Points to Ponder for Sellers
Who best understands my business?
When interviewing intermediaries to represent the sale of your firm, it is important that you discuss your decision process for selecting one. Without this discussion, an intermediary can’t respond to a prospective seller’s concerns.
Are there any potential buyers?
When dealing with intermediaries, it always helps to reveal any possible buyer, an individual or a company, that has shown an interest in the business for sale. Regardless of how far in the past the interest was expressed, all possible buyers should be contacted now that your company is available for acquisition. People who have inquired about your company are certainly top prospects.
Lack of communication?
It is critical that communication between the seller, or his or her designee, and the intermediary involved in the sale, be handled promptly. Calls should be taken by both sides. If either side is busy or out of the office, the call should be returned as quickly as possible.
Does the offering memorandum have cooperation from both sides?
This document must be as complete as possible, and some of the important sections require careful input from the seller. For example: an analysis of the competition; the company’s competitive advantages – and shortcomings; how the company can be grown and such issues as pending lawsuits and environmental, if any.
Where are the financials?
It may be easy for a seller to provide last year’s financials, but that’s just a beginning. Five years, plus current interim statements and at least one year’s projections are necessary. In addition, the current statement should be audited; although this usually presents a problem for smaller firms — better to do it now than later.
Are the attorneys deal-makers?
In most cases, transaction attorneys from reputable firms do an excellent job. However, occasionally, an attorney for one side or the other becomes a deal-breaker instead of a deal-maker. A sign of this is when an attorney attempts to take over the transaction at an early stage. Sellers, and buyers, have to take note of this and inform their attorney that they want the deal to work – or change to a counsel who is a “team player.”
Intermediaries are responsible for handling what is usually the biggest asset the owner has – and they are proud of what they do. Intermediaries realize that the sale of a business can create the financial security so important to a business owner. Even when a company is in trouble, the intermediary is committed to selling it, since by doing so, jobs will be saved – and the business salvaged.
Sell Your Business and Start Your Retirement
When the day comes to sell your business, it is important that prospective buyers understand why you have made this decision. Having a valid reason why it is time for you to sell can make your business more attractive to prospective buyers. After all, it is only natural that you will have to retire at some point even if the business is thriving. In fact, it is safe to state that buying a successful business from an owner that is retiring is just the kind of the situation that most buyers like
Owning a business and retirement, of course, is far different than retiring from a job. You likely have many friends ranging from vendors and employees to customers, clients and other business owners. It is vital that your departure does not disrupt the operation of your business and that prospective buyers understand that you have taken steps to ensure a smooth transition. In short, you want to create a situation in which everyone is happy once you have sold your business.
Helping to ensure a smooth transition has many parts. One of those parts is finding a buyer who will treat your people well. Another key aspect of a smooth transition is to automate as much of your work as possible before you leave. No one knows your business as well as you do, which means that you are the best source to automate and simplify the processes of your business. Outlining what steps you’ve taken to automate and simplify your business will help make it more attractive to buyers.
A key aspect of streamlining, simplifying and organizing your business is to pick out, well in advance, your second in command. Once you have decided on which person would be the best candidate, it is important that you begin grooming that person so they can take over day-to-day operations once you leave. Having a capable person who is committed to staying is a very attractive commodity for prospective buyers. A capable second in command can prove invaluable not just during the transition period but also for the long term operation of the business.
Finally, you should have set up a retirement account on which you can draw upon. Statistics indicate that roughly 50% of business owners do not have a retirement account set up in advance. If you don’t have an account set up, don’t panic, instead set one up as soon as possible.
Working with a business broker is one of the single best ways to handle the process of selling your business and getting ready for retirement.
A business broker can help you with everything from finding qualified prospective buyers to establishing the value of your business. The sooner you begin working with a business broker, the easier your transition will be.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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Avoiding Legal Mistakes When Selling Your Business
A common mistake that many make when preparing to buy or sell a business is to overlook all the various legal issues involved. A legal mistake can bring the entire process to a screeching halt or even worse case cost you a small fortune. For this reason, it is important to carefully evaluate the full slate of relevant legalities. This article will explore some of the key legal points one need to consider long before placing your business on the market.
Mistake #1 Neglecting to Have a Non-Disclosue Agreement
Having potential buyers sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, or NDA, is critically important when selling your business. One benefit to having this agreement signed and sealed is that in the event that the deal falls through, which often happens, the buyer can’t disclose the details to other parties. However, if you don’t have an NDA, the buyer could reveal important aspects of your discussions. This could impact any future sales.
Mistake #2 Failing to Get an Experienced Attorney
There are times to cut corners, and then there are times when cutting corners or trying to save a dollar is a big mistake. Prepping to sell your business is one of those occasions where investing in good and proven counsel is a must. A good attorney can give you a range of legal moves you should and should not make.
