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A Guide for Determining a Reasonable Price for Your Small Business
There is a considerable difference between determining the value of a privately-held company and a publicly-held company. Topping the...
Current Insights Regarding the Labor Shortage
BizBuySell’s Insight Report is filled with key statistics and information on a range of topics, including the labor shortage...
The Most Important Factors in Any Partnership Agreement
Every business has an array of important legal documents. However, the partnership agreement holds a unique and important place...
Disruptive Factors in Selling Your Business
At some point, every business owner will need to think about selling his or her business. This means you’ll...
Market Trends Reported in the IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Survey: Second Quarter 2021
Created in 2012, the IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Survey was created to provide business owners and their...
Important Points for Selling to a Family Member
Eventually every business owner will have to turn over control of their business to someone else. There are many...
Put Your Strengths First When Selling Your Business
You understand the finer points and potential of your business better than anyone; however, that doesn’t mean that prospective...
Buying/Selling a Business: The External View
There is the oft-told story about Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonalds. Before he approached the McDonald brothers at...
What Makes Your Company Unique in the Marketplace?
There are unique attributes of a company that make it more attractive to a possible acquirer and/or more valuable....
How Understanding Psychology Can Benefit Your Deals
We work closely with our clients to preserve the integrity of deals so that they have the best chance...
How to Achieve High Buyer Success Rates
Both buyers and sellers have a lot of emotion wrapped up in their respective decisions. It’s completely natural to...
10 Mistakes that Sellers Make
1. Not knowing what the business should sell for One of the most costly errors a business owner can...
Questions Business Buyers Want Answers To
If you are even thinking about selling your business, it’s important to know the questions that buyers generally want...
What a Buyer May Really Be Looking At
Buyers, as part of their due diligence, usually employ accountants to check the numbers and attorneys to both look...
Do You Have What It Takes to Find Success in the 21st Century?
There is no doubt that the times are definitely changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift across many...
What You Should Know About Selling Your Business
There can be no doubt that selling your business stands as one of the most complex and important decisions...
5 Tips for Dealing with Customer Complaints
Companies of all sizes frequently fail to handle customer complaints appropriately. In the digital era, where complaints can be...
The Top Ten Ways to Avoid Wrecking a Deal
Finalizing a deal is usually a complex process, and there is a good deal of room for error, misunderstandings,...
“Hello” is a Key Part of Making the Right First Impression
Just as people will form judgments and ideas about you as a person based on first impressions, the same...
Can Sellers Use Buyer Warning Signs to Their Advantage?
When buyers are looking to make a purchase, the most important step they can take is to perform due...
A Private Equity Firm Veteran’s Advice for Business Owners Preparing to Sell
What kinds of insights about selling a business might come from experts at private equity firms? This article includes...
The Psychology of Selling – Are You Sure You’re Ready?
More than likely, selling your business is one of the biggest decisions of your life. Unless you own a...
When Should You Think About Selling Your Small Business?
There are many reasons why small companies are put up for sale. Some of the more common reasons can...
Is Your Business Charging Enough For Goods & Services?
A small increase in what you charge for your goods and services can make a tremendous difference to your...
3 Steps for Achieving Pricing Power
The simple fact is that most of us want to control our own fate. This fact is especially true...
John Warrilow’s The Art of Selling Your Business
John Warrilow is the founder of The Value Builder System and accomplished author. While not a business broker himself,...
Why Businesses Get Into Trouble
No two companies are quite alike, and this also means that there are many reasons why companies can fall...
Maximizing Your Time by Rating Buyer Seriousness
Your time is your most valuable commodity. The simple fact of the matter is that many “buyers” are not...
Ownership Transition Survey Results
Mass Mutual Life Insurance produced an ownership transition survey back about a decade ago. The survey results were based...
The Importance of Owner Flexibility
You shouldn’t expect to sell your company overnight. For every company that sells quickly, there are a hundred that...
