• What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business
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What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

Knowing what questions should be asked before buying a business can expose hidden risks, reveal the seller’s motivation for selling, and give you the confidence to strike the right deal.

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"if you’re on the fence of buying his course, buy his course it’s brilliant…it’s a great course, it will definitely help you with everything that you need to know.” -Sam – UK

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What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

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Flying Blind in Seller Meetings

You walk into that first meeting to buy a business hoping for transparency—only to find:

  • ❌ Vague, rehearsed answers that gloss over the real seller's motive.
  • ❌ You struggle to create rapport with the seller.
  • ❌ Lack confidence to even approach sellers.
  • ❌ You freeze with imposter syndrome with the fear sellers will discover you've never bought a business before.
  • ❌ You don't know where to begin with what questions should be asked before buying a business.

💣 The result? Years pass. You’re still stuck in your day job. And your dream of owning a million-pound business fades.

Master the Seller Conversation

Enter every neotiation with confidence and with a proven question blueprint to:

  • ✅ Expose the owner’s genuine reason for selling—your ultimate negotiation advantage.
  • ✅ Build rapport so owners open up honestly about operations, culture, and plans.
  • ✅ Build trust so the seller will want to sell their business to you and be more likely to agree to seller financing.
  • ✅ Drill down on financials, team structure, and growth drivers before they become surprises.
  • ✅ Spot business 'valuation drivers' and uncover hidden liabilities then to walk away with confidence.
  • ✅ Command every meeting with your “Buying an Existing Business Checklist,” turning casual chats into deal-closing conversations.

This is how serious buyers get serious businesses.

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What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

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"In terms of value, your course is outstanding!"

"In terms of value, your course is outstanding!…yours I thought was sensational value…I love your spreadsheet, I think it’s just like gold…I just really like the way that you teach, I loved it…for me your course overall value, ease of learning, it’s the best one that I’ve done!"
Tanya – Australia

"It’s definitely helped with the confidence side of things..."

"it’s definitely helped with the confidence side of things…explaining what the actual benefits would be to the seller, so understanding that side of it…it helps me definitely build my confidence with it already just by explaining the other side."
Sam – UK

"I highly recommend anyone to go and learn from him as he’s a phenomenal teacher..."

"I first saw Russell on youtube, and although a bit skeptical in the beginning, I still went ahead and bought his course; I am so happy i did because he is a phenomenal teacher who keeps things simple and easy to understand; especially because he’s a qualified accountant he makes accounting easy. Throughout the course I learned how to go and buy a business through seller financing (which is something i looked to learn for a long time) but he also teaches other ways to acquire a business: he’s very knowledgeable with skin in the game. Not only is the course great, he’s also very fast and clear when he answered all the questions i had after i enquired a business i wanted to buy. Russell’s support is unmatched. Overall I’m grateful Russell created the course and very happy i bought it because it gave me the confidence to go and apply all his teaching in real life: I highly recommend anyone to go and learn from him as he’s a phenomenal teacher."
Sho – UK

Supercharge Your Deal-Making—and Save More Every Step of the Way

Why stick to one module? Each extra step gives you bigger savings. You also receive a free valuation and acquisition funding calculator, AcquiCalc. It automates your valuations and funding calculations for deals. Check out all the modules below.

  • Secure Your Foundations - Invest in any one step for £199.
  • Build Momentum - Invest in a second step and unlock 10% off: invest in both modules for £358 (save £40).
  • Gain Clearer Vision - With three steps, enjoy 15% off: £507 for three power-packed modules (save £90).
  • Command the Conversation - Invest in four modules and get 25% off—£597 (save £199).
  • Own the Complete System - Go all in and invest in all 5 Steps and receive a full 35% discount—only £647. Plus: AcquiCalc is yours FREE (a £98 value)!

All five steps plus free AcquiCalc cost £647. You save £446 and get instant access to the best valuation tool available.

Why stop halfway? Each extra module boosts your skills and increases your savings. When you choose the full suite, you gain the essential tool to value seven-figure deals with one click.

Get the Complete System & Free AcquiCalc → £647

How You Successfully Buy a Million-Pound Business

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What Questions To Ask The Owner About Them And Their Business

Asking the right questions is essential—not just to understand how the business operates and accurately assess its value, but also to build trust with the owner and uncover their true motivation for selling.

