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Mergers & Acquisitions - M&A, Valuation & Selling a Company

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  • 24,202 Students
  • Updated 2/2026
4.4
(4,181 Ratings)
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Course Information

Registration period
Year-round Recruitment
Course Level
Study Mode
Duration
12 Hour(s) 8 Minute(s)
Language
English
Taught by
John Colley
Rating
4.4
(4,181 Ratings)

Course Overview

Mergers & Acquisitions - M&A, Valuation & Selling a Company

Close Deals Like a Pro | Learn from a Former Investment Banker Who's Executed Millions in M&A Transactions

Every year, trillions of dollars change hands through mergers and acquisitions. For entrepreneurs, it’s often the biggest financial event of their lives. For advisors, it’s where careers are made. Yet most people walk into M&A transactions without understanding what’s actually happening—and they pay for it.

In nearly 12 hours across 100 video lectures, you’ll master the complete M&A process—from initial valuation to final closing. Whether you’re selling your own company, advising on transactions, or building a career in corporate finance, this course gives you the insider knowledge that separates successful deals from costly mistakes. Taught by an investment banker with 30+ years of M&A experience and an MBA with Distinction.


Comprehensive Learning Resources for Every Section

Every section now includes professionally designed Student Revision Notes (PDF & Word), standalone Slide Decks, and visual Infographics. These aren’t just lecture supplements—they’re career-long reference materials covering the complete M&A lifecycle from engagement letters to deal closing.


  • Student Revision Notes (19 Sections) – Detailed summary notes covering all key concepts, frameworks, definitions, and practical checklists. Available in both PDF and Word formats for flexible studying and annotation.

  • Standalone Slide Decks (19 Sections) – Professional presentation slides for each section – perfect for quick review, reference during deals, or sharing with colleagues.

  • Visual Infographics (19 Sections) – One-page visual summaries featuring process flows, comparison matrices, and quick-reference checklists.


7 Interactive Role Play Scenarios

Test your skills with 7 immersive scenarios: negotiate advisor fees, pitch to strategic and PE buyers, handle LOI and SPA negotiations, manage price renegotiations after due diligence, and resolve last-minute closing crises. Each 10-minute role play puts you face-to-face with AI counterparties who challenge you like real dealmakers.


  1. Negotiating Fees with an M&A Adviser – Practice fee negotiation before signing an engagement letter

  2. Pitching Your Company to a Potential Buyer – Present your business to a skeptical strategic acquirer evaluating multiple targets

  3. Presenting to a Private Equity Buyer – Defend your EBITDA adjustments and articulate value creation opportunities

  4. Negotiating LOI Terms with a Buyer – Push back on unfavourable Letter of Intent provisions while maintaining deal momentum

  5. M&A Deal Negotiation – Price Renegotiation – Handle a mid-deal price chip after due diligence findings

  6. Negotiating SPA Key Issues – Navigate reps & warranties, indemnities, and basket structures

  7. Resolving Last-Minute Deal Issues – Manage a potential deal-breaker the night before closing

Each 10-minute scenario puts you in realistic situations with AI counterparties who push back like real dealmakers.


What You’ll Master

  • The Complete M&A Process: From initial strategy through post-merger integration—understand every phase of a transaction and what can go wrong at each stage

  • Valuation Techniques: Balance sheet analysis, cash flow valuation, DCF models, and WACC calculations—the methods professionals actually use to price deals

  • Selling a Company: Prepare your business for sale, manage the process, maximise value, and understand buyer segmentation and due diligence from both sides

  • Negotiation Strategies: Secure favourable terms, build relationships with counterparties, and create win-win outcomes that actually close

  • Deal Structuring: Understand how transactions are structured, what terms matter most, and how to protect your interests

  • Management Buyouts (MBOs): Learn the dynamics of MBOs and how they differ from traditional acquisitions

  • Deal Closing: Navigate the final stages, overcome last-minute obstacles, and ensure a smooth transition

  • Practical Application: Test your skills through 7 immersive role play scenarios


This Course Includes

  • 17 comprehensive sections covering the full M&A lifecycle

  • 100+ video lectures (nearly 12 hours of content)

  • 19 Student Revision Notes (PDF & Word formats)

