Business succession for SMEs
Great deals start with the rightMIND
As a specialized M&A advisory firm, we support mid-sized companies through complex succession processes - with strategic precision, rigorous analytical depth, and the negotiation strength that is truly decisive in transactions. We deliver solutions that are financially sound, emotionally aligned, and practically viable.
Succession advisory for SMEs.
As an entrepreneur, you have built a company that works - operationally, economically and culturally. Business succession is now about handing over this life's work in such a way that value, stability and sustainability are retained.
Many succession processes fail not due to lack of interest, but due to a lack of preparation, incorrect timing or an unclear strategic direction. This is exactly where we come in: We create structure, clarity and decision security in a phase in which experience and vision make the difference.
As a specialized partner for corporate succession in medium-sized companies, we combine analytical depth with technical excellence and consistent negotiation. This results in succession solutions that are economically resilient, regulate transitions cleanly and are still considered the right decision even years later.
years experience
better transaction results
of deals above price expectations
Business succession for SMEs
What we offer
Individual, precise, and at the highest level:
An overview of our services.
With the support of Jannis Scheufen and his team, we implemented the entire process smoothly and with a clear focus. Our vision was fully understood and executed with professionalism at every stage. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner.
René Kissel
Founding Partner
From the very beginning, it was important to us to find a partner who not only enables us to create added value for our clients on an operational level, but who also aligns with us culturally and personally – someone who will carry forward our proven structures, partnerships, and values. With encoviva and Dr. Rico Pires, we have found exactly that partner. We look forward to working together to rethink construction projects across all service areas and to further enhance planning and building processes.
Matthias Klatt
Founding Partner
For us, it was crucial to work with advisors who not only have extensive access to investors and buyers but also understand our business model and the potential of our group of companies. In Mr. Köppe and Mr. Scheufen, we have found exactly those partners.
Ferdinand Diesenreither
Managing Director of the DILA Group
After many years of deep involvement with M&A topics and close collaboration with Mr. Köppe, it was clear to me: if Ferro Duo were ever to seek a new growth partner, it would be with him. Thanks to Mr. Scheufen’s excellent advisory support and Mr. Köppe’s broad outreach to potential buyers, we achieved the best possible outcome for our company.
Alexander Kehrmann
Former Managing Director of FerroDuo GmbH
Thanks to Mr. Köppe’s comprehensive and direct approach to investors, we immediately entered negotiations with offers that far exceeded my initial expectations. Through Mr. Scheufen’s strategic and analytical preparation, we were able to substantiate these offers and ultimately turn the transaction into a great success.
Christian Weiser
Former Managing Director of Weiser GmbH for Fire Protection and Engineering
Vom Brandschutz-Spezialisten zum begehrten Akquisitionsziel. Die Erfolgsgeschichte der Weiser GmbH für Brandschutz und Technik
Statt Standardprozesse zu fahren, entwickelten wir eine maßgeschneiderte Verkaufsstrategie, die aus einem lokalen Brandschutzunternehmen ein attraktives Investment machte.
8 Sektoren,
gezielte Expertise
Von kritischer Infrastruktur bis
zu Wachstumssektoren.
Ein erstes Gespräch schafft oft mehr Klarheit, als jede Recherche.
Sie wünschen sich einen Partner, der Ihr Unternehmen versteht, in Verhandlungen nicht zurückweicht und im gesamten Prozess für Sie die Extrameile geht?
Dann vereinbaren Sie ein unverbindliches Gespräch mit der MIND Geschäftsführung.
Frequently asked questions about succession in medium-sized companies
Answers to the most important questions about planning, options and strategy for corporate succession - practical, strategic and understandable.
1. How do I find a suitable successor or buyer?
A structured succession process combines internal candidate checks, network-based contact with external interested parties and professional market analysis. A specialist in corporate succession will help you identify potential successors, address them confidentially and bring the best candidates into the process in a targeted manner.
2. When should I start with SME succession?
Ideally, you should start succession planning 3-5 years before the planned handover date in order to have sufficient time for strategy, preparation, structuring and negotiation. Early planning increases your negotiating power and prevents loss of value due to time pressure or unprepared succession situations.
3. What are typical risks or mistakes in succession planning in SMEs?
- Start planning too late
- unrealistic values
- lack of structure in the company
- emotional blockages or unclear goals
- reliance exclusively on tax or legal advice without strategic support
These factors can reduce the value or cause good successors to fail.
4. How important is neutral succession advice for SMEs?
Specialized succession consulting brings market knowledge, strategic thinking and experience in process management. Traditional tax or legal advice often only covers partial aspects. An external expert advisor orchestrates the entire process, increases value potential and reduces risks — both economically and emotionally.
5. What does professional support for medium-sized business succession cost?
Costs vary depending on the scope, duration, and complexity of the project. As a rule, however, professional support is an investment that pays off through higher transaction results, lower risks and greater negotiation security — often significantly more than typical fee-based advice on the tax or legal side alone.
6. What role do psychological factors play in succession?
The psychological aspects are decisive: Emotional attachment and family dynamics often influence decisions strongly and unconsciously. Reflected succession planning takes these factors into account, creates clarity and helps entrepreneurs to see the transition as an opportunity and not as a loss.
7. What happens if no succession is arranged?
Without a structured succession solution, the risk of the company being liquidated, sold under time pressure or being transferred significantly below value increases. Particularly in medium-sized companies, where many owners are over 55, a lack of succession can not only jeopardize jobs, but also destroy wealth and market positions built up over many years.
You can find more information in our blog post on the topic Successful succession in medium-sized companies.