BUSINESS ACQUISITION & SALE

For Americans buying an established business

Buying a business? Know what you're buying.

You are committing your own money to a company whose seller knows more about it than you do. We provide human-led, independent research and evidence support to help you examine the claims, identify unanswered questions and prepare for the decisions ahead.

Start with one business. Expand only when your evidence needs it.

See acquisition support optionsReview my acquisition

No call required. No percentage of the purchase price. No sale-completion commission. You choose each stage.

Optional support, no mandatory membership

Independent evidence reviews and help around the search.

The free Buyer Support tools are available now. Optional opportunity research, structured written guidance and professional coordination are being developed as capped pilots. No paid enrolment is open yet.

See the Buyer Support programmeAsk about availability

One decision. Appropriate evidence.

What stage is your acquisition in?

Define your buying criteria, assess red flags and match the matter to the smallest useful written investigation. Use independent evidence to complement, not replace, the work of your attorney, CPA and financing adviser.

Find my evidence reviewSee specialist investigation scopesFree evidence checklist PDF

A sensible sequence

From the first search to the first 100 days.

Select the stage matching the decision, not the largest package. We identify what the evidence supports, what contradicts it, and what must be left for regulated specialists.

1Search readiness

Build a defensible buy box before chasing listings.

2Listing triage

Check the first seller claims before expensive diligence.

3Compare options

Put two opportunities against the same evidence questions.

4Verify a preferred target

Investigate agreed material representations and contrary evidence.

5Prepare for closing

Hand off verified facts and gaps to your attorney, CPA and lender.

6First 100 days

Keep a controlled record of unresolved handover and continuity questions.

No automatic upgrade. A new stage requires a separate written instruction and an agreed fee. A negative or inconclusive finding is a valid outcome.

Choose your entry point

Buy the evidence work your decision needs.

The service is comprehensive, but your first purchase does not have to be. Every option provides a defined work product. Proposed fee illustrations remain subject to final scope, acceptance and Aperture's commercial approval.

Recommended starting point

Business Acquisition First Look

You have identified a business and want to know what the available records actually support before you commit to expensive, broad due diligence.

Proposed standard scope fee: written quotation required

  • An agreed small set of independently checked seller representations.
  • Corporate entity and lawful public record starting-point checks.
  • Source-indexed findings: supported, partial, contradicted, unverified.

One target. One clear initial evidence decision.

See exact deliverables

Written scope and acceptance controls apply. No obligation to upgrade.

Choose the scope you need

Compare Two Business Opportunities

You are weighing two business opportunities and want a consistent independent comparison without commissioning full due diligence on both.

Proposed standard scope fee: $895 USD

  • Two separately scoped preliminary entity and claim checks.
  • Comparative business and market question framework.
  • Material discrepancies and missing information for each target.

Compare evidence before committing to one target.

See exact deliverables

Written scope and acceptance controls apply. No obligation to upgrade.

Choose the scope you need

Business Acquisition Evidence Investigation

You are preparing an offer or carrying out due diligence and need documented facts about the target, not a generic AI summary.

Proposed standard scope fee: $1,950 USD

  • A documented claim-to-evidence matrix for agreed material representations.
  • Source provenance and timeline where relevant.
  • Contradiction and alternative-explanation analysis.

Test material seller statements against a stronger evidence record.

See exact deliverables

Written scope and acceptance controls apply. No obligation to upgrade.

Choose the scope you need

Complete Business Acquisition Support Programme

You want the facts and evidence to remain organised across screening, diligence, closing and early ownership without purchasing unlimited work.

Proposed standard scope fee: $4,950 USD

  • A coordinated evidence control register and prioritised matters.
  • Scoped factual research across relevant domains.
  • Clearly recorded professional handoffs and unresolved matters.

One research relationship across the relevant stages of your purchase.

See exact deliverables

Written scope and acceptance controls apply. No obligation to upgrade.