Getting the Most Out of Confidentiality Agreements
When it comes to buying or selling a business, there is no replacement for a solid confidentiality agreement. One...
How to Optimize Your Chances of Selling Your Business
The simple fact is that selling your business is likely to be the single most important financial decision you’ll...
Insights from BizBuySell’s 3rd Quarter Insight Report
Most business buyers and sellers are wondering what 2021 and beyond will bring. BizBuySell and BizQuest President Bob House...
Zeroing in on Goodwill
Goodwill is a term that might cause a little confusion for some. But at its heart, it is a...
What Makes a Deal Close?
For every reason that a pending sale of a business collapses, there is a positive reason why the sale...
Turn to the Professionals for Best Results
There is a direct relationship between the asking price and the amount of cash on the table at the...
Successfully Navigating Seller Financing
Only a small percentage of the population is able to go through life without using some form of financing...
Four Common Seller Mistakes
Sellers are just like everyone else in that they can make mistakes. In this article, we’ll explore some of...
Unraveling the Seller’s Predicament
Selling a business isn’t always 100% about the price. It is not like selling a house where typically the...
How Should Your Company Deal with an Orphaned Product?
Keeping a product or service around that isn’t pulling its weight might prove to not be a very good...
Price or Terms: The Structure of the Deal
An old saying in negotiating the sale of a business goes like this: The buyer says to the seller,...
Considering Generational Strategies
When you are buying or selling a business, you might very well end up making a deal with someone...
What You Need to Know About Foreign Buyers
There is a potentially lucrative group of buyers that many sellers don’t initially think about. We are talking about...
Essential Meeting Tips for Buyers & Sellers
The buyer-seller meeting is quite often a “make or break” meeting. Your business broker or M&A Advisor will do...
The Main Street Lending Program
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 situation seems to change with each and every day. The disruption and...
Why Does Your Business Need Google Reviews?
In today’s business climate, reviews are the differentiator. Years ago, people commonly asked for references when they were vetting...
Seller Financing: It Makes Dollars and Sense
When contemplating the sale of a business, an important option to consider is seller financing. Many potential buyers don’t...
Negotiating the Price Gap Between Buyers and Sellers
Sellers generally desire all-cash transactions; however, oftentimes partial seller financing is necessary in typical middle market company transactions. Furthermore,...
Getting Back to Business After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Historians have long known the historical relevance and impact of epidemics and pandemics. Despite our various technological advances and...
COVID-19 Advice for Hospitality Businesses
Clearly, some industries are taking a bigger hit from COVID-19 than others. Any industry that requires a great deal...
Dealing with COVID-19’s Economic Impact: Planning and Communication are Key
There are many things that you should be doing to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. At the top of...
How to Make Remote Teams Accountable
One of the many, many changes that COVID-19 has ushered in is the extreme uptick in people working remotely. ...
Now is the Time for Focus
As of late April 2020, there is one thought at the forefront of the vast majority of businesses around...
Questions for Helping Businesses Survive the COVID
Developing Your 90-Day Plan Those who want to make sure their businesses survive this pandemic will want to achieve...
6 Tips and 90 Days to Protect Your Business
There can be no way around it, Inc. contributor Brian Hamilton’s April 2020 COVID-19 centered article, “6 Actions to...
Improving Your Telework Habits
In her recent April 20th, 2020 Forbes article, “Three Keys to Engaged, Productive Telework Teams,” author Rajshree Agarwal, who...
Don’t Fear Failure, Learn from It Instead
Failure is rarely fun. But it is also a key ingredient in success. While failure can be painful, there...
How to Connect During a Crisis
Small business owners are facing new challenges during this crisis. Communicating with customers requires more focus and depth than...
Great Tips for Selling Your Business
It takes preparation and focus to sell most businesses. The reality of the situation is that it can take...
It’s Time to Exit. Are you Ready?
Thinking about whether or not you are ready to exit is an important question. It’s something that every business...
What You Need to Know About the Golden Age of Business Acquisitions
Business acquisitions are red hot, and all kinds of businesses are being snapped up. Some people are under the...
