Sell a Business Articles and Tools

Best Business Buyer Type For Your Business

Often business owners finds it difficult to know who they should target as a potential buyer for their business. At first glance, any buyer with a checkbook may be attractive. In practice, finding the right business buyer type when selling a business is both an art and a science. Learn what to consider before going on the market.

Similar to selling commercial real estate, knowing who the buyers are and what motivates them is beneficial. Likewise, when determining the asking price for a business, it makes good sense to understand the nuances associated with the various types of business buyers. Doing so will improve the entrepreneur’s likelihood he will receive the maximum net cash from the sale.

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Maximizing After Tax Proceeds When Selling Your Business

In this episode, Holly Magister, a CPA with expertise in business sales, offers valuable insights into tax planning for entrepreneurs preparing to sell their businesses. Dive into the nuanced tax considerations discussed and learn proactive strategies to enhance sale proceeds while reducing tax liabilities. This episode serves as a hands-on roadmap for business owners, equipping them with the knowledge to make informed choices and optimize their financial results throughout the intricacies of business exits. Tune in for essential guidance!

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Which is Best – Business Broker, M&A Advisor, or an Investment Banker?

When selling a business, you’ll likely engage various advisors to help you navigate the process, maximize the sale price, reduce risks associated with the deal post-transaction, and ultimately close the deal. Different types of advisors work in various business sales roles. They may assist in the transaction, each with unique expertise, deal process, and fee structure.

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Why Business Buyers Won’t Buy Your Business

Learn why business buyers view your business as unattractive and it fails to sell once it’s on the market.  We’ve summed up the top seven reasons and included suggestions regarding how to overcome these obstacles.

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How To Choose A Business Broker Intermediary

Choosing the right intermediary or business broker to represent a business owner in the sale of their business can make all the difference when it comes to the right price, the right buyer, and the ability to close the deal.

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Business Broker Fees and Other Business Sale Expenses

When it comes to the sale of a business, there are a number of costs – both expected and unplanned – all business owners should understand before they agree to sell their business. A few of our Featured Advisors have weighed in, offering their expertise and perspective to explain the costs – from business broker fees and legal costs to hidden fees – as they relate to selling a business.

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Letter of Intent to Purchase a Business Guide
Letter of Intent to Purchase a Business Guide

If you’re considering the sale of your business, or possibly the acquisition of another competing business, it’s important to understand the selling/buying process.
An often overlooked and important first step during the process of buying or selling a business involves the negotiation of certain terms the buyer and seller will ultimately agree to at the closing table once the due diligence phase of the process is completed.
If either party ignores the importance of the initial terms’ negotiations, they can often end up with a bad deal or no deal at all.

Tips for Expediting the Sale of Your Small Business
Tips for Expediting the Sale of Your Small Business

As a business broker serving business owners who want to explore their options for exit, I get this question at almost every listing appointment:
“How long will it take to sell my business?”

The research indicates the answer is as follows:
For businesses that sell for under two million dollars, the IBBA’s research indicates it’s going to take 7-9 months…
Essentially you could have a baby in the time it takes to sell a business.
Many owners aren’t excited about this answer, but there are a few things you can do to expedite the sale of your small business. Let’s explore how to sell a business quickly.

How to Overcome Customer Concentration Objection When Selling a Business
How to Overcome Customer Concentration Objection When Selling a Business

One of the greatest risks any buyer faces is what will happen to the business’ best customers post-sale. Will the top customers celebrate the founder’s great accomplishment or maybe decide it’s a good opportunity to negotiate better pricing or payment terms with the new owner? Or worse yet, will they be spooked by the new owners and find an alternative vendor?

Astute buyers measure this risk quickly. Typically, one of the first questions experienced buyers ask the business broker is about the presence or lack of a customer concentration.

For the business owner considering the sale of his business in the near future, having a clear understanding if a customer concentration exists is vitally important. In fact, the lack of a customer concentration is a great selling point.

Important Agreements When You Sell Your Business

Important Agreements When You Sell Your Business

When working through a business sale, an inordinate number of resources on both sides of the table are dedicated to drafting and negotiating the Stock Purchase or Asset Purchase Agreement. This is true especially in the last one-to-two weeks before the closing. In fact, I’ve had clients remark that during their entire tenure as an entrepreneur, they never spent as much time speaking to their advisors as they did during the last week of their business ownership journey!

Selling A Business: Asset Acquisition vs. Stock Acquisition

Selling A Business: Asset Acquisition vs. Stock Acquisition

So you’ve decided to sell your business, but what structure is right for the transaction? Buyers and sellers often prefer different structures due to various factors which change based on the structure and which have different impacts on the parties. Generally there are three (3) categories of factors that drive the eventual structure of a deal: (1) business issues, (2) assignments and consents, and (3) tax issues.

Lehman Scale Formula — How it Works and How to Negotiate It

Lehman Scale Formula — How it Works and How to Negotiate It

Business Brokers and M&A Intermediaries may use or reference the ‘Lehman Scale’ when discussing their compensation method with a business owner contemplating the sale of their business. The Lehman Scale was originally developed in the late 1960’s and used by the Lehman Brothers when raising business capital for their clients.

To Sell or Not to Sell Your Business

To Sell or Not to Sell Your Business

To sell or not to sell, that is the question many business owners ask themselves at least once during their tenure as business owners. Sometimes, the decision to sell is easy if the owner is ready to retire or has decided to pursue a new career or business opportunity. However, in many cases, business owners struggle with this critical decision. Fortunately there are several steps you can take to make an informed and stress-free decision on whether to sell your business now, later, or not at all. In all cases seek the advice of several third party professionals such as a Business Attorney, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Business Appraiser and/or Broker, and a Financial Advisor as well as consultants in your industry.

Getting Fired by a Customer | Customer Service Policies

Getting Fired by a Customer | Customer Service Policies

Today I fired LinkedIn. This might not jibe with the title you were expecting. To be technically accurate, I “merely” cancelled my “Premium” LinkedIn account and downgraded to a free “Basic” account. But I just stopped a recurring payment to LinkedIn, possibly forever. I consider a non-paying “member” not a customer, but maybe that’s semantics.

Should You Use a Letter of Intent (LOI)?

Should You Use a Letter of Intent (LOI)?

Term Sheets or Letters of Intent (LOIs) are commonly used in the buying or selling of businesses. The purpose of LOIs are to state clearly the principal terms that the parties have agreed to as part of the deal and to represent the intent of the parties to pursue the contemplated transaction.

Will There Really be a Business Exit Bubble for Baby Boomers?

Will There Really be a Business Exit Bubble for Baby Boomers?

When an asset has a grossly inflated price, it is by definition an asset bubble. Does this apply to many small businesses in the US? Probably yes, in my opinion. Most small businesses have a balance sheet listing some assets; therefore they are subject to being part of a bubble.

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