Direct research, without membership

Know what one evidence decision costs before you commit.

No membership, equity stake, introduction fee, success percentage or compulsory prepaid research credit. Each proposed standard fee applies only to the stated fixed scope. A human must accept the matter, jurisdiction, inputs and delivery capacity in writing before paid work begins.

3 business days

Buyer Readiness Map

quote requiredProposed fixed-scope standard fee · USD

One prospective buyer, one decision brief, up to three acquisition readiness questions. Public sources and buyer-provided non-confidential facts only.

Written output: Two-page evidence-and-readiness map with purchase criteria, priority evidence requests and an independent specialist handoff list.

See the exact offerDownload scope PDF

3 business days

Business Acquisition First Look

quote requiredProposed fixed-scope standard fee · USD

One named target, one decision question and up to three agreed, source-accessible seller claims.

Written output: Source-indexed First Look finding, contradiction flags, evidence gaps and a prioritised follow-up list.

See the exact offerDownload scope PDF

6 business days

Compare Two Business Opportunities

$895Proposed fixed-scope standard fee · USD

Two named targets; public-source identity checks and up to two material claims per target; no full QoE.

Written output: Side-by-side decision matrix, claim-source map, contradiction register and recommended next evidence questions.

See the exact offerDownload scope PDF

10 business days

Business Acquisition Evidence Investigation

$1,950Proposed fixed-scope standard fee · USD

One target and up to eight material, clearly identified representations based on lawful available sources.

Written output: Claim-to-evidence matrix, sourced chronology, contrary evidence, unresolved risks and handoff points for regulated professionals.

See the exact offerDownload scope PDF

20 business days across agreed milestones

Complete Business Acquisition Support Programme

$4,950Proposed fixed-scope standard fee · USD

One named acquisition; up to three evidence workstreams covering screening, diligence evidence organisation and handover; capped by signed terms.

Written output: A coordinated source register, staged decision notes, evidence discrepancy log and post-close evidence-handover checklist.

See the exact offerDownload scope PDF

5 business days

First 100 Days Evidence Handover

quote requiredProposed fixed-scope standard fee · USD

One acquired business; a focused factual evidence handover review of up to four agreed continuity or vendor/customer issues.

Written output: Priority evidence gap list, ownership/permission provenance map and a professional referral checklist.

See the exact offerDownload scope PDF

These are proposed public standard fees awaiting final commercial approval. They are not live checkout prices. No transaction occurs through this page. Fees exclude agreed third-party data charges, specialist services and applicable taxes. Research is not a guarantee that the business is safe or that a transaction will complete.

See scope, invoicing, exclusions and payment milestones · Choose your stage

Why this helps

You're not buying a list of things that could go wrong. You're buying a clearer evidence record.

Human-led investigation

Real people frame the questions, examine lawful sources, challenge conflicting records and review the findings. AI tools may assist, but they do not independently approve your report.

Traceable answers

Understand which actual source supports each material conclusion, how current the record is, what contradicts it and what remains unknown.

Your money stays under your control

Fixed and phased scopes where appropriate, explicit spending limits, no transaction commission, no automatic renewal and no obligation to purchase another stage.

Wherever you are in the purchase

The right support for your actual stage.

Still searching

Get help defining source-based business criteria, researching industries and assessing selected market opportunities.

Comparing two businesses

Compare traceable claims and limitations side by side; no fabricated winner score or investment recommendation.

Found a business

Get an independent First Look and seller-question register before commissioning expensive specialist work.

Reviewing seller records

Identify original sources, financial-document discrepancies, business dependencies and specialist handoffs.

In due diligence or closing

Track the material evidence still unsupported, clarify factual document requests and prepare professional handoffs.

Already the owner

Structure ownership handover questions and first-100-days information checks.

Free, complete downloadable guides

Understand the scope before you enquire.