Should You Sell Your Family Business?
When the complicating variable of family is added to the equation of selling a business, the situation can get...
Why You Should Focus on Proper Exit Planning
If you are like many business owners, you are primarily focusing on building your business. Yet, as we’ve covered...
The Top Ways to Create an Attention-Grabbing Sales Ad to Sell Your Business
A major part of selling your business is getting the word out. After all, the more people that know...
What Do You Need to Do to Get Your Business Ready to Sell?
In his recent article in Smart Business entitled, “How to get your business, and yourself, ready for sale,” author...
Selling Your Business, Taxes & Tax Structures
It is never too early to start thinking about what tax structure you should use when it comes time...
Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
If you don’t exactly understand what corporate social responsibility (CSR) means, don’t worry. We’ll cover the main points you...
Understanding M&A Purchasing Agreements
M&A purchasing agreements can have a lot of moving parts. A recent article from Meghan Daniels entitled, “The Makings...
Key Mistakes that Could Impact Your Sale
The old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” most definitely applies to any business...
Exploring the Offering Memorandum
Are you a business owner who is interested in selling? If so, there are some strategies you should undoubtedly...
Effectively Utilizing Confidentiality Agreements
Every year countless great deals, deals that would have otherwise gone through, are undone due to a failure to...
The Hidden Benefits of Planning Your Succession Strategy
Succession planning is something that many business owners fail to think about; however, it turns out there are benefits...
Business Owners Can’t Always Sell When They Wish
A recent and insightful Forbes article, “Study Shows Why Many Business Owners Can’t Sell When They Want To” penned...
Great Tips for Helping You Find a Buyer for Your Business
No one keeps a business forever. At some point, you’ll either want to sell your business or have to...
Q2 Small Business Transactions Take a Dip but Strong Market Remains
Small business transactions have been enjoying record numbers. But as of the second quarter of 2019, the numbers have...
The Variety of Variables Involved in Selling Your Business
Selling a business is more than a big decision, as it is also quite complex. Finding the right buyer...
Dealing with Inexperience Can Ruin the Deal
The 65-year old owner of a multi-location retail operation doing $30 million in annual sales decided to retire. He...
The Variables that Drive and Influence Business Valuations
If you’ve never bought or sold a business before, then the factors that drive and influence business valuations likely...
Is Your Business Really Worth Handing Over to the Next Generation?
Before you begin your business, you should be thinking about how you will hand that business over to someone...
Erase the Stress of Selling Your Business by Finding the Right Buyer
There is no denying the fact that life is much, much easier when one can find the right buyer...
Do You Know What Kind of Business Owner You Really Are?
Does your business have real, long-lasting longevity or is your business a temporary entity that will vanish the second...
How Employees Factor into the Success of Your Business
Quality employees are essential for the long-term success and growth of any business. Many entrepreneurs learn this simple fact...
7 Big Questions to Ask Yourself Before Moving Forward
The first step towards successfully selling a business is finding a qualified business broker to work with. Sellers should...
The Historic Levels of Small Businesses Being Sold Drops Slightly
The number of small business transitions continues to be strong for the first quarter of 2019. In fact, despite...
IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Survey Report Predicts Major Changes
The IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Survey Report for the fourth quarter of 2018 has a range of...
A Must Read Article on Having Children Take Over the Family Business
In a recent Divestopedia article entitled, “Kids Take Over the Business? 8 Things to Consider,” author Josh Patrick examines...
Embracing Technology to Boost Your Business
Forbes author Keith Gregg’s, February 8, 2019 article, “Using Tech to Enhance and Sell a Business,” has a range...
Thinking About Succession Planning
If you haven’t been thinking about succession planning, the bottom line is that you should be. In the February...
Could the Red-Hot Market for Businesses Be Cooling Down
The economy is red hot, and that fact is translating over to lots of activity in businesses being sold....
What Kind of Buyers are You Most Likely to Meet?
