by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Sell a Business, Selling a Business Questions |
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.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
The SBA EIDL Round 2 extended application deadline to 12/31/2021 and introduced the New Targeted EIDL Advance Grants for businesses continuing to suffer from the Covid-19 pandemic. Learn more about the changes to the EIDL program, which businesses can qualify for the EIDL grant and how to apply.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Start a Business |
Our Comprehensive Starting a Business Checklist includes the steps for Pre-Startup, Business Formation and How to Establish your Startup. It’s your roadmap to launch a new business while protecting your personal assets and income.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Up until now, the PPP Loan proceeds for Schedule C filers was based on the 2019 net profit (referred to as the net earnings from self employment) plus payroll costs if employees worked in the business. The Interim Final Rule (IFR) effective on March 3, 2021 allows a business owner to use either their gross income or net income as the basis to compute its PPP Loan request amount.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Exit Planning, Sell a Business |
What should a business owner do to prepare to sell his or her business some time in the near future?
Aside from right-sizing the business’s overhead costs to line up with its current level of revenue, and looking for opportunities the pandemic may be presenting, there are four things a business owner can do now to prepare to sell. And more importantly, doing these four things will mean that when a Letter of Intent is received from a buyer, the business will be very well-prepared to survive the due diligence stage of the sale.
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Exit Planning, Sell a Business |
As an intermediary, I have many conversations with business owners about how much their business is worth. As these conversations progress, owners realize that it’s not how much they make, it’s how much they can keep that truly matters.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Exit Planning, Sell a Business |
The Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a Procedural Notice on October 2, 2020 which offers business owners and lenders guidance on how Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans are to be handled when a business has a change in ownership.
This post summarizes the notice and includes an Infographic to assist business owners. It includes the following topic:
When does a Business Sale Require the SBA’s Approval
Does a Business Sale Require the PPP Lender’s Approval or Notification
Required Steps Pre and Post-Closing for PPP Borrowers
SBA Timeframe to Approve a Sale or Merger when a PPP Loan Transfers
Does the EIDL Grant Impose Additional Steps When Selling a Business
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
In a previous post, we discussed how a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) company works, its many benefits, and the tax implications you may face if you hire one.
As a recap, a PEO is a service that small or medium-sized businesses may use to outsource some of their human resource, payroll, benefits, taxes, recruiting, and other management tasks. As you might imagine, there are both pros and cons in hiring a PEO.
Here, we’ll discuss the disadvantages of using a PEO, along with the associated costs of a PEO.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
In our PEO series, we’ve talked about what a PEO company is and who is the employer in a PEO relationship. Here, we’ll discuss PEO for nonprofits, and whether or not using a PEO for your nonprofit might make sense.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
On June 15, 2020, the Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to businesses with no more than 500 employees and non-profit organizations operating and suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the pandemic in all of the U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories.
Independent Contractors, sole-proprietors (with or without employees), gig workers and freelancers are also eligible to apply for the EIDL.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Our PEO series is aimed at addressing the common questions about PEOs, and uncovering some of the lesser-known facts about working with a PEO so that you may make the best choices for your business.
So far, we’ve learned about what a PEO company does. Here, we’ll dive into some muddy waters and decipher who is really the employer in a PEO relationship.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
If you are wondering what a PEO is and whether or not this type of outsourcing may be a good option for your small or medium-sized business, this first article in our series of four posts will help you decide if it’s the right move for you.
In this post, we cover everything you need to know about a PEO company including:
• What’s the meaning of PEO?
• PEO payroll
• PEO benefits
• PEO tax implications, and more.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business |
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.
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Business Valuation, Exit Planning, Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Doing deals can be expensive. A lot of entrepreneurs want to save money by not hiring an advisor or they don’t know when they should make the investment on an advisor. It’s important to understand the roles of the broker and other advisors, especially legal counsel, and to know when to bring in a professional. Here are some milestones in a deal, and how to know when to hire a business advisor.
by Jason Milleisen, SBA Workout Specialist | Business Capital, Exit Planning |
For many businesses, the ultimate goal is to sell the business. Can you picture it? Walk away from the daily stress and aggravation with a fat pile of cash. Hop a plane to your favorite tropical destination and spend the rest of your days lounging a white sandy beach, sipping pina coladas out of a coconut, without a care in the world.
