Over the past couple of months, we’ve been taking a deep dive into the process of selling your business, ending with today’s post on how to close the deal. We’re pulling back the curtain on exactly how we at Southard Financial help you find a qualified buyer for the company you’ve built.
Note: In case you’re just joining us, this is Part Two of a series on how to sell your business. Before reading this post on marketing your business, take a couple of minutes and read Part One: Getting a Valuation if you missed it.
After securing an accurate valuation, the next step is to begin letting potential buyers know that your business is available. No one can buy your business if they don’t know it is for sale. There are several simple and direct ways to do this:
Welcome to the first post in a 3-part series on How to Sell Your Business.
So, you’ve got a business that you want to sell and you want to get the best possible price for your business. How do you get that price? How do you know what your business is worth? You need a solid valuation!
Would you rather sell your company for 3x or 10x EBITDA?
That’s a big difference, and one worth putting serious thought into.
Let’s say you have 2 companies. Both generate $25 million in revenue and $5 million of profit a year. Company 1 has an owner with complete control of all areas of the business and no management diversification. Company 2 has great management diversification and its largest customer is only 2% of its revenue.
Both companies might sell. But Company 1 will bring in much less than Company 2. Let’s look at some key factors you can take control of now to help you sell like Company 2 later.
The market is hot, buyers aren’t skittish, interest rates are low, and your business is really doing well. According to most business appraisal experts, this hypothetical moment would be the perfect time to sell your business.
But not so fast.
There are often overlooked aspects of a business that can significantly lower its value when the time comes to sell. These six risk characteristics can actually hinder your ability to realize the maximum value of your business.
When the topic of employer-sponsored retirement plans comes up, our minds immediately think “401(k).” However, as we pointed out in our post, What is an ESOP and Why Should You Care?, a well-managed ESOP could be a valuable option for you and your company—certainly one worth investigating.
Our goal is for you to walk away better informed and confidently prepared to provide a great retirement plan for the people who make your business successful.
An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) could be a great option for your employees and company leadership. An ESOP is a retirement plan that vests your employees in the business and gives them a compelling reason to care about how the company is doing. When the company does well, they do well. For owners wishing to sell their business, it can provide an exit strategy while maintaining continuity within the business.
Is it something you could consider? Keep reading to learn more.
Due to the lower corporate tax rates—thanks to new tax laws passed last year—C corporations might be the new popular kid in school. If you own or run an S corporation, it might be worth looking into converting to a C corporation—but make sure to consider all the details.
Southard Financial is so grateful to have clients like you. We appreciate your trust in us to provide quality business valuation and advisory services. Here’s wishing you joy and laughter during the holiday season, a Happy New Year, and a prosperous 2018!
Back in January, when we posted about possible tax law changes under the Trump administration, we anticipated modifications to inheritance and gift tax laws. Now, with the House having finalized a tax bill and the Senate working on its own version, we’re able to take a closer look at proposals coming out of Congress.
