How Do I Protect My Trade Secrets During the Sales Process?
Selling a company requires transparency—but transparency also carries risks. Particularly in the early stages, the question arises: how can I provide prospects with information without revealing sensitive data or proprietary secrets?
1. Confidentiality before Transparency:
Before exchanging detailed documents, always have a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) signed. It establishes a legal framework, protects information—and signals professionalism.
2. Phased Disclosure:
Not all information needs to be shared at once. A professional M&A process proceeds in stages, with clearly defined “data packages” for each phase (teaser, information memorandum, data room).
3. Anonymization & Aggregation:
In initial outreach, present key metrics, customer structures, or supplier relationships in anonymized or aggregated form. Detailed data follows later—selectively and under control.