Selling a business can be an exciting and rather lucrative time. But going through the sales process means embracing...
New Year’s Resolutions & Selling Your Business
Most people fail to keep their New Year’s Resolutions. But where buying and selling a business is concerned, failing...
Goodwill and Its Importance to Your Business
What exactly does the term “goodwill” mean when it comes to buying or selling a business? Usually, the term...
The Sale of a Business May Actually Excite Employees
Many sellers worry that employees might “hit the panic button” when they learn that a business is up for...
A Look at Divestopedia’s Article, “The Myth of Fair Business Valuation”
In Divestopedia’s article, “The Myth of Fair Business Valuation: What Professional Valuations Don’t Tell You,” author Chak Reddy is...
5 Big Questions to Consider when Financing a Business Sale
How should the purchase of a business be structured? This is a point that you’ll want to address early...
Obtaining a Fair Market Value for Your Business
Divestopedia published a rather insightful article, “Letting the Market Bridge the Valuation Gap.” In this October 2018 article, Dave...
Determining Your Company’s Undocumented Value
Business appraisals are not one-dimensional. In fact, a good business appraisal is one that factors in a wide range...
Considering All of Your Business Real Estate Options
In a recent December 2018 article in Divestopedia entitled, “Options for Business Real Estate When Selling a Company,” the...
Four Significant Issues You Need to Consider When Selling Your Business
The process of selling a business can be very complex. Whether you’ve sold a business in the past or...
What Sellers Don’t Expect When Selling Their Companies
In the proverbial “perfect world,” business owners would plan three to five years ahead to sell their companies. But,...
The Importance of Understanding Leases
Leases should never be overlooked when it comes to buying or selling a business. After all, where your business...
Day One is the Day to Prepare Your Exit
Pepperjam CTO, Greg Shepard recently published “Planning Your Exit Should Begin When You Launch” in Entrepreneur magazine. In this...
What Makes the Sale of a Business Fall Through?
There are a myriad of reasons why the sale of a business doesn’t close successfully; these multiple causes can,...
When It’s Time to Sell, Put Your Strengths First
Putting your strengths first will help you sell your business. While this may seem obvious, a surprising number of...
Evaluating Your Company’s Weaknesses
The time you spend evaluating your company’s weaknesses is, as it turns out, one of the single best investments...
The Top Three Major Legal Mistakes to Avoid During a Sale
The business sale process can be complex, which is part of the reason why it makes sense to have...
5 Key Factors in Transferring Your Business to a Family Member
The odds are that you’ve put a great deal of yourself into your business. Inevitably, the day will come...
Maintaining Confidentiality Throughout the Sale Process
There are two key ingredients when it comes to selling a business: professionalism and confidentiality. If either of these...
Embracing Retirement and Selling: 4 Tips for a Smooth Transition
No one works forever. Regardless of how much you love your business, sooner or later you will have to...
The Top Two Ways to Purchase a Business without Collateral
Banks love collateral and for a very simple reason. If you have collateral, then the bank has something it...
Fairness Opinions
Since one often hears the term “fair value” or “fair market value,” it would be easy to assume that...
Are You Asking a Reasonable Price for Your Privately Held Company?
Placing a price on a privately-held company is usually more complex than placing a value, or a price, on...
Examining the Mind of the Serious Buyer – 5 Points to Consider
Are you looking for a way to perfect your presentation? Understanding what the typical serious buyer wants will help...
Is Now the Right Time to Sell Your Company?
Like many things in life, timing can be everything when it comes to selling your company. Every day more...
If You’re Selling, Get Ready to Expect the Unexpected!
Many experts agree that the best time to prepare to sell your business is when you start your business....
How Your Employees Can Boost Profits and Values
The simple fact is that without employees, you don’t have a business. Given the tremendous importance of your employees,...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted on the Axial Forum entitled “What Do Buyers Look for in the Lower Middle Market?”...
