Category: Exit Planning

Once you have an understanding of the value of your business, you can better plan and prepare for life beyond the business. The sale of your business is typically a once in a lifetime event and it should be approached as such. However, the statistics show that owners have not approached it in this manner.… Continue reading Exit Planning

There are a vast number of factors that affect the multiple a business may receive in the market. There’s financial statement quality, owner dependency, customer concentration, barrier to entry, capital intensity (amount of equipment needed to operate), location, profitability, management, customer contracts and recurring revenue. Revenue at 40-60% of annual sales and SDE at 2-3.5x… Continue reading Business Valuations – Rules of Thumb

Many firms offer “business valuations”. A certified valuation report is written by a credentialed professional based one of three methods: Income Approach, Market Approach or Asset Approach. Income Approach This is based on the premise that the value of any asset is the present value of future cash flows. An appraiser will assess historical cash… Continue reading Business Valuations

Only 20-30% of businesses marketed for sale actually sell according to research done by the Exit Planning Institute (EPI). The top three reasons for a business not being sold are: Poor Financial Quality – A business must be able to produce timely and accurate financial statements at a moment's notice. If a buyer cannot assess… Continue reading Transferability

In my experience, small and medium sized business (SMB) owners do not spend enough time thinking about the potential buyers of their businesses. There are a number of methods to transition a business, and the method you choose should align with your desired goals, whether it be immediate liquidity, leave a legacy or both. Internal… Continue reading Potential Buyers