Buy a Business
Knowledge you can trust.
Are you thinking of buying your first business or adding a business to your portfolio? Are you ready to work for yourself? Are you ready to invest in your future? We can help. We'll work side by side with you to find the perfect business that suits your lifestyle. We know the questions to ask along with establishing your capabilities, skills and past experiences. But most importantly, we consider your unique situation and personal life goals.
Your peace of mind means the world to us and we want you to understand the process of buying a business and the realities of the marketplace. We can walk you through the checklist of what needs to happen from start to finish.
- Searching for that perfect business - we will help find you business opportunities that fit your specific parameters and match your goals. We assist with signing confidentiality agreements, reviewing initial financials, accompany you to business showings and provide you with the right questions to ask to make an informed decision.
- Due Diligence - This is an agreed upon amount of time that you have to take a deep dive into the financial makeup of the target company. We assist you through this process and know the right documents to request and what to look for on these documents. You will review tax returns, detailed financials, recast financials, procedures and day to day operations during this time. We will assist you every step of the way. We also have an entire line of lawyers and accountants that can coordinate with any of this process.
- Making an offer - This is the big part! We will share our expertise in the industry to put together a fair purchase and sale agreement that will help get you the business. We will work as an intermediary between you and the seller and assist with tricky negotiations to move onto a fully executed purchase agreement.
- Closing - Lease assignments, closing documents, work order transfers, inventory accounts, etc. The list is long and we will make sure to walk you through every step of the way. We've personally done this many times and know this is a very exciting time yet can get overwhelming. We want to help.
Throughout the entire process, questions will come up and we will assist you with all of them. There's not a lot we haven't experienced or seen so we are equipped to help. Our goal is to make the entire process as seamless as possible. Your success is our success.
So what are you waiting for? Let's take charge of your future and connect you and your family with the right business opportunity.
HELP ME BUY A BUSINESS
Sell A Business
Selling your business is a big deal. You've worked hard to build something you are proud of and we want to help ensure that your business is passed into good hands. You are ready to do something different with your lives. We get it. We will keep your legacy moving forward.
We have one purpose - to maximize your business value and prepare you completely for the sale of your business, minimizing your worry.
We know your business means a lot to you and we are proud to say that it means a lot to us too. Using our industry experiences and resources, we will provide all the services you need to bring a transaction to a close including:
- Confidential Consultations. Confidentiality is always a top priority.
- Business valuations and marketing package
- Material and record coordination
- Far reaching exposure
- Screening and qualification of buyers
- Skilled Negotiation
- All of the details required to close the transaction
Moreover, selling a business is a strenuous undertaking and pairing up with a broker will strengthen your marketing reach, negotiating power and allows you time to remained focused while keeping the business running during the sale. As a full time broker, we have access to extensive experiences, resources and references and a large pool of qualified buyers.
When choosing an agent, we ask that you be thoughtful. Look for someone who has experience and a team full of experienced professionals. A good agent will always lead you in the right direction with honest, well researched answers. A good broker will listen and get the job done. We are that team - honest, caring, responsive and thoughtful but with an aggressive drive to get the sale to the closing table.
So, what are you waiting for? Let's get your business sold!
If you have real estate attached to the sale, we can assist you in selling that as well! We have a strong background in commercial real estate sales and leasing.
Your business - In honest hands
When you want someone you can trust paired with confidence and serenity in the selling process, we can help.
Business Valuations
What's the value of your business?
The first question that comes to any business owner's mind when selling their company is, "What's my business worth?" There are many different ways to value a business and many variables are involved to get to a fair value. Type of industry, owner involvement level, longevity of the business, contracts in place and the order of your books are a few items that will contribute to the final valuation of your business. And remember - no matter what you share with us, we keep your confidentiality at #1 priority!
Valuing a business based on sales
In some industries, the norm is to determine value by using a multiplier times the firm’s annual sales. Consulting firms, radio stations, temp agencies, ad agencies and insurance brokers are often valued using a multiplier of annual sales. The multiplier depends on the exact type of business, the predictability of sales from year to year and many other factors. Generally, the industry multiplier is the starting point and is then adjusted based on specifics of the company.
Valuing a company using Seller's discretionary earnings
The most used practice to value a small to medium sized business is by taking a multiple of the seller's discretionary earnings (SDE). The price is based on the company’s ability to generate a stream of profit known as cash flow after expenses. Many cash flow and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) projections use “recast” numbers to reflect the businesses stated profit plus the value of additional benefits the business owner takes from the business. This recasting is extremely important.
Valuing a company based on assets
Many businesses are sold under less-than-ideal conditions. What if there are no profits or cash flow? What if the owner passed away suddenly, and there is high financial risk for a new owner taking over? In these cases assets may be used to value the business. The value of the tangible assets usually sets a rock-bottom selling price for the business. Intangible assets may be worth money too – goodwill, customer lists, trademarks, patents, leases, permits and contracts are all intangible assets that can be factored into the price. Many buyers balk at paying a lot for intangibles, but for the seller it pays to evaluate each one for its worth.
Whatever your business, whatever the number, we'd love to help. We offer complimentary valuations and we highly recommend getting an accurate, professional opinion. We know what to ask, how to ask and who to ask. So allow us to assess your business today!
Exit Planning
Creating a Roadmap for your Future
Think about exit planning as creating a strategic road map for your future. You've worked so hard. Now it's time to prepare for the next phase of your life. Whether retirement is in 6 months or in a few years, we believe that the more time you invest now in preparing your business for a transfer of ownership, the better chance you have for a successful exit.
Unexpected life challenges and changes could happen at any point and every business owner should consideration setting up an exit plan. The first step is to set up an appointment with a qualified advisor. Over a meeting you will discuss 3 major topics:
- Your timeline
- Your financial situation
- Your goals
Then, we will run through a few different scenarios and see how sellable your business currently is and what steps are needed to increase its future value.
When it comes to exiting a business, it's always best to be over-prepared than to scramble. Goals and priorities can change in a matter of a day and doing your homework can save you quite a bit of headache. Preparing an exit strategy can also give you a push to improve your business and eliminate the valuation gap for when you choose to sell.
Have questions? We'd love to help! There's nothing we love more than setting a business up for success!
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