What does it cost to work with the wrong person — not just in dollars, but in peace? Raaz Ali, founder and CEO of Raivax M&A Advisory Firm, has built one of the most successful sell-side M&A practices in North America by doing nearly everything the opposite of how the industry typically operates. While only 18–20% of businesses that go to market actually sell, Raaz's firm maintains a 95% success rate — and the secret isn't a clever tactic. It's integrity, preparation, and the discipline to turn away business when the fit isn't right. From his childhood dreams of catching passes like Jerry Rice to running a lean team of five "stallion" advisors who cap their deal loads at four to six each, Raaz shares how choosing quality over quantity, using the buyer's playbook against them, and protecting his team's peace have become the foundation of a firm that consistently delivers multiples 1.5 to 2x above market averages. This is a conversation about what happens when you draw a direct line between your values and your business decisions — and refuse to compromise.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Raaz's 95% success rate compared to the industry average of 18–20% — and the prep work that makes it possible

• The "quality of earnings" forensic audit done before going to market

• Using "the buyer's playbook against them" — running a blind auction process with a 30-day LOI deadline

• Why Raaz shrunk from 15 advisors down to 5, and caps each at 4–6 deals to maintain quality and communication

• The concept of "the cost of your peace" — how working with difficult personalities can sabotage deals and drain your team

• Pattern recognition: reading client red flags from the very first meeting to avoid nine-month deals that fall apart

• The Raivax 6–8 month process mapped out month by month, compared to the industry's typical 18 months

• Why 90% of Raivax's business is referral-based, with wealth advisors as a key referral source

• The coming wave of baby boomer retirements and the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history

• Construction and blue-collar industries emerging as AI-resistant, high-demand acquisition targets

CHAPTERS

0:00 — Intro

2:29 — Why Service Matters in M&A

3:55 — Childhood Dream NFL

6:41 — From Banking to Raivax

10:00 — Mission of Business Exits

13:21 — Integrity First Process

16:09 — 95 Percent Success Formula

21:55 — Scaling Without Sacrifice

22:41 — Lean Team Capacity Limits

26:34 — Avoiding Difficult Clients

29:52 — The Cost of Peace

30:35 — Pattern Recognition Story

32:33 — When Deals Fall Apart

35:01 — Brand Before Marketing

36:39 — Contrarian M&A Process

44:43 — Controlling Buyer Narrative

46:42 — Grassroots Referral Marketing

52:17 — Future of Lower Middle Market

55:59 — Behind the Brand Questions

1:01:39 — Defining Success and Next Steps

RESOURCES

Raivax — https://raivax.com

Scale Beyond Referrals Workshop — https://scalebeyondreferrals.com

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