How Our Business Valuation Process Works
At Swift and Wise, we follow a proven and professional business valuation process designed to deliver accurate, defensible, and well-supported conclusions of value. While business valuation and appraisal concepts can be technical, our goal is to make the process clear, confidential, and straightforward from start to finish.
Below, we outline our business valuation process step by step. You’ll see exactly what we need from you, how we analyze the business, and how we arrive at a defensible conclusion of value—so there are no surprises along the way. Throughout the engagement, we’ll guide you through each stage; once you get started, we’ll take care of the process from there and let you know exactly what we need, when we need it. If you have any questions or would like clarification at any point, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Initial Consultation & Scope Definition
We start by learning what you need and defining the scope of the engagement. This includes confirming the ownership interest being valued (a full company, controlling interest, or minority position), the valuation date (the point in time used for financial data and market conditions), and the purpose of the business valuation—such as a partner buyout, divorce, estate or gift tax planning, litigation support, SBA or bank financing, transaction planning, or internal decision-making. We also confirm the premise of value, including whether the business is valued as a going concern or on a liquidation basis. Defining these items upfront ensures the valuation is aligned with the expectations of its intended audience, whether that is the IRS, a court, a lender, investors, or the business owners involved.
Engagement Letter
Once the scope is confirmed, we issue a formal engagement letter via DocuSign. The engagement letter documents the agreed-upon purpose and scope, deliverables and timeline, and the fee structure and payment terms. After it is signed, we begin the process.
Document Collection & Questionnaire
Next, we provide a secure upload link and request the information needed to complete the analysis. This typically includes financial statements or tax returns for the past three to five years, a current balance sheet as of the valuation date, and a detailed business questionnaire that we provide. Depending on your company’s structure and industry, we may request additional supporting documents. In many cases, we also schedule a brief call to understand operations, recent trends, and future outlook.
Retainer Payment
To begin the analytical work, we require a 50% engagement retainer, which is applied toward the total fee. Payment is made securely through Stripe, and we can also accept checks if arranged in advance. The remaining balance is due prior to delivery of the final signed report.
Valuation Analysis
Once we have the required materials, we complete the valuation analysis. We begin with a detailed review of the company’s financial performance to understand earnings quality, margins, and cash flow trends. We then normalize the financial statements as needed by removing non-recurring, personal, or discretionary items and adjusting owner compensation to market-based levels, so the valuation reflects the company’s maintainable earning power.
We also incorporate industry and market data from verified sources to benchmark performance and support valuation assumptions and pricing multiples. Depending on the company and purpose, we apply the valuation approaches that are most appropriate, which may include the income approach, the market approach, and—when applicable—the asset-based approach. If the engagement involves a non-controlling interest or an ownership interest that is not readily marketable, we may apply discounts or premiums when appropriate to reflect differences in control, marketability, or specific ownership rights and restrictions.
Final Report & Review
You will receive a detailed, professionally written valuation report that explains the company background, the methods and assumptions used, key adjustments and supporting data, and the final conclusion of value. After delivery, we can schedule a review call to answer questions and ensure the report meets the needs of the intended use. The valuation report is issued by an analyst certified by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA). You may request a sample valuation report for review by submitting the contact form below or by visiting our Sample Report page.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a priority throughout the engagement. We use secure, encrypted systems for document transfer and do not share your information with third parties. All information provided is used solely for the purpose of completing your valuation. If required, you are welcome to provide a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for our review and signature prior to sharing any materials.