Don’t Let the Dust Settle on Your Lease: 8 Factors to Consider
Owners often neglect understanding their leases and this can be problematic. If your business is location-sensitive, then the status...
Your Deal is Almost Done, Then Again, Maybe Not
Having a letter of intent signed by both the buyer and the seller can be a very good feeling....
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article from Small Business Trends entitled “41% of Entrepreneurs Will Leave Their Small Business Behind in 5...
Three Easy & Effective Ways to Negotiate
Far too many prospective business buyers and sellers overlook just how important negotiations can be. But they can also...
Red Flags are Not a Pretty Sight
When it comes to selling a business, sellers simply must pay attention to red flags. Problems can always pop...
Buying? Selling? Seven Key Points to Consider
Buying or selling a business is one of the most important decisions that most people ever make. Before jumping...
Who Exactly Owns Personal Goodwill and Why Does it Matter?
Personal goodwill can have a profound impact on both small and medium-sized businesses. In fact, it can even impact...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted on PR Newswire entitled “Business owners’ love of work may hinder succession planning” explains the...
When Selling Your Business, Play to Win
If you are an independent business owner, you are most likely also an independent business seller–if not now, you...
Similar Companies Can Have Huge Value Differences
Can two companies in the same industry have very different valuations? In short, the answer is a resounding, yes....
There’s No Business Quite Like a Family Business
The simple fact is that family businesses are different. After all, a family business means working with family and...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted by The National Law Review entitled “Thinking of Selling? Start Early, Build Your Team” explains...
The Difficult Issues Often Attached to Valuing a Business
There is little doubt that valuing a business is often complex. In part, this complexity is due to the...
What Do Buyers Want in a Company?
Selling your business doesn’t have to feel like online dating, but for many sellers this is exactly what it...
A Short Story All Family-Owned Businesses Should Read
When it comes to selling a family-owned business there are no shortage of complicating factors, but one in particular...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article from Divestopedia entitled “To Sell Your Business, Start with the End in Mind” explains the importance...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted on BizJournals.com entitled “Top 5 rules on preparing your company for sale” explains how the...
When Two Million Dollars is Just Not Enough
Not everyone wants to sell when they feel as though they have to sell. Life changes, such as divorce...
Three Common Errors Caused by Inexperience
The old saying that “there is no replacement for experience” is a truism that has stood the test of...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted on Forbes.com entitled “Small Business Owners Are Retiring, And Millennials May Not Fill The Gap...
It’s Time To Embrace CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
If you are unfamiliar with CSR or corporate social responsibility, you are certainly not alone. In the coming years,...
You Know the Old Saying About Loose Lips? How Does It Impact You?
The saying “loose lips sink ships,” doesn’t have ancient origins. While it sounds like one of those sayings that...
Top Four Statistics You Need to Know About Ownership Transition
If you own a business, then ownership transition should definitely be a central topic in your planning. A few...
Reasons for Sale
The reasons for selling a business can be divided into two main categories. The first is a sale that...
You’re Experiencing Burnout, Now What?
A large percentage of business owners are not just owners, but also operators. Owning a business can be exciting...
Invest in Creating Happy Employees & You’ll Be Rewarded
The time, effort and money you invest in keeping your employees happy is well worth it for your bottom...
Keys to Improving the Value of Your Company
The first key is to have your accountant take a look at your accounting procedures and make recommendations on...
Around the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted on Business2Community.com entitled “How to Close the Deal and When to Walk Away When Buying...
The Rise of Women Business Owners
The National Foundation for Women Business Owners (NFWBO) identifies trends relating to the small business climate for women. New...
The Tremendous Importance of Simply Saying, “Hello!”
Far too many customers have grown to expect poor customer service. Whether its rude employees and customer support or...
Three Signs You May Be Experiencing Burnout
Burnout is a strange phenomenon in that often a business owner doesn’t know that he or she is experiencing...
The Top 3 Unexpected Events CEO’s May Encounter During the Selling Process
When it comes time to sell a business, not everything goes as planned. You may be one of the...
