The Kind of Deals I Won’t Do

April 23, 2026

People ask me how I’ve closed 100+ deals. They should ask me how many I’ve walked away from. It’s a bigger number.

The deals I won’t do

I don’t buy companies where the founder won’t stay through integration. I don’t buy companies with customer concentration above 30%. I don’t buy companies where the seller can’t explain the P&L without their CFO. I don’t buy companies whose top three employees haven’t been paid what they’re worth.

Why these rules exist

Every one of these rules came from a deal that went sideways. The founder who left broke the culture. The concentrated customer churned in year two. The P&L had issues the CFO had been hiding. The underpaid stars walked the week after close.

The rule I wish I’d learned earlier

If the seller is in a hurry, the buyer should slow down. Urgency on the sell side is almost always hiding something. The best deals close on my timeline, not theirs.

What this means for sellers

If you’re thinking about selling, fix these four things two years before you hit the market. The premium pays for itself ten times over.

Want Bill to speak to your team, board, or event?

Bill Canady keynotes sharpen middle market executives on turnaround, profitable growth, and the 80/20 discipline behind $3B+ in enterprise value. Inquire about speaking engagements at billcanady.com.

About the Author

Bill Canady

Bill Canady is a national best-selling author, Founder & CEO of The 80/20 Institute, and a global business leader known for transforming companies into high-performing, profitable enterprises. Over the course of his career, Bill has led multibillion-dollar organizations through their most critical challenges—navigating complex regulatory, investor, and media environments—while consistently delivering profitable growth.

Drawing on decades of executive experience, Bill created the Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS), a proven framework designed to help leaders cut complexity, focus on the critical few, and accelerate growth. Through The 80/20 Institute, he and his team partner with CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs worldwide to apply the 80/20 methodology in real-world settings, unlocking revenue growth, margin expansion, and shareholder value.

As both an operator and advisor, Bill’s mission is clear: to give leaders the tools, systems, and confidence they need to achieve sustainable, profitable growth — without sacrificing focus, culture, or execution.

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