Price is what you pay; value is what you get: A Confidentially Speaking webinar with Fiona Hansen
Warren Buffett once famously said, “Price is what you pay; value is what you get.”
But when it comes to buying or selling a business, those two concepts are often confused, and negotiating effectively depends on understanding the difference.
In our recent Confidentially Speaking webinar, I was joined by Fiona Hansen, Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting, to unpack how valuation works, and more importantly, how it fits into a negotiation strategy.
Fiona, with over 30 years’ experience in corporate finance, reminded us that valuation is not just a financial exercise, it’s a human one. Buyers and sellers don’t just trade numbers, they negotiate risk, control, perception, and future potential. That’s where preparation, strategy, and in many cases, skilled mediation are essential.
We explored how synergies, future earning potential, and market positioning influence valuation beyond just the balance sheet, and Fiona unpacked why two businesses with the same bottom line might command very different prices based on who’s buying, why they’re buying, and what else comes with the deal.
But here’s the catch: the best valuation means nothing if you can’t negotiate it effectively.
We often support clients who feel stuck: unsure whether to accept a valuation, struggling to position their ask, or wrestling with emotional tension among shareholders.
Whether it's helping a founder navigate a startup exit or guiding a board through a share sale, we use structured negotiation frameworks to bring clarity and confidence to the table.
Sometimes that means tough conversations. Sometimes it means translating financial data into persuasive messaging. And sometimes, when deals stall, it means stepping in as a neutral third party to mediate and unlock progress.
If you're preparing to buy, sell, or restructure a business, don’t just ask what it’s worth, ask what you need to do with that number – that’s where real value is created.