Family businesses are critical to both the US and World economies. In fact, in the US alone, there are approximately 5.5 million family owned and controlled businesses.[1] While much of the world’s wealth is a byproduct of family-owned businesses, the…
All too often a business owner decides to sell, only to learn a number of harsh realities. For example, oftentimes a business owner discovers that their lack of financial data represents a major problem. The simple fact is that prospective…
A lot of training and experience goes into good valuations. A variety of complex factors are involved. Plus, there are certainly some subjective elements. That means that one professional’s valuation may be different from the next. Let’s take a look…
When sellers get ready to put their businesses on the market, they often wonder what buyers are really looking for in an effort to make their businesses as attractive as possible. The answer to this question can seem mysterious when…
When it comes time to sell your business and sign on the dotted line, you only have one opportunity to get it right. In many cases, business owners have made critical mistakes while attempting to sell their business. This kind…
Many business owners don’t understand the concept of goodwill or how to calculate it. When a buyer is willing to pay a premium price for a business, far more than the company’s assets would typically dictate, that is considered goodwill. …
You may have heard the advice, “the best time to prepare to sell is when you start your business.” While this statement is far from realistic for most business owners and may even sound humorous, it does contain a certain…
Everyone knows that good employees are important for a thriving business. That’s why there has been so much emphasis on keeping employees happy. When your employees are feeling not only satisfied, but also valued, they will be more likely to…
Are you selling a business that involves a lease? If so, this will be a factor that has significance to a buyer when you go to complete your deal. If your business relies heavily on its location and you don’t…
If you’re selling your business, at some point you’ll likely be presented with a term sheet. As the name suggests, this document will include the “terms” of the deal including the basic economic terms and conditions of a prospective acquisition.…
Once you get to the stage of your deal where you have a signed letter of intent, you may already be feeling a sense of relief that your deal is near finalization. But remember that the due diligence stage is…
Almost every sale of a business involves a high degree of negotiation between buyers and sellers. In this article, we share some of the questions you can ask yourself to prepare for this part of the process. After all, optimal…