We read every submission personally and respond within two business days — either with onboarding instructions, a discovery call request, or an honest note if Vesper is not the right fit for your situation.

Pricing scales with company complexity. Choose the band matching your revenue.
We read these personally. Specificity is the strongest signal of fit.
Submitting this form sends your inquiry confidentially to Vesper for personal review. Your information is not shared with any third party.
Common questions

Direct answers.

The questions owners ask before engaging the platform. If yours isn't listed, write directly.

A real outcome — and one of the most valuable. If the business is sound but the timing isn't, or there's a specific issue to resolve before sale conversations make sense, that's what the recommendation will say. No follow-on retainer pitch. A complimentary quarterly recheck is included.
A valuation produces a snapshot of present value. The Brief produces a forward analysis: what the business is worth at peak, what it could collapse to, when each scenario most likely occurs, and what action to take between now and then.
Engagement data never leaves the platform. It is not shared with brokers, buyers, or any third party. It is not sold. It is not used to train external models. Anonymized case study material requires written client consent. Engagements are confidential by default and remain so indefinitely.
No. Vesper is a pure analysis platform. Sell-side execution, when applicable, is conducted through independent broker partners under separate engagement.
Six dimensions specific to your industry: function-by-function vulnerability over 12–36 months, margin compression risk, customer defection risk to AI-native alternatives, capability obsolescence, moat durability, and projected acquisition-value erosion timeline.
21 days from complete intake for Tier I and II. 28 days for Tier III. Onboarding and intake (data assembly, scheduling, interviews) typically adds 1–3 weeks depending on data readiness. Total founder experience averages 5–7 weeks door-to-door.
The decision is yours. Common paths include an optimization advisory retainer (6–12 months) when the recommendation is to optimize before selling, a warm broker introduction when the recommendation is to sell now, or proceeding independently with the recommendation in hand. There is no obligation to engage further.
Vesper is operated as a partnership between Bevsan Consulting (capital advisory and M&A analysis) and Emerald Wave Advisors (founder counsel and inflection-point coaching). Both partners participate in every Tier II and III engagement.
Begin

The decision is permanent. The analysis takes 21 days.

Begin with the tier matching your revenue band. Onboarding starts within 48 hours of engagement. Strict confidentiality from intake forward.

See pricing View methodology