Do You Really Understand Your Customers?
The time you invest getting to know and understand your customers is time very well spent. The feedback you...
The Deeper Significance of a Listing Agreement
Listing agreements are very common when it comes to selling a business. In order to sell a business using...
Do You Really Know the Value of Your Company?
It is common for executives at companies to undergo an annual physical. Likewise, these same executives will likely examine...
Understanding Issues Your Buyer May Face
Not every prospective buyer actually buys a business. In fact, out of 15 prospective buyers, only 1 actually makes...
The Six Most Common Types of Buyers: Pros & Cons
Business owners considering selling should realize that they have many different types of prospective buyers. Today’s prospective business buyers...
5 Things You Need to Know About Confidentiality Agreements
Confidentiality is a major concern in virtually every business. Quite often business owners become a little nervous when it...
Financing the Business Sale: 6 Questions to Know
How the purchase of a business will be structured is something that must be dealt with early on in...
Defining Goodwill
You may hear the word “goodwill” thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean? When it comes...
A Deeper Look at Seller Financing
Buying a business requires a good deal of capital or lender resources. The bottom line is that a large...
Selling a Business? Be Aware of These Four Potential Issues
We’ve outlined below a few unexpected aspects of the business sale process that can pop up. Sometimes they severely...
Your Company’s Undocumented Worth
The valuation is a major factor that influences the overall selling price of the property. Business appraisals are based...
Service Businesses Perform Highest When It Comes to Sales
Recently, Business Brokerage Press performed a survey of brokers across the country to see what sells at the highest...
Gaining a Better Understanding of Leases
Leases can, and do, play a significant role in the buying or selling of businesses. It can be easy...
What is Really in the Mind of Your Buyer?
It is always important to try and put yourself “in the other person’s shoes.” This fact is of paramount...
Does Your Asking Price Truly Matter?
It is no great secret that sellers often aim high. The logic sellers use is simple, “I can always...
Strong Selling Points: Let Your Strengths Work for You
“Independent business owner” is a phrase with two meanings. Of course, it means being the owner of an independent...
What Are Your Company’s Weaknesses?
Every company has weaknesses; the trick is to fix them. There is a saying that the test of a...
Be a Winning Seller: Good Negotiation is the Key
You’ve made the big decision to put your business on the market. Your reasons for selling are valid, carefully-considered,...
Points to Ponder for Sellers
Who best understands my business? When interviewing intermediaries to represent the sale of your firm, it is important that...
Sell Your Business and Start Your Retirement
When the day comes to sell your business, it is important that prospective buyers understand why you have made...
Avoiding Legal Mistakes When Selling Your Business
A common mistake that many make when preparing to buy or sell a business is to overlook all the...
5 Things to Consider When Transferring Your Business to Family Members
Letting go of a business isn’t a process that one should jump into lightly, and that fact holds true...
How to Ensure Confidentiality During your Sale
Selling a business is a process that depends upon professionalism and confidentiality. Selecting a business broker who understands the...
Can you Understand Your Buyer’s Key Motivations?
Negotiations can be tricky affairs. One wrong move can undo a tremendous amount of work. In negotiations, it is...
Seller Financing
The majority of business sales include some form of seller financing. Typically, seller financing is when the seller provides...
The Power of Recurring Revenue
Buyers and sellers alike love recurring revenue. But what is it exactly that makes it so attractive? Recurring revenue...
What is EBITDA and Why is it Relevant to You?
If you’ve heard the term EBITDA thrown around and not truly understood what it means, now is the time...
Five Reasons Business Brokers Improve Closing Rates
It has long been a well-known fact that business brokers can help improve closing rates. In this article, we...
How to Keep Employees Engaged During an Ownership Transition
Ensuring that your employees stay on course during your ownership transition should be one of your key areas of...
Is It Possible to Sell to a Business Competitor?
A common question in the realm of buying and selling businesses is, “Is it possible to sell to a...