Well, friends, the above scenario is the ideal scenario. I like sipping cold drinks on a beach as much as the next guy, and I hope that happens for you. But if you clicked on this article, you may be looking at a much different scenario.
And that’s what this article is going to cover: the less-than-ideal scenario.
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Sell a Business |
Often successful business owners invest in real estate because it can be a tax efficient way to handle the retained earnings of a business. And when it comes to exit planning, business owners with real estate have more exit options. This is a good thing. For...
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Sell a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. Yes it’s easy to get fixated on the sale price. It’s the number you tell people years after the sale if you want to brag. However, much like losing weight, the sale price of your...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Start a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. A business entity is the separate legal business structure under which a business operates which is distinct from the individual or individuals who own the business. In the eyes of the...
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. As a business broker in North Carolina, I’m focused on seller representation. But I need great buyers to match with my great seller’s opportunities. In our office, we receive a lot of...
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Sell a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. Commercial Lease Assignment Problems As part of selling your business, the lease can be one of the most overlooked barriers to completing the deal. The buyer and seller may have a...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
Business debt and equity are central to the operations of any company. The amount of debt and equity a business carries has a major impact on how the business operates, and on how it is positioned for success. Business capital is the money a company uses to purchase...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
v Have a Question? Add it to the bottom of this post! Business Lending from Banks Whether you’re a Main Street small business, an Entrepreneur growing a business from start-up, or a Middle Market Business about to embark on an Initial Public Offering (IPO),...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
v Have a Question? Add it to the bottom of this post! What Are Loan Covenants? A covenant is simply a fancy term for the word ‘promise’. Banks include covenants in their loan agreements to preserve their position as the lender and to improve the likelihood a loan...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Exit Planning, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. A seller’s note receivable is an alternative form of business capital. This type of debt financing is often used in small business acquisitions, where the seller agrees to accept a...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
An Earn Out Payment is additional future compensation paid to the owner(s) of a business after it is sold. The terms and conditions that yield an earn out payment are contained in an Earn Out Agreement which is part of the Agreement of Sale. Typically, this payment is...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Non-Solicitation Agreements (NSAs) are made by two parties to protect one party from a potential loss of income or assets. This type of agreement is warranted and often made when one party is about to become aware of certain important relationships the other party...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
An employment agreement is a formal contract between an employer and an employee which defines the conditions of employment. This agreement usually will specify major employment details and include everything from compensation to expectations for specific work to be...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
A buy-sell agreement is a legally-binding agreement between two co-owners that governs any situation in which one co-owner dies, chooses to leave the business, is incapacitated, faces divorce, bankruptcy, retirement, or sells his/her share of the company. The...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
In business, the term exclusivity refers to a party’s sole rights with regard to a certain business activity. This may include business relationships, pricing, products, or sales. Another application of this term in the business world involves relationships between...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. The term sandbagging refers to an intentional lowering of expectations. Sandbagging can apply to anything from sports to business, and is the practice of intentionally deceiving others in...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Intangible assets are those assets in a business which are not physical in nature. Some examples include: intellectual property, (like patents, trademarks, and copyrights), brand recognition, special knowledge, and business methods. Such non-physical assets add value...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Meaning ‘for the sake of form’, the term pro forma refers to a document that is often provided as a courtesy and satisfies predetermined minimum requirements in an effort to best predict the future outcome of a transaction within a business. One of the most common...
