Definition
Buy-sell agreement is the contract defining how business ownership can be transferred between parties. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.
In the room
How the word shows up in a real conversation.
A mentor asks, “What is your Buy-sell agreement?” The useful answer is concrete: contract defining how business ownership can be transferred between parties. A slide title is not an answer.
Common mistake
Using Buy-sell agreement as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.
See also
Buy-and-build strategy
Growth approach involving acquiring companies and integrating them into existing operations.
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Buy-out
Acquisition of a controlling interest in a company by investors or management.
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Buy-side analyst
Financial analyst who works for investment firms managing client portfolios.
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Buying group
Association of businesses that pool purchasing power to negotiate better deals.
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