The Importance of Having a Dominant Position in the Market
In order to get top dollar for your business, it is necessary to prepare for the sale well in...
Are You Emotionally Ready to Sell?
Quite often sellers don’t give much thought to whether or not they are ready to sell. But this can...
Learn the Dynamics and Save the Deal
Many business owners are unfamiliar with the dynamics of selling a company, because they have never done so. There...
Selling: What Does An Intermediary Expect From You
If you are seriously considering selling your company, you have no doubt considered using the services of an intermediary....
Family-Owned Businesses Do Have Choices
Family-owned businesses do have some options when it comes time to sell. Selling the entire business may not be...
Who Is Today’s Buyer?
It has always been the American Dream to be independent and in control of one’s own destiny. Owning your...
Why Deals Fall Apart — Loss of Momentum
Deals fall apart for many reasons – some reasonable, others unreasonable. For example: • The seller doesn’t have all...
Personal Goodwill: Who Owns It?
Personal Goodwill has always been a fascinating subject, impacting the sale of many small to medium-sized businesses – and...
The Three Ways to Negotiate
Basically, there are three major negotiation methods. 1. Take it or leave it. A buyer makes an offer or...
Due Diligence — Do It Now!
Due diligence is generally considered an activity that takes place as part of the selling process. It might be...
Considerations When Selling…Or Buying
Important questions to ask when looking at a business…or preparing to have your business looked at by prospective buyers....
Keys to a Successful Closing
The closing is the formal transfer of a business. It usually also represents the successful culmination of many months...
“Red Flags” in the Sunset
Unlike that poetic title of an old-time standard song, Red Sails in the Sunset, red flags are not a...
The Confidentiality Myth
When it comes time to sell the company, a seller’s prime concern is one of confidentiality. Owners are afraid...
A Selling Memorandum
A sellers memorandum includes all those points one would normally expect to see in any business plan, to wit:...
Common Seller Questions
How long does it take to sell my business? It generally takes, on average, between five to eight months...
Are You Ready to Exit?
If you’ve gone this far, then selling your business has aroused enough curiosity that you are taking the first...
10 Tips for a Successful Sale
1.Sellers should find out the loan value of the fixtures, equipment and machinery prior to a sale. Many buyers...
The Term Sheet
Buyers, sellers, intermediaries and advisors often mention the use of a term sheet prior to the creation of an...
What Makes Your Company Unique?
There are unique attributes of a company that make it more attractive to a possible acquirer and/or more valuable....
Is This the Right Time to Sell?
“Whatever the reason, there should be something other than dollars that motivates you to explore a sale. After all,...
Tips on Avoiding the Dealbreakers
One of the most important steps is to hire the right advisors. This begins with the right professional business...
Do You Have an Exit Plan?
“Exit strategies may allow you to get out before the bottom falls out of your industry. Well-planned exits allow...
What Is Burnout?
Burnout can come with a business that’s successful as well as with one that’s failing to grow. The right...
Happy Employees Can Increase Profits…and Value
Happy employees mean happy customers and clients. An unhappy employee can mean loss of business or worse. How does...
Take a Look at Your Lease
If your business is not location-sensitive, that is, if your business location is immaterial to its success, then the...
Rating Today’s Business Buyers
Once the decision to sell has been made, the business owner should be aware of the variety of possible...
Why Your Company Needs a Physical
Many executives of both public and private firms get a physical check-up once a year. Many of these same...
Should You Be Selling Your Company…Now?
The answer to the question asked in the title is, “It all depends!” There are all sorts of studies,...
The Confidentiality Agreement
When considering selling their companies, many owners become paranoid regarding the issue of confidentiality. They don’t want anyone to...
Common Reasons for Selling
It has been said that the sale of a business is usually event driven. Very few owners of businesses,...
Considering Selling? Some Important Questions
Some years ago, when Ted Kennedy was running for president of the United States, a commentator asked him why...
Is Your “Normalized” P&L Statement Normal?