This step is about more than just information-gathering—it’s about building rapport, gaining insight, and opening up honest conversations that can lead to a smoother deal.

To help you navigate this step with confidence, you’ll receive my “Buying an Existing Business Checklist”—a ready-to-use list of key questions to ask the owner, covering everything from operations and team dynamics to financials and future plans.

Having the right questions to hand means you’ll look like a pro, spot red flags early, and make more informed decisions.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this step to buy a million-pound business:

  • ✅ Important questions to ask about the business owner.
  • ✅ Learn the key questions to ask about the business.
  • ✅ How to build rapport with a business owner.
  • ✅ Why building rapport is key to buying a million-pound business.
  • ✅ Free PDF Buying an Existing Business Checklist of questions.
  • ✅ How to discover an owner’s real motivation for selling, and why this is important.
  • ✅ Why you need to focus on motivation vs money.
  • ✅ How to negotiate a great deal.

By the end of this step, you’ll know how to confidently lead conversations with sellers and uncover the insights needed to negotiate smarter.

  • Fast video learning.
  • Free PDF Template negotiation tips.
  • Free PDF 50+ Questions to ask sellers.
  • Free support community.
  • 30-day money back guarantee.

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What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

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"It’s so refreshing to actually get proper support for a product and your wish list answered too..."

"you are a star...It’s a pity there isn’t more around like you – it’s so refreshing to actually get proper support for a product and your wish list answered too!!"
Angela – UK

"I found Russell’s course to be extremely comprehensive, easy to follow, and fantastic value..."

"I found Russell’s course to be extremely comprehensive, easy to follow, and fantastic value. It’s a great course to start with if you are new to buying a business for little to no money down. I also highly recommend Russell’s Business Purchasing Funding System software – it’s an excellent resource for determining the profitability of the business and its capacity to fund its own acquisition. I have no hesitation in recommending this course!"
Tanya K – Australia

"I most certainly would not hesitate in recommending they contact you..."

"It was so nice speaking to you and your guidance is very much appreciated...I most certainly would not hesitate in recommending they contact you. Yet again many thanks for your advice and help."
Julie Write – UK

"Russell’s advice was exactly what I needed — practical, insightful, and grounded inreal-world experience..."

"Russell’s advice was exactly what I needed — practical, insightful, and grounded in real-world experience. Within minutes, he cut through the noise and helped me focus on what truly mattered in a complex business acquisition I was exploring. His ability to spot red flags, ask the right questions, and offer clear, balanced guidance was invaluable. He brings a level of clarity and calm that only comes from deep experience. I’d highly recommend him to anyone in the healthcare sector navigating high-stakes decisions."
Nial - UK

Who Is This Course For?

  • ✅ You want to be an entrepreneur.
  • ✅ You want to buy an existing million-pound business.
  • ✅ You already own a business and you want to expand by buying another million-pound business or competitor.
  • ✅ You don't know the right questions to ask business owners.
  • ✅ You're not sure about how to read business financials or even what financials to ask for.

Who This Course Is NOT For?

  • ❌ You are not open to new ideas.
  • ❌ You are looking to start a business instead of buying an existing one.
  • ❌ You are the type of person who likes to join courses & groups and make others feel bad for not knowing as much as you do.
  • ❌ You're not interested in buying an existing million-pound business.
  • ❌ You don't want to explore how to spend less of your own money versus other people's money when you buy a million-pound business.

How I Bought My Million-Pound Business

I negotiated to buy a civil engineering firm with £2M in revenue. I agreed on a deal for £500k, even though the seller wanted £850k. The structure?

  • The seller financed £260k. We agreed on this in 10-15 minutes, which included time to explain seller finance. The business would pay this amount over 5 years at 0% interest. The business would secure the loan on its assets. They did not need a personal guarantee.
  • £50k for a 10% share of the deal - they agreed to run the business using their sector knowledge.
  • I secured £60k in asset finance without difficulty - even though I didn’t own the business at the time.
  • I arranged £120k in invoice discounting - It took the most time, but I managed it even though I didn't own the business.
  • £10k of my own cash - just 2% of the price.

It was creative. Elegant. Smart.
But I lost it to a cash buyer.

