“Brent Beshore has two unique skills: He understands the nuance of private markets better than anyone I know, and he can communicate the complexity of private markets in a way that is understandable. There are many experts. There are many great communicators. There are few of both, and Brent’s work is invaluable.”

“Brent Beshore has spent years honing the art of buying businesses and this hands-on book is what you need to know in order to sell your business.”

“It’s simply not possible to find the knowledge you’ll gain reading this book anywhere else. It’s an insider’s guide to the acquisition process. Insightful and straightforward, this book will have you prepared for the day you decide to take outside capital, or exit.”

“I’ve learned more about business from Brent than I have from anyone else alive. He has reviewed thousands of small companies up for sale, so his perspective is invaluable to business owners. The Messy Marketplace is easy to read, detailed, and written entirely with sellers in mind—but buyers should read it, too.”

“This is a practical guide for buying and selling all businesses. Not just small enterprises. A lot of these techniques are used in some of the largest private equity deals, albeit on a much larger scale. I loved the author’s completeness, his concern for every line item of a balance sheet. A multiplicity of concerns arise during such transactions and Beshore shows how a lot of different mechanisms have evolved to align the incentives of buyers and sellers...”

“Brent is unflinchingly honest about the misalignments in communication, expectation, price, and seemingly every facet of the sale process that can take place between buyer and seller, and writes from a place of comprehension, empathy, and experience. As the book explains, while the process may not be altogether painless, the Messy Marketplace will ensure that you will go into the process fully aware of the experience to come...”