The Psychology of Buying & Selling a Business: Understanding the Human Element

This course equips Business Brokers and Transaction Advisors to manage the real drivers behind deals (motivation, fear, identity, ego, uncertainty, and cognitive bias). Buying or selling a business isn’t just financial; it’s an emotional journey that can quietly sabotage pricing, due diligence, negotiations, and closing.

In this course, you’ll learn what sellers are really protecting (identity, legacy, control) and how emotions like grief, loss aversion, and pride surface during the process. You’ll also learn how different buyer mindsets and common patterns (like over-analysis, fear of failure, and anchoring) shape decisions and deal momentum.

Walk away with practical tools you can use immediately (such as empathy maps, emotional readiness checklists, scripts, and deal simulations) to spot emotional red flags early, de-escalate conflict, keep parties aligned, and reduce deal-breakers.