Episode 392: How to Actually Get Your Deals Across the Finish Line with Corey Kupfer
After 35+ years of closing deals across industries, Corey Kupfer shares the practical strategies that separate deals that close from deals that die in the final stretch. This remastered solocast from the early days of DealQuest delivers timeless advice on getting deals across the finish line.
In this solocast episode of the DealQuest Podcast, host Corey Kupfer breaks down the critical factors that determine whether your deal actually closes or falls apart at the last minute. Drawing from decades of experience as an M&A attorney, entrepreneur, and dealmaker, Corey addresses the mental traps, preparation gaps, and emotional triggers that derail otherwise successful transactions.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
In this episode, you'll discover why mentally closing a deal before it actually closes is the biggest mistake dealmakers make, and how "spending the money in your mind" sabotages your focus and negotiating position. Corey explains the concept of pre-due diligence and why preparation before the LOI stage prevents deals from falling apart during buyer scrutiny. You'll learn how to identify your true bottom line and get total clarity on what's acceptable and what's not. The episode covers how ego and emotional attachment blow deals that would otherwise succeed, the strategic balance of bringing in key stakeholders while maintaining confidentiality, and how to keep deal momentum alive through consistent engagement with your professional team.
WHY DEALS DIE:
Most deals don't fall apart because of bad terms or major due diligence discoveries. They fall apart because someone mentally checked out too early. The moment you sign the LOI and start treating the deal as done, you stop focusing on the critical work still required. You stop keeping your due diligence clean. You stop maintaining pace. You stop staying hungry for the close. The other side senses this shift, issues arise that could have been managed, and momentum dies.
PRE-DUE DILIGENCE PREPARATION:
One of the best ways to ensure deals close is preparation that happens before negotiations even heat up. If you're selling your company, experienced advisors know what buyers will examine. If you're raising capital, they know what investors will scrutinize. The goal is to be fully prepared and looking great before their team starts asking questions. Many deals fall apart during due diligence because sellers haven't done this preparation work. When there's smoke, buyers think there's fire. One issue makes them worry about ten others they haven't found yet.
TRUE BOTTOM LINE CLARITY:
This connects to a fundamental negotiating principle from Corey's Authentic Negotiating book. You need total clarity on exactly what's acceptable and what's not acceptable to you. When things shift unexpectedly, whether the economy changes, due diligence reveals issues, a key employee leaves, or you lose a major client, that foundation of clarity determines whether you navigate the disruption or let it derail everything. If you don't know your true bottom line, these disruptions can easily prevent you from ever reaching closing.
MANAGING EGO AND ATTACHMENT:
As deals progress, watch for ego and emotional attachment on both sides. When the other party raises issues close to closing, you need clarity to analyze whether those issues actually matter versus reacting because you feel triggered. Sometimes people blow deals not because the terms became unacceptable, but because they got tired, frustrated, or insulted. Don't let triggering emotions destroy a deal that could be very good or lucrative for you.
STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT:
Deals can fail at the last minute because the principals assume alignment that doesn't exist. They go to key employees, minority owners, or investors expecting buy-in and discover it isn't there. The balance between confidentiality and getting necessary stakeholder alignment requires strategic thinking. Especially if you're selling your company, you have to weigh not being seen as "in play" on the marketplace and not having employees get spooked against the risk of bringing key folks in too late.
MAINTAINING MOMENTUM:
Work closely with your team and professionals to keep the pace of the deal moving forward. Deals die when people lose interest or momentum simply fades. Consistent engagement, timely responses to information requests, and staying available to work through inevitable issues keeps deals on track.
Perfect for business owners preparing to sell, executives pursuing acquisitions, entrepreneurs raising capital, and anyone involved in transactions who wants to understand why deals succeed or fail in the final stretch.
FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/how-to-close-deals
FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/
https://www.coreykupfer.com/
Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast.
Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today!
Episode Highlights with Timestamps
[00:00] - Introduction to the remastered episode series and podcast growth
[01:30] - Setting up the solocast on how to close deals
[02:00] - The biggest mistake: mentally closing deals before they're actually closed
[03:15] - Why "spending the money in your mind" sabotages your deal
[04:00] - The deal is not closed until it is closed: maintaining focus through closing
[04:45] - Pre-due diligence preparation as your secret weapon
[05:30] - How preparation upfront prevents deals from falling apart
[06:15] - The true bottom line concept from Authentic Negotiating
[06:45] - Why clarity on objectives helps navigate unexpected disruptions
[07:15] - Watching your ego and attachment as deals progress
[08:00] - Recognizing when you're triggered versus making clear-headed decisions
[08:45] - Making sure stakeholders are aligned before closing
[09:15] - Balancing confidentiality with getting necessary buy-in
[09:45] - Maintaining deal momentum through engagement with your team
Host Bio: Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast.
Show Description: Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster.
Related Episodes: Episode 366 - Jodi Hume on Exit Planning and Founder Clarity
Episode 330 - Pete Mohr on Business Transitions and Stakeholder Alignment
Episode 337 - Jonathan Gardner on Cross-Cultural Deals and Due Diligence
Episode 324 - Sejal Lakhani-Bhatt on Tech Due Diligence in M&A
Episode 332 - John Martinka on Financial Due Diligence Best Practices
Follow DealQuest Podcast:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/
Website: https://www.coreykupfer.com/
Keywords/Tags: how to close deals, deal closing strategies, M&A closing process, due diligence preparation, letter of intent, deal negotiation, business acquisition, deal momentum, stakeholder alignment, pre-due diligence, authentic negotiating, true bottom line, deal mindset, transaction management, merger and acquisition, capital raising, joint ventures, business sale preparation, negotiation strategy, dealmaking
