For entrepreneurs, selling their startups can be an important affirmation that all their hard work led to the creation of something with lasting value. But it can also be a treacherous process in which founders end up losing control and putting their own interests at risk. I learned the lesson firsthand starting in February 2017, when I set out to vet investment bankers to assist BestReviews (which I co-founded in 2014 with two others) as we considered selling to a strategic partner. Below, I share some of the lessons I learned during the M&A process.