An Overview of Goodwill in Business Deals

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.  Any company can benefit from understanding how goodwill is cultivated and increasing it within their operations.  What is Goodwill?  Goodwill can be as simple as your company having an exceptional reputation and a very loyal base of customers. Often highly sought-after technology can be a part of goodwill.  In other cases, goodwill can be in the form of IP or desirable domain names. However, as you can imagine, it is difficult to put a specific price on these kinds of benefits.  When a business involving goodwill is sold, it can be very challenging to determine a fair amount for a business, since subjective values are involved.  In some cases, it can even be overvalued by the buyer. Your Business Broker or M&A Advisor will take goodwill into … [Read more...]

How to Get Ready to Sell Your Business

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 amount of wisdom. When it comes to getting the best outcomes selling your business, preparation cannot be undervalued.  No matter where you are in the journey of running your business, we encourage you to prepare as much as you can. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some considerations and decisions that you’ll need to make when you do get ready to sell. It’s never too early to begin pondering the answers to these questions.  If you are involved in the day-to-day running of your business, logic would dictate that you’re quite busy and don’t have time to dedicate a lot of time towards the process of selling your business. The good news is that is one area where a Business Broker or M&A Advisor will make all of the difference.  Brokerage professionals will … [Read more...]

The Importance of Employee Happiness

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 keep your clients satisfied too. Your business will be more likely to thrive and grow. Of course, this works in the opposite direction as well. When your staff is frustrated and angry, their actions can drive away your customers and clients. If you are looking to sell your business for maximum revenues, it is a good idea to also maximize employee satisfaction levels. Research from Oxford University found a link between happiness and productivity. According to their study, workers are 13% more productive when they are happy. It goes without saying that employees will be more likely to feel satisfied when they feel that their salary and benefits are fair for the work they do. If they are resentful about the compensation they are receiving for their … [Read more...]

Leases: Key Considerations That Can Make or Break a Business

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 own property, then you’ll find the lease will be quite an important consideration for your buyer. By the same token, if you’re buying a business that involves a lease, you’ll want to carefully examine this document and consider how it might impact you and your business. Let’s take a look at some important clauses and terms you’ll want to be looking for.  Lease Transfers  What are the terms for transfer of the lease? This is something you’ll want to know before signing on the dotted line if you think you’ll be selling at some point in the near future.  Lease Lengths  How long is your lease? If your buyer can confirm that there are many more years on your lease, he or she will find that to be an advantage.  In the case of a business owner with a new endeavor, a shorter lease may … [Read more...]

What Should You Expect from Term Sheets?

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. It is a list of conditions to be met if the sale successfully takes place, yet it is not legally binding.   What is the Difference Between a Term Sheet and the LOI? Both a term sheet and letter of intent (LOI) will include stipulations and lists for a buyer and seller to agree upon. The major difference is that the term sheet doesn’t require a signature, while the letter of intent does. In many cases, buyers are hesitant to sign before the due diligence stage. In this situation, you may find that the term sheet will precede the LOI.  How Lengthy are Term Sheets? There is no standard model or form to a term sheet. Therefore, it may be as short as one page, or it could even be five or more pages. But no matter how many pages it may be, it should … [Read more...]

Is Your Deal Really Done?

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 typically yet to come. This stage includes everything from financial and legal investigations to a review of specific information regarding how a business is run.  The due diligence process can be quite comprehensive and it often reveals some surprises. Because it is important for sellers to know what to prepare and for buyers to know what to look for, let’s examine some of the categories that are reviewed during this process. Trademarks and Copyrights Will assets like trademarks, patents and copyrights be transferred?  This is a point that has certainly interfered with some deals being successful. Due to the fact that trademarks, patents, and copyrights are often essential parts of a business, they cannot be overlooked.  Products and Industry  Due diligence will likely include … [Read more...]

Questions to Ask When Negotiating a Deal

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 outcomes are typically only achieved through proper negotiation strategies. Keep in mind that one of the key strengths possessed by Business Brokers and M&A Advisors is expertise and skills in negotiating deals.  Can Both Parties Split the Difference? If the buyer and seller can’t agree on a number, one negotiating tactic is to have them split the difference. This is a tactic that is simple to understand, and it shows both parties that the other is willing to be flexible. This reveals a good degree of goodwill and can serve to not only keep both parties talking, but also lower any pre-existing tensions. When both parties are still at the table, there is still hope that a deal can be reached. This tactic serves to continue the discussions and can often be … [Read more...]

How Can You Tell If a Potential Buyer is Really Serious?

When you’re trying to sell your business, the last thing you want is to waste time dealing with buyers who aren’t qualified and are unlikely to actually make a purchase. After all, you will not want to reveal details about your business to someone who may be looking to take advantage of the situation. Let’s take a closer look at how you can weed out legitimate buyers from those who are just kicking the can down the road. Legitimate buyers will ask the right questions. They will have a keen interest in your industry and are seeking to gain more information. They will also be likely to ask intelligent probing questions about your customer base and the strengths and weaknesses of your business. The best buyers will also ask logistical questions about your inventory and cash flow. It goes without saying they will want to know details about profits that are generated. Real buyers will also be concerned about wages and salaries. Their goal will be to ensure that your employees are taken care … [Read more...]

How to Sell and Successfully Launch Your Retirement

Many business owners are emotionally attached to their businesses, and it is easy to understand why. Typically, business owners invest not only a considerable amount of time and money into their business, but a good bit of themselves as well. Owning and operating a business often becomes part of one’s identity. However, the fact is that no one will work forever, as retirement eventually comes for almost every business owner. With this in mind, it is important to prepare for selling your business well in advance. Brokerage professionals can take your knowledge regarding your business, and use it to help you frame your business in the best possible light. Your expertise in your business can also help a broker find ways to improve your business so that it is more attractive to potential buyers. With all of this in mind, let’s turn our attention to the key steps you should take when preparing to sell your business and transition into retirement. Select Your Second-in-Command  Any savvy … [Read more...]

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 list of considerable differences is the fact that privately-held companies do not have audited financial statements. Let’s look at how the owners of privately held companies should proceed in establishing a reasonable price for their company. An audited financial statement is a costly endeavor. In order to avoid the cost, many companies simply don’t go public. Of course, it should be noted that publicly held companies, as the name indicates, reveal much more about their finances than their privately held counterparts do. Privately held companies are often seen as being more mysterious whereas publicly held companies are considered more “open.” Business owners looking to sell their business will, of course, want to address the fact that their company lacks the public information associated with publicly held companies. Providing prospective buyers with as … [Read more...]