Category Archives:Business Valuation
What Does a Business Broker Bring to the Table?
When getting ready to sell your business the first thing you need to do is hire a dependable business broker San Diego. Selling on your own is hectic and the input of a business broker will not only help you smooth the sale process but also ensure you sell at maximum profit. But what are the true benefits of hiring a business broker? What will he bring to the table?
Peace of mind
The first thing you get when working with business brokers San Diego is the peace of mind. Selling a business for the first time can be confusing. There is so much to be done and the smallest mistakes can have monumental consequences. Working with a business broker guarantees surefooted direction. The broker has sold many businesses that are similar to yours and he knows how to deal with challenges. What is more is that your interests and those of the broker are intertwined. This is because the broker only gets paid once he sells your business and the amount of money he gets paid depends on how much he sells your business.
Help with business valuations
Setting a selling price is not something you should take lightly. The wrong price can scare off buyers or cause you to sell at a loss. Your business broker will perform a business valuation. This helps determine the actual value of your business. He also considers the current market climate to help select the best asking price for your business.
Maintain confidentiality
The fewer people know about the sale the better. This is why it is so important to maintain confidentiality throughout the sale. There is no professional better place to maintain confidentiality than your business broker San Diego. For starters, the business broker is not directly linked to your business. Second, he has sold many businesses before and knows how to maintain confidentiality effectively.
Negotiate a better deal
Your business broker will offer better results in negotiations. He will use the information gained about your business to negotiate. With a broker there is a better likelihood of closing the deal in less time and at the best rate than when selling on your own.
Other notable benefits are the broker will help speed up the sale by marketing the business extensively and he will manage your expectations so that emotions don’t get in the way. The only thing you need to do is find a broker who is experienced selling businesses that are similar to yours.
Reasons You Should Work with a Business Broker When Selling Your Business
Most business owners find it hard to hire a business broker Orange County when getting ready to sell their businesses. This is because they believe they can sell on their own. Others feel the commission charged is not worth the trouble. The truth is selling with a business broker offers myriad benefits. Here are the top reasons you need to work with a broker.
Confidentiality
When selling you want to keep the sale a secret. This can be hard when selling on your own. Buyers will always associate you with your business. Business brokers Orange County, on the other hand, are not directly associated with your business. They also have sold many businesses before and know how to maintain confidentiality. Some of the things brokers do to maintain confidentiality include prescreening potential buyers and requiring them to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Extensive marketing
Selling on your own means you will rely only on the standard marketing channels such as listing sites. This is not the case with a business broker. The right broker will not only use the listing sites but also pitch your business to buyers already in his contacts. What is more is that your business will not just be promoted in Orange County but nationwide or even across the globe. Doing so leads to competing bids which enable you to sell at the best price.
Save time
It is not easy to sell a business. There is so much work that ought to be done. You have to get the business ready for sale, market it extensively, prescreen potential buyers, prepare paperwork and still keep running your business optimally. This is a lot of work. When you contact a business broker Orange County he will take over the sale. He will take care of the sale part so that you can only focus on running your business.
Negotiation power
It is easy for emotions to cloud your judgment during negotiations. That is why leaving the business broker to negotiate for you is the best thing you can do. The broker wants to sell your business quickly and for the best price. He also has experience bringing buyers and sellers together. His input will help sell fast and for the best price.
There are so many other reasons why you should consider selling through a business broker. The most important thing to do, however, is to make sure you hire a dependable business broker. Not every broker out there has what it takes to sell your business fast and for the best price.
Business Broker Orange County - Things You Can Do to Make Your Business More Valuable
When it is time to sell your business the first thing you should do is hire a business broker Orange County. Find a broker that has been in the business the longest and one that has experience selling businesses that are similar to yours. The primary job of the broker will be helping you with the sale. The broker will help get the business ready for sale, manage your expectations, market extensively, prequalify potential buyers and do everything that is needed to sell fast and for the highest profit. Even after hiring a broker there are things you will have to do on your part to make the business more valuable.
Increase customer concentration
The first thing is to increase customer concentration. The issue with most small businesses is that they depend heavily on a few customers. Having a few major clients can help your business thrive but that will not cut it when selling it. Buyers know that if a major client leaves the business will take a hit. That is why they stay clear of businesses that depend on a handful of customers. Business brokers Orange County can help you diversify so that you can have more customers. Doing so will significantly increase the value of your business in the eyes of potential buyers.