Every document is a practical research methodology or checklist, not a fabricated client transaction. The downloadable research specifications show the evidence record and professional safeguards behind an actual engagement.

Complete Business Acquisition Support GuideDownload PDF ↓First Business Purchase: Buyer Readiness PlaybookDownload PDF ↓Business Acquisition First Look: Exact Scope & Deliverable GuideDownload PDF ↓Compare Two Businesses: Evidence-Led Evaluation WorkbookDownload PDF ↓Business Acquisition Evidence Investigation: Deliverable SpecificationDownload PDF ↓Comprehensive Due Diligence Evidence FrameworkDownload PDF ↓Pre-Closing Evidence & Outstanding Matters WorkbookDownload PDF ↓First 100 Days Ownership Transition Evidence WorkbookDownload PDF ↓

Our full range

One place for the questions that matter to a business buyer.

Aperture can research appropriate facts across these work areas under an agreed scope, and help you identify where licensed advisers or technical specialists must be engaged separately.

Buyer fit & capital exposureTarget identificationListing & seller claimsCorporate historyFinancial recordsOwner dependencyCustomer concentrationCommercial contractsSuppliers & sourcingInventory & assetsReal estate & leasesEmployment & managementLicensing & regulatory historyTax & transaction structureFinancing & SBA inputsFranchise statusTechnology & digital assetsIntellectual propertyCybersecurity & dataCompetition & marketLitigation & public disputesEnvironmental & site-specificInsurance & exposuresReputation & provenanceNegotiation evidenceClosing & transitionFirst 100 daysOngoing intelligence

For first-time buyers

Your first acquisition, without guessing the questions.

You may be leaving employment, using personal savings, or becoming responsible for workers and customer relationships you have never managed. We help organise evidence and identify the professional questions before you rely on the seller's story.

Explore first-business buyer support

Straight answers

Common questions before you start.

Do I need to have signed a letter of intent?

No. We can screen an identified business before an LOI or scope a deeper research engagement for an active due diligence period.

Will you tell me to buy or not buy?

No. We help you understand what the evidence supports, what is uncertain and which regulated specialists you should ask. You decide.

Can you replace my CPA or attorney?

No. We complement their work with factual research; accounting assurance, transaction law, valuation and tax advice remain with qualified professionals.

Do I have to pay for the complete programme?

No. Start with a proportionate project and approve any further work separately. No automatic upgrades or transaction-success commissions.

Does being outside the United States prevent the work?

The suitability depends on the particular lawful source access, state licensing, data transfer, professional competence and engagement terms. We evaluate these before accepting the work.

Are these client examples and testimonials?

No. Our guides demonstrate methods, evidence requests and reporting structure. They do not invent client deals or imply completed investigations.

How do I send seller documents?

Start with a brief non-sensitive enquiry. We agree a secure process and the relevant authorisations before requesting confidential files.

No mandatory advance funding

Commission only the evidence you need now.

The proposed research-credit programme is not active and is not required to commission a service. No bulk deposit or discount tier is offered through this acquisition section.

Read payment and scope rules

Your next step

Ask about your business purchase

Tell us the decision, relevant target or professional assignment, applicable state and actual deadline. A human reviews whether the work is suitable. You receive a clear written scope and fee before any paid assignment starts.

There is no obligation to purchase further work and no automatic upgrade.

Start in writing

Your answers stay in this browser until you open your email application. This page does not upload your details or send them to a server.

Press Send in your own email application. Do not attach confidential seller data until secure sharing is agreed. No call required.

New buyer stages

Before the first listing and after the closing date.

Download full fixed-scope pricing and payment guide (PDF)

Paul Hattingh

Research direction and final evidence-quality approval

Xandro Hattingh

Written client communication, scope coordination and follow-up

Business Acquisition services →

Support beyond the business purchase

Business owners and their advisers can return for independently verified supplier, market, customer, contract, technology and commercial evidence research as the business evolves.

Explore business owner services
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