When it comes to selling your business, the numbers matter, but they’re only part of the picture. At Future Proof Advisors, we’ve sat in plenty of M&A meetings where a founder walks in with strong financials, an impressive deck, and a clear track record. But the meeting still falls flat. Why? Because buyers aren’t just buying your numbers. They’re buying your story (and you).

M&A presentations are often stacked with spreadsheets and financial models, but they too often miss the piece that truly drives the deal: a clear, compelling narrative. That story is what brings the numbers and the business to life. It’s not about replacing the data, it’s about giving it context. It’s your chance to help a potential buyer see what you’ve built, why it works, and where it’s going next.

Here are 10 storytelling tips we give founders to help them stand out in the M&A process, drawn from our real experiences on our own businesses and working with entrepreneurs every day:

1. Start with the “Why”

Open with your founding story, your mission, and what inspired you to start the business in the first place.  Buyers want a clear understanding of your vision.

Answer questions like: Why does your company exist? Why is this your passion? What problem are you solving? 

Example: You launched your company after spotting a gap in the market or because you are passionate about solving a personal frustration. Bring that to life with a short anecdote. 

We’ve seen founders instantly build credibility and a bond with the buyer just by explaining the moment they realized, “There has to be a better way, and it is their mission to figure it out.”

2. Put the Numbers in Context

Revenue tells one story, but context tells the real one. Explain why the numbers are what they are. Was a recent dip due to a one-time event? Did a spike come from a smart strategic shift? Walk potential buyers through the story behind the performance.

Be prepared to talk about the highs and the lows with clarity and confidence. Transparency builds trust.

We’ve worked with several companies that saw a significant “COVID bump” between 2020 and 2022, followed by a decline as demand returned to normal. Instead of getting penalized for what looked like lost momentum, they were able to reframe it. This wasn’t a step back, it was a return to sustainable, normalized growth. When viewed over a longer time horizon, from pre-COVID through post-COVID, the trajectory still showed strong upward progress and long-term traction.

3. Highlight the Growth Engines

Don’t just say revenue grew. Show why it grew. What levers are pushing the business forward? Maybe it’s a referral program, a key partnership, a pricing shift, or a smart product bundling strategy. Buyers want to understand what’s working and what can be scaled.

They also want insight into the thinking behind your decisions. What strategic moves, pivots, or experiments led to real traction? Your numbers tell one story, but how you got there tells them even more. Often, buyers are just as focused on the strength of your leadership and decision-making as they are on the financials.

4. Showcase Your Non-Financial Assets

Some of the most valuable parts of your business might not show up on a P&L. Consider non-financial assets, including:

• Who is on the leadership team 
• Culture and team retention
• Strategic partnerships and vendor relationships 
• ​​Proprietary systems, technology, or patent-protected IP
• Brand strength and market positioning 
• Customer list and loyalty
• Experience or dominance in a specific vertical
• Size, makeup, or buying power of your audience

We also encourage founders to connect these assets to why they matter. Great team retention, proprietary tech, or a strong brand are powerful drivers of growth, resilience, and differentiation. The more you link non-financial strengths to strategic outcomes, the more powerful your story becomes.

For more on what non-financial assets to showcase, watch our video.

5. Talk About the Customer Impact

Numbers are great. But how do customers feel about your business? Use testimonials, engagement stats, or behavioral insights.

Example: “60% of our customers increased spend YOY, and 75% use our product weekly.”  Or, “We have an NPS score of X.”

We also recommend showcasing Lifetime Value (LTV) drivers, like subscription renewals, long-term use, or upsell rates. These behaviors tell a much stronger story about why your customers stick around and the value you bring.

6. Frame Challenges as Opportunities

No business is perfect. But how you talk about challenges matters. Frame setbacks as lessons that made you stronger. Explain how a hiccup led to innovation or operational improvements. If there’s a challenge you still haven’t fully solved yet, show the buyer how they could be the missing piece.  Being able to show your humility, along with your resilience, can go a long way.