Have more recurring revenue
Another thing buyers want to see is recurring revenue. Not many buyers are interested in seasonal businesses. They want businesses that thrive all year round. The key here is to diversify. A thorough business valuation will help you identify the opportunities that your business has. You can then use these opportunities to grow your business.
Hire qualified employees
The type of employees your business has will also determine its value. Some buyers are simply interested in the talent in your business. If you don’t have employees with special skills then your business will not be as valuable. You should start now by taking yourself out of the equation. Hire or train a management team. You also need to start hiring employees that are highly skilled and talented. Doing so will boost the overall value of your business.
Manage your business’ reputation
Last but not least, you have to keep an eye on the reputation of your business. A bad reputation will affect the goodwill of your business and also scare potential buyers away. Choose a business broker Orange County that can help with reputation management.
These few things will significantly boost the overall value of your business. Don’t just get up one morning and decide to sell. Take time to improve your business before listing it. Experienced business brokers Orange County will ensure that you get the best deal at the end of the day.
Business Broker San Diego - Factors that Determine the Value of a Business
The first thing a business broker San Diego will do when you hire him is determine the fair market value of your business. This is done by performing a business valuation. The valuation report is what will help determine the best selling price. If you want to sell your business for maximum profit, you have to familiarize yourself with the factors that affect the value of your business. In this post we shall be looking at the main factors.
Net income
The first thing is the financial health of your business. This is the area business brokers San Diego focus on the most. When selling your business, buyers will want to see your financial records for the last three years. They consider a range of things including cash flow, net income, EBTIDA and other things.
Industry
The industry your business is in will also have a part to play. If you are in a failing industry buyers will not be interested in your type of business. Growing industries, on the other hand, are more attractive and will make your business more valuable. This is why it is important to time the sale of your business carefully.
Size of business
A large and more profitable business has higher multiple of price to earnings. This means larger businesses that are successful are more valuable than small businesses that are successful. Don’t be shocked if your business broker San Diego advises you to hold back the sale until your business attains a certain level of growth. The main reason for this is because most small, successful businesses are dependent on a handful of products or one or two major clients. The risk of the business going under is thus very high.
Company reputation
The reputation that a business has will also affect its value. This is mostly because reputation will significantly affect goodwill. Pending lawsuits, for example, will make your business unattractive to buyers. Yes the business can be sold but buyers will bargain for the lowest possible price in order for the purchase to make sense.
Other things that will affect the value of your business and are worth mentioning include employee skills, customer concentration, recurring revenue, contracts and agreements. Business brokers San Diego have sold many businesses before yours. They will thus be able to put in the effort needed to not only help you sell fast but for maximum profit. The most important thing you should do when selling a business is to hire the most competent business broker in the business.
How to Sell Your Business for Lots of Money
The primary duty of a business broker Orange County is to help you sell your business fast and for the best price. What most business owners forget is that the broker is simply a representative. He will not make the big decisions without your approval and how much the business ends up selling for will depend mostly on the work you put in. In this post we will be looking at some of the things you should do to sell your business for lots of money.
Hire a competent broker
The first step is obviously to find the most competent business brokers Orange County. Business brokers take over the sale so that you can focus more on making your business even more attractive. The broker will also help with business valuation and help you set the best asking price. It is also good to note that it is the job of the broker to maintain confidentiality, to market extensively, to prescreen buyers, to help with negotiations and also to manage your expectations. The input of the broker will increase your chances of selling for lots of money significantly.
Identify a hot market for your business
Another important thing you need to do is identify the ideal buyer for your business. You cannot market to everyone and expect to get the best offer. For you to tailor your marketing strategies to the right buyer you must identify the specific buyer that would be fit to purchase your business. The good thing is that your business broker Orange County will help with this step.
Build credibility
Buyers want to know that your business is a worthy investment. One of the things that do to confirm this is to check for credibility. When getting ready to sell you need to do more to build credibility. If your business has a bad reputation then now is the best time to fix that. At times your business broker can recommend rebranding to salvage your business’ reputation before selling. A bad reputation will either push buyers away or give them an upper hand during negotiations.
Build a big sales funnel
The worst mistake you can ever make when trying to sell your business for maximum profit is that of only focusing on a single buyer. You need more competing bids for you to sell for lots of money. For this to happen your business brokers Orange County need to market your business far and wide. They should not just market it in Orange County but nationwide or even worldwide.
