Every successful business will be bought & sold at some point, half because of an unexpected event, personal or business. Those that are prepared achieve twice the valuation of those that aren't and choosing your time can also double your return.I help Australian owners prepare technology businesses to maximise value and execute transactions when the time comes or when they choose. I've been doing tech M&A deals for 15 years and learned a lot of simple things that have dramatic impacts - and how to avoid complex things that don't.My background is full-geek, from an ivy league PhD in Computer-Aided Engineering to developing software, implementing technology, and improving manufacturing. I've delivered big-4 & boutique strategy/management consulting with the biggest companies in Australia and Korea and lots of smaller clients. Lately, I've advised, founded, invested in and grown startups within and outside the incubator & accelerator space.Since 2001 I've been lead advisor on more than 50 M&A projects, mostly strategic sales with happy clients now active investors, comfortably retired, or building their next big venture. I've even helped one client buy and sell the same business 4 times (so far!).I now also work 'upstream,' helping prepare for acquisition. Owners with a year or more to prepare can see huge returns from: - refining business models, products/services and markets to suit strategic buyers - removing themselves from day-to-day operations to focus on the strategic agenda - cementing the customer base with predicable sales & marketing pipelines - streamlining operations, planning and finance for outcomes and due diligence - choosing among revenue, profit, scale/scalability and scope at the right times - managing re-investment for specific returns from buyers - ...and many other lessons I've learned.I love working with creative and interesting business owners; contact me here or as Paul.Hauck@ICTStrategicConsulting.com to chat.