Additionally, hiring an attorney with an established experience is just what you need to create ironclad agreements. Sellers have an array of risks that they must face when selling a business. For example, the seller needs protection from a potential buyer hiring away key employees. Without ironclad agreements and a tight NDA, a buyer could pass on buying the business, yet “steal” employees or weaken business in other ways.
Mistake #3 Skipping the Letter of Intent
Another legal way to protect your interests comes in the form of a letter of intent. This letter should be one of your key tools in negotiating the deal. Included in this letter should be a termination fee for the buyer. This applies in the event that the buyer walks away for a reason that is not the seller’s fault. Inclusion of this clause means that the seller is far less impacted if the deal does not go through as planned. Further, this clause goes a long way in ensuring that only serious buyers are attracted.
Reap the Benefits of Ample Preparation
These are just a few of the many errors that sellers often make and regret later on. It is a worthwhile investment to take the legal aspects of selling your business seriously. If you prepare for the sale of your business, you will have a much more successful experience. That means you should work with a proven and competent attorney and business broker before you put your business on the market.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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5 Things to Consider When Transferring Your Business to Family Members
Letting go of a business isn’t a process that one should jump into lightly, and that fact holds true even when it comes to your loved ones. Let’s take a look at five of the most important factors to consider when selling or transferring a business to a family member.
#1 The All-Important Buy-Sell Agreement
One of the single most valuable tools available when it comes to selling your business is a buy-sell agreement. Simply stated, this essential document puts everything in writing. In situations such as a family owned business, people may be tempted to skip a contract, but that doesn’t mean they should.
When transferring your business, you should have an expert created document in place that outlines the following:
- The business valuation
- Who is to be kept on the payroll and the amount he or she will receive
- The amount being paid
- What level of involvement you will have in the business once the transfer has taken place
#2 The Benefits of Gifting
Consider the option of gifting. Gifting can actually work to reduce your taxes on real estate, while at the same time it can allow you to maintain some level of control over the business.
#3 Seller Financing and Transferring the Family Business
Selling your business to a family member is, of course, another option. On occasion, sellers will consider a private annuity, which allows for payments to be spread out for a considerable time period, such as to the end of your life.
#4 The Self-Canceling Installment Note
Another option is to use an installment sale. If you are a selling parent and you happen to pass away before the payments have all been made for the sale, then the remaining debt may be attached to your will. This arrangement can keep your other children from paying excess income tax on your estate.
#5 Keep the IRS Happy
The fact of the matter is that the IRS does, in fact, look more closely into sales where the business is being sold to a family member. This reason alone is a good enough reason to professionally establish a real and accurate valuation of your business.
A business broker can help you work out the particulars as to how best to proceed when navigating the process of selling or transferring your business to a relative. With the right planning and preparation, selling or transferring your business to a relative doesn’t have to be an overly difficult or cumbersome process. Work with a business broker and you’ll find that the process can be smoother than you may have expected.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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How to Ensure Confidentiality During your Sale
Selling a business is a process that depends upon professionalism and confidentiality. Selecting a business broker who understands the critical role that confidentiality plays is simply a must. Unfortunately, countless sellers have in fact dealt with a situation where a breach in confidentiality has caused a deal to fall apart.
A failure to maintain confidentiality can lead to a slew of negative reactions from a range of parties. Everyone from supplies and vendors to creditors could react in a way that could harm your business, for example, vendors could change their terms and this could in turn negatively impact your cash flow.
A breach of confidentiality could also lead to negative reactions amongst both employees and customers. The reason is that employees may begin to worry about the security of their jobs and may also become nervous about the change in management. These fears could prompt employees to find a new job and leave you with a position that needs to be filled. Potentially more significant is the fact that the loss of key personnel could cause your buyer to have cold feet.
As if all of these factors were not enough of a concern there is also the issue of the competition. If your competition gets wind that you may be looking to sell they may take advantage of the situation and start attempting to steal your customers.
Finally, a breach in confidentiality could send potential buyers running. The headaches that are often associated with a breach in confidentiality are such that potential buyers may simply drop the deal.
The best way to protect your confidentiality is to opt for a great business broker. A business broker is an expert in prompting a business without notifying the competition, your employees, vendors or anyone else. The process is both an art and a science.
When attempting to sell on your own there are many and diverse pitfalls. Sellers are much more likely to accidentally reveal who you are; after all, a seller has to provide phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and other critical and identifying information. Even your home phone number could be traced back to your identity and ultimately your business.
A seasoned business broker can help you bypass these potentially damaging issues, by not just shielding your business’s identify but also by ensuring that all interested parties sign confidentiality agreements and are pre-qualified. In this way you only reveal what is absolutely necessary. In short, it is best to work with a business broker and maintain your confidentiality at all costs.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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