Know when to sell
Everything will go to waste if you don’t know the best time to sell. You want to sell when your business is doing really well and when the market is in the best condition.
Best Advice When Getting Ready to Sell a Business
Not many business owners consider the option of working with business brokers San Diego. This is mostly because they believe they can handle the sale on their own. The truth is selling a business is not the same as running your business. The process is different. The last thing you want is to end up with regrets simply because you allowed your emotions to cloud your judgment. If you are now getting ready to sell your business, here are the most important things you need to do.
Bring in an experienced business broker
The first thing is obviously to hire an experienced business broker San Diego. Don’t just hire any broker but one that has experience selling businesses that are similar to yours. You also want to make sure that the broker works full time selling businesses and that he is not a real estate agent that doubles as a broker. The reputation, experience and network of the broker should also be considered. The idea is to hire someone that has the experience, the network and resources needed to sell your business.
Inquire about the marketing practices
Finding a dependable business broker in San Diego is a good thing but you need to take time to learn more about his marketing practices. You want to use a broker who uses a combination of inbound and outbound marketing strategies. This includes confidential inquiries, proprietary email list, industry-specific marketing, and targeted ads and so on. Such a broker will give your listing maximum exposure. You also need to be careful when signing a contract with a business broker. The last thing you want is a contract that forces you to sell only with the broker and if you sell on your own you still pay the commission. Read and understand the terms before committing.
Fix its flaws and invest more in its strengths
You need to fix your business if you want to sell for maximum profit. A business valuation will help identify the flaws of your business. You need to try and fix as many of these flaws as you can. Additionally you need to invest more in the strengths of your business. Buyers are interested in a business that is doing well and has a good growth potential. Focus on this when getting your business ready for sale.
Be patient
Last but not least you have to be patient. It takes time to sell even when working with the best team of business brokers San Diego. It can take up to 8 months or several years for the sale to conclude. Don’t rush things.
These tips will help you with the sale of your business. The most important thing you have to do is hire an experienced and reliable business broker.
How to Position Your Business for Acquisition
Hiring a business broker Orange County is the first thing you will have to do when thinking of selling your business. This is because the broker will help you get the business ready for sale by enlightening you on what to expect. The broker also has more experience and will be able to help with any challenge that gets in the way. What is more is that an experienced business broker will help sell fast and at maximum profit. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the important things you ought to do to position your business for acquisition.
More money
The first thing you definitely need to do is make your business more profitable. If you are not being pressured to sell, you need to take your time to increase your business’ profits. Buyers are interested in businesses that are doing really well. Business brokers Orange County can help with this step by making sure your business doesn’t rely on a single major client or one major product. They will help diversify so that you have multiple income streams. Your business broker can also help identify new opportunities that help you increase the earnings of your business as well as identify weaknesses.
Easier transition
Another thing you have to do is to make the transition easier. This can be achieved in many ways. For starters, you need to make sure that all your business records are available. Buyers will want to look at your documents for the last three years. You also need to get yourself out of the equation. Buyers want to know that your business will continue thriving in your absence. Train a management team to take over operations. It is also good to document your processes so that it will be easier for the new owner to take over. Reducing or simply eliminating your business debts will also make your business more attractive to buyers.
Simplify due diligence
After making an offer buyers will want to learn more about your business. This is where due diligence comes in. It is what the buyer finds in this stage that determines if he will move forward with the sale or not. Having sold many businesses before a business broker Orange County will be able to help with business valuation and also help you understand what buyers look for. You also need to gather and clean your business documents well in advance.
Identify the ideal buyer
Last but not least you need to identify your ideal buyer. Doing so will help a lot with marketing. When you know who you are targeting for the sale you will be able to tailor your marketing plans to them.
Best Tips on How to Sell Your Business
It is not easy to sell a business and that is why you should always consider working with a business broker San Diego from the word go. The right broker will ensure you remain on the right track and take the right actions throughout the sale. All in all, there are certain things you will have to do on your part in order to sell fast. In this post we will be looking at the best tips you can use when selling your business.
Start planning early
The first thing you obviously need to do is to start preparing early. You cannot get up one morning and decide to sell your business by the end of the year. You should start preparing for the sale at least 3 years in advance. As a matter of fact most entrepreneurs start planning their exit as soon as they setup their business. Planning early gives you ample time to improve your business and make it more attractive to potential buyers. You should involve business brokers San Diego as early as now. They know what buyers look for and what makes a business sell fast. Their input will speed up the sale and guarantee you sell at maximum profit.
