22-25 April 2026

Zero to Hero: Surviving the Transaction Process Like a Pro

Proposed session for SQLBits 2026

TL; DR

Your company is up for sale, and you need to talk about the applications and data in your environment (and maybe the security, too). Come learn what outside advisors are looking for, the questions they ask, and how to manage a stressful transition

Session Details

You heard rumors your company might be up for sale. Now you have a cryptic invite from someone you don't know with a title like "Technology Review Session". What do you do? How do you handle that meeting? What do you prepare beforehand?

In this talk, I will walk you through the transaction process from a technical standpoint. I will outline what the reviewers are looking for, and what they aren't. We will talk about how to answer questions without raising red flags, and how to give only the information being asked. Lastly, we will talk about how to approach preparing your code to give an accurate picture of the state of the software.

Transactions can be scary, but after this talk, you will be armed with the knowledge and strategies to survive like a pro.

3 things you'll get out of this session

Learn about the transaction process Understand what outside advisors are looking for Understand where to avoid answering or giving "bad" answers