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
When things go wrong with the sale of a business the parties involved look for remedies in the liquidated damages provisions established in the purchase agreement. Such provisions are included when a purchase agreement has been signed in advance of an actual closing when the business is transferred and a purchase price is paid.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
When a business is about to be sold, the parties to the sale may find it beneficial to establish an escrow agent to handle the transfer of certain assets and cash between the buyer and seller. Many times the parties agree to use the escrow account held by one of the party’s business attorneys. However, in many cases the parties prefer to hire an independent escrow agent to handle the assets and cash that will change hands.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
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.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
If you are considering getting a patent, you should be familiar with the items that must be included in a patent application. Below is a detailed outline of the material you will need to prepare to patent your new invention.
by Julie Kline, Attorney | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
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.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business |
When people come to talk with me about patenting their inventive idea, inevitably this question arises: “How long will it take to get a patent?” When I tell them it will probably take close to three years, their jaws drop in surprise. “Really, it’s going to take that long?!??!!?!” YEP.
by Julie Kline, Attorney | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Indemnification allocates the risk of various post-closing losses between buyer and seller. For this reason, the indemnification provisions of your purchase agreement will very likely be among the most heavily negotiated provisions in your purchase agreement.
by The Exit Promise Contributors | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Many entrepreneurs faced with the demands on cash of a growing business are tempted to sell equity to outside investors, or perhaps give away stock to retain a valuable employee. Diluting your stake in this way may solve the immediate problem, but it can have unforeseen consequences when the business eventually is sold. Stockholders’ personal circumstances evolve in different ways over the lifetime of a company, and whatever the original intention everyone may not be on the same page when you are ready to sell.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Exit Planning, Sell a Business |
You have endured multiple meetings with potential buyers. You’ve written dozens of emails and suffered through several rounds of negotiations to secure the best price and deal structure. At last you have decided on the offer to accept. That’s the worst of it over then? Think again – you have yet to experience the joys of due diligence and sale contract negotiation.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
If you’ve grown a valuable business, there is no doubt your employees are a big part of your success. You also know that hiring, training, and managing a great team of productive employees is a difficult task. And keeping your best employees is yet another accomplishment! But the painful truth is your competition would be very pleased to hire away your best employees.
by Matt Harnett, CAIA | Business Capital, Sell a Business |
Recapitalizations can be used to provide liquidity to owners, refinance the balance sheet or fund future growth initiatives. When the owners sell a majority of the business but still retains some ownership, it is termed a “majority recapitalization”.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
When the Letter of Intent (LOI) expiration date and time is defined, the buyer is putting the seller on notice that he or she must either agree to the terms defined in the letter or lose the opportunity to sell the business to the buyer authoring the LOI.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
An intellectual property rights owner (licensor) authorizes certain rights to another (licensee) in exchange for an agreed payment in the form of either a fee or a royalty, or some combination of both.
by Matt Harnett, CAIA | Sell a Business |
Management Buyouts, or MBOS, can sometimes have a negative connotation. Maybe that’s because it sounds like the management team is getting “taken out”. On the contrary, it is the exact opposite. A Management Buyout is a fancy acronym for when the current managers buy controlling interest of a company from its owners. That’s a good thing for management!
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business |
Selling a business is one of the most exhausting endeavors an entrepreneur will undertake. Unfortunately, many simply do not succeed. In fact, only one out of ten entrepreneurs will actually complete the business sale process and transfer their business to another. Selling a business involves many different parties, all of whom have a special role and a unique skillset. Most importantly, they must all work together. Those entrepreneurs who succeed recognize ‘it takes a village to sell a business’.
by Leilani Costa, Attorney | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Entering into a new contract is an exciting time for any company. The agreement is signed with the hope that it will grow the business and result in a long, mutually beneficial relationship with the other side. While such optimism is warranted, the importance of entering into a legally sound contract is critical to the protection of your business.
by Leilani Costa, Attorney | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
During the initial negotiations of a business sale, one of the primary issues is whether to structure the sale as an asset sale or a stock sale. Typically the seller and the buyer have opposing preferences in this regard. The seller generally prefers a stock sale; while the buyer generally prefers an asset sale.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Start a Business |
In part 1 of this series, we discussed the various options to incorporate multiple businesses while keeping each business as a separate entity. But what if you want to keep all of your businesses under one roof?