I made a mistake. I took too long to arrange the invoice discounting finance. Then, the cash buyer swooped in with an extra £100k cash offer. Because of that, I lost the deal. I recommend reaching out to off-market business owners to steer clear of this problem.

💡 Lesson learned? The deal only works when the seller feels motivated — not you, but you need to move fast. What I should have done was ask the seller to increase the seller-finance part of the purchase price.

I stayed patient, but I became a motivated buyer.

I didn’t want to lose another deal, so I rushed into using a bank loan on my next deal. This was a £1.6 million revenue-fitted furniture business. The structure:

  • £100k seller finance - this helped to close the gap between the bank loan and the cash I had in my other business.
  • I took out a £170k bank loan - this meant handling the deal as an asset purchase. It created an administrative nightmare. I had to transfer agreements, employment contracts, banking, and customer credit card payments. I also faced loan guarantees and many bank hurdles.
  • I had £80k cash from another business - I was lucky to have it. But looking back, I became a motivated buyer. You should avoid this. That is why building a deal pipeline is important.

It worked, but the hoops I jumped through for the bank were brutal:

  • 📑 Personal guarantees - with the risk of losing my home.
  • 📑 Security - this included property and a government-backed scheme. Banks rarely lend without security.
  • 📑 Too many financial projections and credit checks can be a problem - Banks won’t approve loans if you or your business score poorly on credit checks.
  • 📑 Previous business ownership/experience - I was lucky to have this, but you may not. There is a way around it, but it's another hoop to jump through.
  • 📑 The deal needed an asset purchase since banks typically don’t lend against shares. This makes the transfer process more complex. Individual assets and contracts might need specific transfer formalities, which can cause delays. Plus some sellers may not even agree to this type of sale in any case.

Today? I wouldn’t take the same route again. Seller financing is faster, cleaner, and keeps you in control.

Are You Ready to Find Businesses Like a Pro?
Stop guessing what’s really going on—arm yourself with the exact questions that uncover true motivations, expose hidden risks, and build instant trust.

Unlock Your Question Blueprint...Get instant access to the “Buying an Existing Business Checklist” and start asking the right questions today.

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What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

What Questions Should Be Asked Before Buying a Business

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Frequently Asked Questions

The 'what questions to ask' course is designed for ambitious individuals—whether you're just getting started or already in business—who want to buy an existing 7-figure company. You'll learn how to confidently negotiate with owners and to the right questions, so you avoid overpaying or buying a bad deal. No prior experience needed.
Yes! You getlifetime access to all course content. You can revisit the videos anytime, as often as you like—plus, all future updates are included free.
Instantly. As soon as your payment is complete, you'll receive immediate access to the entire course, so you can start learning right away.
Access starts the moment you enrol, and you’ll have lifetime access across all your devices. Go at your own pace and revisit any module whenever you need it.
YouTube is great—but it’s a maze of fragmented content. You’ll spend weeks trying to piece it all together, and often miss crucial details or waste time on low-value tips. This course gives you a clear, proven roadmap—step-by-step—so you avoid the biggest mistakes and make smart buying decisions quickly. And remember this, you don't know what you don't know. Plus, you’ll get access to a private community support group for personalised support, inspiration, and accountability. That’s something YouTube can’t give you.
Yes! The course is fully mobile-friendly. You can watch lessons from your smartphone, tablet, or desktop—and even listen to them in the car. *Just don’t watch the screen if you're the one driving!*
No problem. While the course uses UK-based examples, the principles—like seller financing, valuation, negotiation, and due diligence—are universal. Buyers from many countries have applied these strategies successfully, and customers from USA and Australia have bought the course.

100% Money Back Guarantee for 30-Days

Buy with confidence! Our risk-free guarantee means you have nothing to lose. I get that buying any product or service feels like buying a house unseen. So, I’m letting you check it out first. Dive in and test-drive first. Take your time. It might take you 29 minutes or even 29 days. Either way, you’ll find it offers real value.

If you're not completely happy with what you find, just email support@bowraven.com with “Gimme my money.” I’ll refund you every penny—no fuss, no questions. This isn’t a gamble; it’s my promise that you’ll leave empowered, not tied down by buyer’s remorse. Your success—and your peace of mind—is everything.

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