Sam – Owner of a small manufacturing company
Jordan – Potential buyer doing due diligence
Jordan: Thanks for sending over the financials, Sam. The margins look strong, especially the last two years.
Sam: I’m glad you think so. We’ve worked hard to keep the operation lean.
Jordan: I did have a couple follow-ups from my accountant. Mostly routine stuff.
Sam: Sure. Fire away.
Jordan: Could you provide direct access to the bank statements for the last three years? We’d like to confirm that the revenue in the reports matches deposits.
Sam: Pauses. You already have the statements and the tax filings.
Jordan: Right, and they look good. This is just part of our verification process.
Sam: Verification? My CPA has prepared those for fifteen years. They’re accurate.
Jordan: I’m not suggesting otherwise. It’s just our standard diligence checklist.
Sam: It feels a bit like you think I’m cooking the books.
Jordan: Not at all. When we buy a company, we verify everything independently. We do the same with everyone.
Sam: Leans back. I’ve been running this business for twenty-two years. My reputation means something.
Jordan: I respect that, and that’s actually why we’re still here. But my investors expect us to confirm the numbers ourselves.
Sam: Sighs. I get the process… but this has been so irritatingly long.
Jordan: I hear you. Let’s see if we can get this last verification done quickly so we can move toward closing.