Build your strengths
Another very important thing you need to do is to build your strengths so as to address your other business weaknesses. If the weaknesses outweigh the strengths selling will be a little more hectic. This is because buyers are searching for a solid investment that guarantees return on their investment. A business valuation will help identify your weaknesses. Start fixing the fixable weaknesses and invest more on the strengths of your business. Knowing your relative weaknesses will help build your company to be stronger in those areas.
Have more than one buyer
The worst mistake you can make when selling your business is that of settling on a single buyer. If you are only dealing with one suitor than you have no idea what other buyers can bring on the table. One of the duties of your business broker San Diego is marketing your business extensively. Doing so helps you get competing bids from multiple buyers. Chances of selling at maximum profit are higher when you have competing bids.
Be patient
Last but not least you need to be patient. Regardless of the support you have you cannot sell your business overnight. It takes months or even years to sell a business once it is listed. The best you can do is keep running your business as you have always done as your business brokers San Diego handles the sales.
How to Position Your Business for Acquisition
When you hire a business broker Orange County to help sell your business the first thing he will do is get your business ready. Business brokers don’t just market your company right away. They take the time to make sure that it is attractive to buyers. In this post we will be looking at some of the most important things you need to do to position your business for acquisition.
Start preparing years before the sale
The first thing you need to is to start getting your business ready for sale now. Experienced business brokers Orange County will be happy to let you know that it takes at least three years to get a business completely ready for the sale. There is a lot of work that ought to be done during this time including settling your debts, fixing your reputation and getting the business organized. If you are not being pressured by the law to sell then you need to take your time to get your business completely ready.
Focus on your strengths so that someone would want to buy it
When getting the business ready you need to focus more on the things that make your business attractive. It is only by stressing on what you excel at that you will be able to lure in the right buyers. If your business has a great platform you need to focus more on that.
Know what you want to sell
It is not all the time that business owners want to sell their business as a whole. In some cases they just want to sell part of the business in order to raise money needed for other things such as settling debts or expanding. You need to determine what you want to sell early enough. Doing so will help your business broker Orange County identify the most suitable buyers.
Identify the perfect buyer
Not every buyer out there will be ideal for your type of business. Some will want to purchase your business in order to make use of its equipment while others lack the skills and will drive the business to the ground. If you want your business to continue thriving then you need to find a buyer that has the experience and skills to run your business.
Be ready to air your dirty laundry in due diligence
Last but not least, you will not be able to fix all your flaws. You should, therefore, be ready to air your dirty laundry when the due diligence process starts. Knowing your flaws will help prepare accordingly for this stage.
6 Main Types of Buyers for Your Business
One of the main duties of a business broker San Diego is to make sure you market your business extensively in order to attract the right buyers. What most people don’t know is that there are many types of buyers out there. If you are interested in selling your business, here are the six main types of buyers you should be familiar with.
Strategic buyers
This is usually another company that wants to acquire your business to achieve growth. These types of buyers look for businesses’ that are aligned with their core strategy and not characteristics like financial metrics. Business brokers San Diego recommend strategic buyers because you have a better chance of commanding a higher sale price. Strategic buyers often pay premium prices for businesses that align with their core strategies. This type of buyer is ideal if you want a lucrative exit and are not concerned about the future of your business and its employees.
Private equity
These are investment vehicles for institutional investors or high net worth individuals. These are a good choice if you would want to retain a piece of your equity stake. These buyers simply inject money into the business in order to grow it. Your business broker San Diego will let you know if this is a suitable buyer for you or not.
Family office
These are more like private equity firms with the main difference being they inject the money of a wealthy family into a company to ensure that wealth spans many generations. Family offices take less active roles in a company and invest on longer time horizons unlike private equity that wants maximum profit within the shortest time possible.
Holding company
These companies exist for the sole purpose of owning other companies. They generate revenue from dividends and earnings of stock they own in other businesses. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is a good example of a holding company. Holding companies will want a controlling stake in the business under their umbrellas. This means selling to a holding company is the easiest way to cash in equity.
Search fund
This is an individual backed by a team of investors who are looking for a business to buy and take over operations. The individual can be a recent MBA graduate who wants to operate his/her own business. The individual’s team of investors will want to buy a business for the individual to operate.
Employees
Last but not least you must never ignore your employees when getting ready to sell your business. This is a viable option if you want to maintain your business’ current course in your absence. Your business brokers San Diego will help with this.