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Dive into a collection of past posts and rediscover timeless content.
#19: The 7 questions that predict deal quality before diligence even starts

Feb 5, 2026

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7 min read

#19: The 7 questions that predict deal quality before diligence even starts

In the European mid-market, the best searchers aren't just "analysts", they are pattern matchers.

Florian von Villiez
Florian von Villiez
#18: AI prompts to reduce weak underwriting

Jan 23, 2026

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10 min read

#18: AI prompts to reduce weak underwriting

How to actually use LLMs in ETA, not just “summarise this CIM”

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#17: AI tools searchers quietly rely on

Jan 9, 2026

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8 min read

#17: AI tools searchers quietly rely on

A pragmatic stack for doing more of the work that matters.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#16: Questions Every Searcher Must Answer Before They Chase a Deal

Dec 23, 2025

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6 min read

#16: Questions Every Searcher Must Answer Before They Chase a Deal

Here are the four questions to ask yourself as a searcher, before the first LOI ever goes.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#15: Why Seller Financing Isnʼt a Loan and Why it Can Kill Your Deal

Dec 18, 2025

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6 min read

#15: Why Seller Financing Isnʼt a Loan and Why it Can Kill Your Deal

In European ETA, seller financing is best understood as a deferred purchase price. Treat it like a commercial loan, and you often increase lender friction and closing risk.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#14: The Ten-Year Bet You Canʼt Afford To Lose

Dec 4, 2025

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5 min read

#14: The Ten-Year Bet You Canʼt Afford To Lose

The real risk is not failing to raise or failing to acquire, but spending five to fifteen years operating badly.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#13: How Search Funds Lose Deals

Nov 27, 2025

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6 min read

#13: How Search Funds Lose Deals

Many search funds donʼt lose on valuation. They lose because another buyer demonstrates faster communication, clearer positioning, and stronger certainty of closure.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#12: Detecting Employee Dependency Before It Blows Up Your Deal

Nov 20, 2025

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6 min read

#12: Detecting Employee Dependency Before It Blows Up Your Deal

Acquisitions increase the likelihood of departures, unless buyers have a clear retention plan.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#11: Why Every Failed Deal Makes You a Better Searcher

Nov 13, 2025

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5 min read

#11: Why Every Failed Deal Makes You a Better Searcher

Searchers must price risk soberly, identify “kill shots” early, and avoid deals that require heroics or hinge on optimistic growth assumptions.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
#10: How to Diligence Search Fund Investors

Nov 6, 2025

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5 min read

#10: How to Diligence Search Fund Investors

Screen for investors who shorten cycles and expand options. Build around a few experienced anchors with real follow-on capacity, plus a focused group of value-add investors.

Chris von Wedemeyer
Chris von Wedemeyer
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