The 25 Factors to Value, Negotiate & Close IT Business Exits

Welcome to Project Managers in IT Mastery—your one-stop podcast for turning IT project knowledge into income. I'm Eric Jordan, CPPA, and today, we’re diving into something that could absolutely change the game for you: using my 25 Factors Affecting Business Valuation to unlock real money from business exits.

Whether you're managing projects in software development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, or data management, you’re in the ideal position to spot businesses that are ready to sell, help them find a buyer—and split a 5% commission in the process.

Let’s talk numbers. On a $6 million deal? That’s $300K, split between us. And all it starts with? A small $5,000 to $10,000 valuation fee—a fee that any serious seller should be paying anyway.

So, in this episode, we’re going deep. I’ll walk you through the 25 factors, show you real-world examples, and break down exactly how project managers like you become dealmakers in the booming 2025 IT landscape.

Search terms people use to find this? Stuff like “IT project managers podcast,” “cybersecurity project negotiation podcast,” or “digital transformation trends 2025 podcast.” So yes, you're in the right place.

1. History – A business with 10+ years in the field? That’s gold. Buyers love a proven timeline.
2. Purpose – Is their mission compelling? In today’s ESG world, purpose sells.
3. Financials – This is where you come in. You’ve probably seen their spreadsheets. Now you can help sellers see what buyers see.
4. Return on Investment (ROI) – Forecasting future returns justifies higher prices.
5. Processes & Systems – Documentation of project frameworks? Scrum, Agile? Adds tremendous resale value.

🎯 Tie-in: With a $5K–$10K valuation fee, we nail these five factors and target serious buyers. Then we split the 5% when it sells.

6. R&D – Built any proprietary tools? AI integrations? That’s buyer bait.
7. Opportunity – Untapped markets like cybersecurity in health or remote education tech.
8. Location – Whether it’s remote-first or has prime data center access, geography matters.
9. Brand – Recognition in the space? Even a strong GitHub presence counts.
10. Marketing – Email lists, SEO rankings, paid funnels—it’s all leverage.

📌 Project managers, you’re seeing this daily. Flag it. Sellers pay the small fee. We get paid when it closes.

11. Management Capability – A team that can function without the owner? Jackpot.
12. Workforce – Skilled coders, sysadmins, or dev teams raise the floor value.
13. Client Base – Recurring revenue from SaaS subscriptions? That’s predictable income.
14. Supply Chain – Especially for managed service providers.
15. Distribution Network – APIs, integrations, and partnerships count too.

💡 Remember: Buyers want this stuff proven. Our report makes it concrete. You help negotiate. We share the payday.

16. Utility, Sustainability & Scalability – Can this business grow with minimal friction?
17. Leverage – Subscriptions? Productized services? These boost valuation.
18. Growth Potential – A roadmap buyers can follow equals more $$$.
19. Risk – Security practices, backups, insurance—they reduce buyer fear.
20. IP – Code, trademarks, patents—it’s where real premiums come in.

📢 This is where you shine: If you’ve seen these strengths in your network, you already have deal potential in your inbox.

21. Contracts – Ongoing licensing, vendor relationships—these seal the deal.
22. Goodwill – That intangibility accountants ignore? We give it numbers.
23. Synergies – Can a buyer integrate this seamlessly? That’s dollar signs.
24. Exit Plan – Sellers with a transition plan? Buyers love low-drama handovers.
25. Market Conditions – Timing is everything. 2025 is hot for IT exits.

Let me tell you about a real $6M software firm I helped value.

Their code was solid, team stable, branding decent—but they had no clue who’d actually pay premium. Our 25 Factors process highlighted growth potential, synergies with a larger platform, and exit readiness. The seller paid the $6,000 valuation fee. I found the buyer. If you had been the project manager in the middle? You’d be $150K richer today.

[Placeholder] – “Let’s hear from Jane Doe from The Project Management Podcast on how she saw a digital transformation firm exit for $9.2M and what role PMs like you played.”

• 25 Factors = realistic, buyer-backed valuations.
• $5K–$10K fee = sellers need it anyway.
• You = the trusted negotiator.
• Me = the certified valuation pro.
• Split = 5% commission.

🎯 If you know of an IT business ready to sell, contact us now.
We’ll start with a professional valuation. You handle the deal. We share the win.

💡 And hey—if you’re listening on Spotify, Apple, or anywhere else, hit subscribe and share this episode. Just search “Project Managers in IT Mastery” to hear it again.

Until next time, this is Eric Jordan, CPPA—helping you turn project insight into partnership profits.