Ep 319 5 M&A Crime Scenes That Cost You Millions with Holli Moeini

5 M&A Crime Scenes That Cost You Millions with Holli Moeini

 

Find Rocky Lalvani @ www.ProfitComesFirst.com  or email him at [e-mail] 

Make more, work less video: https://youtu.be/ 

 

You have worked years to build your business. Revenue is up. You are finally thinking about an exit, or maybe someone has already called asking for your financial statements. But here is the problem most owners never see coming: there are at least five moments in the M&A process where money and risk change hands, and most sellers walk right through them without knowing they just lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

In this episode, Rocky Lalvani sits down with Holli Moeini, a 35-year CPA and fractional CFO who has guided buyers and sellers through mergers and acquisitions at every level. Holli breaks down the five "crime scenes" of M&A, shares a real story of a seller who nearly lost $989,000 the night before close, and explains why your balance sheet is the most important financial document no one is reading. 

 

In This Episode: 

• Why the balance sheet matters more than the P&L and how errors there silently destroy your EBITDA 

• The 30-20-10 rule for diagnosing whether your P&L is healthy or broken 

• The five M&A crime scenes: financial story, working capital, due diligence, earn-outs, and integration 

• How a seller almost lost nearly $1 million at the closing table and did not even know it 

• Why earn out language written in "accounting speak" can cost you your entire payout 

• What private equity buyers do with your accounting the day after close 

• How EIDL loans created a 30-year albatross on business balance sheets 

 

Key Takeaways: 

• If your balance sheet is wrong, your P&L is wrong. You are making decisions based on half the story. 

• Use the 30-20-10 rule: gross margin above 30%, SG&A below 20%, net income above 10%. If any number is off, you have a specific problem to fix. 

• Being ready to sell does not mean you are selling. It means you have the financial discipline, clean records, and systems that make your business both profitable and bankable today. 

• Every term in your deal documents must be defined in plain language. Accounting and legal gray areas are where sophisticated buyers take your money. 

• You need cash to grow. Owners who extract too much from the business become unbankable when they hit a blip. 

 

Conclusion: 

This episode is a wake-up call for any business owner who has been running their company without looking at the full financial picture. Holli Moeini brings 35 years of experience to a conversation that most owners never have until it is too late. If you are growing but not seeing proportional profit or cash flow, if you have ever wondered whether your business could survive a bank's scrutiny, or if you are even beginning to think about what an exit might look like someday, this is the episode to listen to. The crime scenes are real, but every one of them is fixable. Start with your balance sheet. Fifteen minutes could change everything. 

 

About Holli Moeini: 

Holli Moeini is a CFO, CPA, and M&A advisor who helps buyers and sellers strengthen their companies, reduce risk, and maximize value at every stage of a deal. Known for blending financial rigor with real operational experience, she brings clarity and confidence to complex decisions.  

Early in her career, Holli played a key role in a nine-figure exit, using GAAP discipline to improve performance and strengthen valuation. That experience shaped her precise, transparent approach to value creation. As an EVP and CFO, she led finance, operations, IT, security, and companywide strategy, guiding organic growth, acquisitions, and major systems implementations. She understands what it takes to run a business, not just analyze one.  

Most recently, Holli helped a founder move from not being ready to sell to a successful eight-figure exit in 12 months, uncovering and protecting millions of dollars of value while keeping risk balanced from preparation through closing. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Holli is trusted for her steady leadership, practical insight, and ability to simplify complexity while delivering exceptional outcomes. 

 

Links: 

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Missing-Millions-Holli-Moeini/dp/1967386501     

Instagram: instagram.com/hollimoeini     

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hollimoeini 

 

Profit Blueprint Calculator I Profit Comes First: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/profitblueprintcalc-page 

 

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Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast 

Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.