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
Proprietary information such as customer lists and recipes are intellectual property. However they are not formally protected in the same way as are trademarks, copyrights or patents. These and other types of confidential information can only be protected if they are treated as trade secrets.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
It takes a special kind of person to start a business: a rare combination of drive, ambition, creativity, tenacity and impatience for action. But even within the community of business experts and entrepreneurs there is a special breed of person known as a “serial entrepreneur.”
by The Exit Promise Contributors | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Your worst nightmare comes true! You get an email on Friday afternoon from your largest customer indicating that they are changing suppliers for “strategic reasons.” They represent 20% of your sales revenue and 35% of your profits.
by Sabrina Baker, PHR | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
When you started your small or family business you more than likely developed a business plan. In this plan you laid out your purpose, vision, and strategy in great detail. As your business grew you created contracts, invoices, marketing materials, and other documents, all on paper, so that you had written evidence to signal agreements, to showcase your work, and to provide the necessary leverage should you ever have needed it.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business |
It is a unique pleasure to find two equal partners or shareholders acting in harmony over selling a business. Unfortunately, when I say “unique”, I mean rarely ever. Please understand, it is not as if this never happens. It is just so unusual, that when faced with the situation, I find myself warning both parties before they proceed to sell their business.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
A patent is a governmentally granted monopoly that gives an inventor the exclusive right to make, use, or sell their invention for a limited time, in exchange for disclosure of that invention. There are three types of patents: design patents, plant patents, and utility patents. Generally utility patents are being referenced when you hear the word ‘patent’ and these will be the focus of the rest of this article.
by Michael Silverman, Attorney | Sell a Business |
If you have the opportunity to buy or sell a business, negotiating the terms of a letter of intent (an “LOI”) is one of the first and most critical steps in the process of completing the transaction. A well-written letter of intent provides a valuable foundation for a potential transaction as it captures the parties’ intentions with regard to the structure, timing and material terms of the transaction. An LOI often imposes significant obligations on each of the parties, and consequently is typically the product of fairly intense negotiations between the parties.
by The Exit Promise Contributors | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
For every entrepreneur, a smooth transition of business ownership will be of importance at some future point. The Buy Sell Agreement deals with a specific exit strategy case. An agreement by and between business owners, it establishes a mechanism for the purchase of ownership interests following the departure of an owner due to a triggering event (i.e., death, divorce, disability, retirement, etc.).
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
When you sell a business, typically you will find language in the Stock or Asset Purchase Agreement that defines exactly what the Seller and the Buyer agree to do or guarantee as part of the transaction. In other words, each may agree to make the other party not responsible. The term used to identify this particular form of guarantee is indemnification.
by Jennifer M. Novotny, Attorney | Sell a Business |
Throughout the lifecycle of a business, it is important for a business owner to remain focused on increasing the profitability, competitive advantage and market reach of the business. An entrepreneur typically accomplishes these objectives by (i) reinvesting the profits of the business to increase its workforce, customer base and cash flow and (ii) using business profits (along with other financing) to acquire competing businesses. Such business acquisitions typically serve two purposes by eliminating competitors and increasing the growth rate, product and service offerings, and market share of a business.
by Michael Silverman, Attorney | Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
A typical entrepreneur invests a tremendous amount of time, effort and money in building a business. That is why it is so important for entrepreneurs to make sure employees and third parties who work with the business are prohibited from improperly using or disclosing any confidential or proprietary information of the business(e.g. customer lists, trade secrets and financial statements). Similarly, and in connection with the opportunity to sell a business, it is critical for the owner of the business not to provide any confidential information to a prospective purchaser until that party has signed a well-written non disclosure agreement.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Many people discuss the importance of pivoting in the context of a startup business. And I agree, once a business launches, the entrepreneur must be mindful of what is working and what is not. That’s when it is time to pivot the startup.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
What is a Stay Bonus Plan? A Stay Bonus Plan is a formal agreement between a business enterprise and one or several of its key employees. The purpose of this type of bonus plan is to entice key employees to remain (or stay) employed by the business enterprise during a... by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Exit Planning, Sell a Business |
There are ways to improve the likelihood you will achieve a successful sale of your company if you take the time to develop ground rules with your business partners. The sooner you do so in the process of selling a company, the better.