Example: “When COGS rose significantly, we dug in deeper, pivoted, and developed a variety of initiatives that in aggregate reduced those costs by 15% in year one, which unlocked $2M in profit.”

The key is not to hide the problem, but to show how solving it could generate a real upside.

7. Clarify the Vision

Don’t just tell your past story, show where you’re going. Be specific. New markets, verticals, geographies. Paint a picture of your roadmap for the future, and how an acquisition can accelerate that.  

In many cases, what you’re seeking is a strategic acquisition. That’s why it’s important to clearly articulate how the two businesses fit together and why the combination creates more value. What synergies exist? How could this deal be accretive for both sides? It all comes down to sharing a clear growth vision and mapping the path forward together.

Example: “We laid the foundation. And by integrating within your company/network, we can scale into three new markets and grow revenue by 30%, while also cross-selling your services to our client list.”  

Even though it’s a cliché, you want to demonstrate the “win-win” opportunity.

8. Showcase the Team Behind it All

People drive value. Highlight leadership experience, team cohesion, and culture.

One of our favorite slides to see in Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) is a quick “team dynamic chart” paired with short bios or highlights that show how your team works together and why it works so well.  

We’ve also seen a simple but powerful tactic: have each leadership team member introduce a colleague. It’s a small move that reveals mutual respect, trust, and the kind of camaraderie that buyers care about.

We’ve seen deals accelerate because a buyer felt respect and a strong cultural fit with the team. 

9. It’s Not Just the Deck — It’s You!

This part’s easy to overlook, but it’s one of the most important. Buyers aren’t just evaluating your deck, they’re evaluating you. How you show up with your energy in the room matters. Be confident, clear, and passionate. And most importantly, be yourself!

One of the most interesting comments we’ve heard came from a private equity buyer actively investing in a specific vertical: “I have to love the team and not hate the idea of the business.”  

Buyers are looking for people they can trust and work with. Culture fit matters. Shared vision matters. Chemistry counts.  And as the seller, you should be paying attention to that, too.

10. Use Creative Formats to Tell Your Story

When it comes to your pitch deck, don’t just stack up data slides with boring labels. Use storytelling frameworks, visuals, and insights that make buyers lean in.

• Try “Before and After” Slides. Show transformation in action. Think: “Before we changed our distribution model, margins were 12%. After? 22% and scalable.” Use simple charts and short explanations to show what changed and why it worked.
• Use a “Hero’s Journey” Approach. Make your product or service the hero. Set up the market gap, show how you solved it, and highlight the outcome. It’s not just what you did, it’s why it mattered.
• Highlight Customer Behavior, Not Just Stats. Go beyond retention rates. Show how engaged your customers really are. Add testimonials and quotes to humanize the customers and the business.
• Consider a “Day 1 Opportunity” Slide. Buyers often want to see how the acquisition can pay off quickly. Include a slide that lays out immediate post-acquisition wins. Something like: “With access to your sales team and distribution network, we believe we can expand into two new markets and boost revenue by 30% within 12 months.”  This shows you’ve already considered how the buyer’s resources can unlock value. 

Your Story is What Makes the Deal Happen

Your financials may spark interest, but your story is what makes the deal happen.  Buyers want to see the purpose behind the business, the people driving it, and the possibilities ahead. That’s what builds confidence, creates alignment, and generates real excitement about what comes next.

If you’re thinking about selling, make sure you’re telling the full story. One that reflects your momentum, purpose, and potential. Deliver it clearly, practice it thoroughly, and lead with what makes your business worth betting on.

And remember, the storytelling goes both ways! Just like any great partnership, M&A is a two-way street. As the seller, you’re not just being evaluated, you’re evaluating too. Look for a buyer who shares your vision, communicates their strategy, and gives you confidence in the future of what you’ve built.

We’ve helped founders shape their story and stand out in the M&A process. Reach out to us to learn more: info@FutureProofGrp.com