Let’s not make a deal—at least, not just now. Not until prices are back to “normal.”

That’s a refrain private equity investors and corporate acquirers seem to be hearing more frequently from founder-owners of bootstrapped businesses. Even those otherwise ready to sell or accept outside capital cling to the belief that their businesses are still worth the sky-high valuations they might have commanded only months ago—before the sharp rise in interest rates, banking industry turmoil and economic uncertainty wreaked havoc on markets. READ MORE