  • 19 Standalone Slide Decks for each section

  • 19 Visual Infographics with key frameworks

  • 7 AI-Powered Role Play Scenarios

  • Practical exercises and downloadable resources

  • Quizzes and case studies to reinforce learning

  • Real-world insights on common pitfalls that destroy value


Who This Course Is For

  • Entrepreneurs considering selling their company (now or in the future)

  • Business owners who want to understand what acquirers look for

  • Corporate development professionals and M&A advisors

  • Investment banking analysts and associates

  • Business school students preparing for careers in corporate finance

  • Senior managers involved in acquisition decisions


Why This Matters

M&A isn’t just about finding a buyer or a target—it’s about understanding value, managing a complex process, and negotiating terms that protect your interests. I’ve spent 30+ years on both sides of these transactions. This course teaches you what actually happens in the room, what drives deal success, and what causes transactions to fail.

Over 150,000 students have enrolled in my courses. If you’re serious about understanding M&A—whether to sell, buy, or advise—this is your complete guide.

Course Content

  • 21 section(s)
  • 150 lecture(s)
  • Section 1 Introduction to the Course
  • Section 2 What does the term Mergers and Acquisitions Mean?
  • Section 3 Merger vs Acquisition Case Study
  • Section 4 Company Valuation: How to Value a Business
  • Section 5 Initial Planning
  • Section 6 Sell Side Engagement Letters
  • Section 7 Pre Sale Preparation
  • Section 8 Preparing the Sale Process
  • Section 9 Marketing the Business
  • Section 10 What Does a Sale Process to Private Equity Buyers look like?
  • Section 11 Introduction to Venture Capital Term Sheets
  • Section 12 Capitalisation Tables - Understanding Owership and Value
  • Section 13 Letters of Intent in M&A Transactions
  • Section 14 The Due Diligence Process
  • Section 15 An Introduction to Negotiation
  • Section 16 Negotiation and Transaction Process Management
  • Section 17 The Sale and Purchase Agreement
  • Section 18 Mergers and Acquisitions - Deal Closing Getting Started
  • Section 19 Deal Closing
  • Section 20 Buyside M&A
  • Section 21 Course Summary and Wrap Up

What You’ll Learn

  • Understand the key concepts and principles of mergers and acquisitions in the corporate finance landscape., Apply valuation techniques to assess the worth of a company using balance sheet analysis, cash flow valuation, and WACC calculations, Develop effective negotiation strategies to secure favourable deals and build strong relationships with stakeholders., Gain practical insights into the sales process, avoiding common pitfalls, and maximising value when selling a company., Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the entire M&A process, from initiation to integration., Manage advisers effectively throughout the M&A process, leveraging their expertise to achieve optimal outcomes., Familiarise yourself with negotiation and term sheets, ensuring clarity and alignment in deal agreements., Explore management buyouts (MBOs) and understand their dynamics in the context of mergers and acquisitions., Successfully navigate the complexities of deal closing, overcoming obstacles and ensuring a smooth transition., Approach the sale of a company with confidence, equipped with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions., Enroll now and develop the skills necessary to excel in the world of mergers and acquisitions!


Reviews

  • R
    Raghu Shivanna
    5.0

    Good knowledge

  • S
    Salim
    2.0

    I finished a bit over 20% of the course and sadly I am very disappointed. The instructor moves past essential information without explaining or addressing it. Which makes the course a bit more useful than a guideline on what to study on your own. I left an example transcript below. I'm very actively using ChatGPT to dissect his lectures piece by piece, a short 5 minute lecture takes me often a lot longer to understand. This irritates me a lot, especially since the instructor is no longer answering questions, nor did he answer many questions asked years ago. I will try to revisit my review once I have finished the course. When telling you to avoid common mistakes in calculating valuation: "Incorrect market risk premium. It is a mistake to confuse the market risk premium with the equity premium. They are different and one should not impute one from the other. Equally, you should not assume that the market risk premium is zero." As you can see, he doesn't explain anything involved. I am expected to research all on my own.

  • M
    Maayan Elroy
    2.5

    pretty boaring, no graphs and numbers are showned

  • S
    Shady Elgendy
    3.0

    no real examples. All theoretical.

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