Normalized Financial Statements – Statements that have been adjusted for items not representative of the current status of the...
Do You Have an Exit Plan?
“Exit strategies may allow you to get out before the bottom falls out of your industry. Well-planned exits allow...
The Devil May Be in the Details
When the sale of a business falls apart, everyone involved in the transaction is disappointed – usually. Sometimes the...
Family Businesses
A recent study revealed that only about 28 percent of family businesses have developed a succession plan. Here are...
What Are Buyers Looking for in a Company?
It has often been said that valuing companies is an art, not a science. When a buyer considers the...
A Reasonable Price for Private Companies
Putting a price on privately-held companies is more complicated than placing a value or price on a publicly-held one....
Top Ten Mistakes Made By Sellers
Neglecting the day-to-day running of their business with the reasoning that it will sell tomorrow. Starting off with too...
Why Sell Your Company?
Selling one’s business can be a traumatic and emotional event. In fact, “seller’s remorse” is one of the major...
The Deal Is Almost Done — Or Is It?
The Letter of Intent has been signed by both buyer and seller and everything seems to be moving along...
Selling Your Business? Expect the Unexpected!
According to the experts, a business owner should lay the groundwork for selling at about the same time as...
Do You Know Your Customers?
It’s always nice, when eating at a nice restaurant, for the owner to come up and ask how everything...
A Listing Agreement is More than Just a Piece of Paper
In order to sell one’s business using the services of a business broker, a listing agreement is almost always...
What a Buyer May Really Be Looking At
Buyers, as part of their due diligence, usually employ accountants to check the numbers and attorneys to both look...
A “Pig in a Poke"
Once a buyer has negotiated a deal and secured the necessary financing, he or she is ready for the...
The Pre-Sale Business Tune-Up
Owners are often asked, “do you think you will ever sell your business?” The answer varies from, “when I...
Considering Selling? Some Things to Consider
Know what your business is worth. Don’t even think about selling until you know what your business should sell...
Can You Really Afford to Sell?
In many cases, the sale of a small company is “event” driven. That is, the reason for sale is...
Surprises CEOs Face When Selling Their Companies
Surprise #1: Substantial Time Commitment In the real estate business, once the owner engages the broker there is very...
Company Weaknesses
Take two seemingly identical companies with very similar financials, but one of the companies was worth substantially more than...
Buying or Selling a Business: The External View
There is the oft-told story about Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonalds. Before he approached the McDonald brothers at...
What Would Your Business Sell For?
There is the old anecdote about the immigrant who opened his own business in the United States. Like many...
Burnout: An Ever-Present Threat
Burnout is an often-used reason for an owner selling his or her business. Potential buyers may have trouble accepting...
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Business?
Recent studies indicate that it now takes, on average, about eight to ten months to sell a small business....
When to Create an Exit Strategy
There is the old saying that the time to develop an exit strategy is the day you open for...
Five Kinds of Buyers
Buyers are generally categorized as belonging to one of the following groups although, in reality, most buyers fit into...
Why Deals Don’t Close
Sellers Don’t have a valid reason for selling. Are testing the waters to check the market and the price....
Seller Financing: The Basics
Seller financing has always been a mainstay of business brokerage. Buyers don’t have the capital necessary to pay cash,...
What Would Your Business Sell For?
There is the old anecdote about the immigrant who opened his own business in the United States. Like many...
Rating Today’s Business Buyers
Once the decision to sell has been made, the business owner should be aware of the variety of possible...
Why Sell Your Company?
Selling one’s business can be a traumatic and emotional event. In fact, “seller’s remorse” is one of the major...
Who Is the Buyer?
Buyers buy a business for many of the same reasons that sellers sell businesses. It is important that the...
Buying (or Selling) a Business
The following is some basic information for anyone considering purchasing a business. Is may also be of interest to...
Why Do Deals Fall Apart?
In many cases, the buyer and seller reach a tentative agreement on the sale of the business, only to...