As risk increases, value decreases. We talk with business owners daily who believe a buyer will pay a certain amount for their businesses. However, buyers have a different perception of its value. As Michael Marks depicts in the above tip, many owners fail to sell their businesses at the price… Read More »Increased Risk = Decreased Value
Labor issues, pending tax changes, inflation – these are three major issues driving sellers to market right now. If you feel a sense of urgency to sell, but just are not mentally ready to exit, you are not alone!Deals can be structured in many ways for owners who would like… Read More »Sell & Keep Working?
Many business owners struggle with exiting their business as it may feel like putting one’s child up for adoption. Research supports this: Entrepreneurs really do think of their business as a child. Research findings include similar brain activity between owners thinking about their business and parents thinking about their children.… Read More »Your Business = Your Baby
Prior to selling your business, identify the traits you want in the buyer. That way, when you receive a strong offer from a potential buyer and do your due diligence, you know what you don’t want. For instance, if your buyer has just parted ways with another business and did… Read More »Be ‘In Like’ with Business Buyer
Friendships are the key to life, however, unless they are a specialist in the area you need, separation is good! Many business owners, like me, have become friends with their business advisors. We enjoy working with each other and treasure those relationships. When it’s time to sell or transition your… Read More »Know Your Friends’ Specialties…and Limitations
Bo Burlingham, former executive editor for Inc. magazine and author of several books, including Finish Big: How Great Entrepreneurs Exit Their Companies on Top has shared that one of the key discoveries that led to that book. He found found that many business owners were unhappy after selling their companies regardless of how much someone… Read More »Success = Identified Identity
The market for Selling and Acquiring Businesses is still strong! Sellers are receiving multiple offers, but the ‘chosen’ Buyers aren’t always the ones writing the biggest checks. Decide what you want! Is a lower price OK if it ensures that the buyer is a better fit for your culture? Or… Read More »Identify Top Priorities
In the sale of a business, confidentiality is VERY important. What happens when your critical employees must be informed prior to the sale? We recommend stay bonuses. A stay bonus incentivizes key employees to cooperate and assist with your sale. How much should the bonus be? There is no set… Read More »Should a Business Owner Provide a “Stay Bonus”?
Having talked with 100s of buyers and potential business buyers at all levels, there are 3 issues that we hear consistently: “I’m looking for a business with a minimum cash flow of X….” or some variety of that statement. X is the amount that the business provides the buyer after… Read More »Thinking of Selling Your Business: What Buyers Want!
As a business owner, you need to consider the role you would like to have in your business transition to evaluate the type of suitors for your business transition. In an ideal world, you’ll have 4 or 5 offers to choose from, and what you’ll find is that the companies… Read More »Ever Have to Make a Decision?