Florida Business For Sale News 7.28.2011

Florida Business For Sale  Florida Businesses Sold Activity (June 7.28.2011)

I am a Florida Business broker working with business owners selling their Florida  business, and business owners looking for acquisitions.  Prospective business buyers I work with are located in Florida, US., and Business buyers in Europe and throughout the world.

As a  member of Business Brokers of Florida, which is the largest state Association of Business Brokers in the United States we have access to significant data regarding businesses being bought and sold .   Thousands of businesses for sale are represented by over 1000 business brokers that are members of this Association.  These business brokers list their respective businesses for sale and prospective business buyers on a centralized listing site and buyers and sellers of businesses are brought together.

Several thousand businesses for sale are listed, modified, and advertised thru this website.  Valuable information regarding Florida business for Sales and Florida Businesses Sold help me as a Business Broker Professional  keep track of the ebb and flow of the Florida Business Acquisition Market.  Understanding a business to assist in selling that business requires an understanding of the numbers behind  that business.  And understanding the marketplace in which this business may be sold is furthered by a review of the data surrounding businesses being bought and sold in Florida. The below are a few statistics, totals, and items of note surrounding the business acquisition and sales market in the State of Florida. Other businesses are bought and sold without the assistance of members Business Brokers of Florida, and that info is not included in this analysis.

Recent Businesses Sold in Florida Activity (as of July 26, 2011)

  • Businesses Sold in Florida through Business Brokers of Florida  in last 30 days  – 63 vs  48 in last documented 30 day period (up 24%)
  • Top 2 industries of  Businesses Sold in Florida through Business Brokers of Florida in  last 30 days:  15 Florida Restaurants Sold in Florida     5 Beauty Shops/Hair Salons Business sold in Florida
  • Avg Days it took to sell Florida Businesses Sold in last 30 days  – 277 days-  (9 months)- doesnt include businesses that were removed from market without selling

Businesses Currently For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida – 3336  vs. 3213 in last 30 day period

Business Currently for Sale in Jacksonville Florida Area with Adjusted Cash Flow Greater than $100,000

Animals/Pets
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703237 Saint Johns, Florida USA Pet Grooming 259,000 259,000 166,444 300,454
Automotive
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703089 Duval, Florida USA Trailer Sales
/Service
79,000 79,000 144,886 1,130,000
BBF-74703142 Duval, Florida USA Auto General Repair 189,900 100,000 101,659 444,290
BBF-74703302 Duval, Florida USA Auto Salvage 350,000 175,000 117,944 475,180
BBF-74703250 Duval, Florida USA Auto General Repair 980,000 500,000 180,833 437,467
BBF-73900330 Duval, Florida USA *Lender Pre-Qualified* Auto General Repair 989,000 989,000 185,820 425,015
BBF-74703182 Duval, Florida USA Tire Dealer 1,500,000 1,000,000 183,057 949,000
Beauty/Personal Care
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703188 Duval, Florida USA Hair Salon
/Day Spa
295,000 210,000 125,834 300,163
Business Services
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703194 Duval, Florida USA Valet Parking 275,000 175,000 121,903 410,000
Cleaning/Clothing
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-73909310 Saint Johns, Florida USA Dry Cleaners 175,000 175,000 119,234 340,616
BBF-74703162 Duval, Florida USA Coin Laundry 599,000 300,000 111,538 304,038
Construction
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703176 Duval, Florida USA Contractor Gutters 199,000 199,000 103,473 275,470
BBF-75609055 Duval, Florida USA Contractor A
/C & Heating
275,000 220,000 115,929 664,768
BBF-75609043 Duval, Florida USA *Contract Pending* Contractor General 995,000 645,000 351,079 3,009,376
BBF-75609042 Duval, Florida USA Contractor General 1,645,000 1,295,000 351,079 3,009,376
BBF-74703234 Duval, Florida USA Site Preparation 6,000,000 6,000,000 501,324 16,385,479
Distribution
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-72002137 Duval, Florida USA Dist-Computer Software 1,000,000 950,000 293,839 2,794,019
Engineering
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-75609093 Duval, Florida USA *Contract Pending* *Lender Pre-Qualified* Engineering Environmental 138,000 25,950 138,396 318,970
Financial Related
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-16412029 Duval, Florida USA Collection Agency 825,000 825,000 225,125 560,875
BBF-75609032 Duval, Florida USA Banking
/Finance
5,350,000 5,350,000 754,624 8,653,570
Fitness
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703201 Saint Johns, Florida USA *Lender Pre-Qualified* Fitness Center 249,000 45,000 102,316 301,857
BBF-74703100 Saint Johns, Florida USA Fitness Health Club 399,000 399,000 176,418 636,532
Food Business Retail
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703240 Duval, Florida USA Deli
/Catering
119,000 60,000 100,984 380,000
Furniture Retail
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703219 Duval, Florida USA Furniture Store 89,900 50,000 104,000 200,000
Gas Station
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703101 Duval, Florida USA Gas Station
/C-Store
175,000 175,000 142,139 529,000
BBF-74703292 Duval, Florida USA Gas Station
/C-Store
499,000 350,000 391,129 1,528,161
Jewelry
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703146 Saint Johns, Florida USA Jewelry Retail 595,000 595,000 287,069 703,214
BBF-74702968 Duval, Florida USA Jewelry Wholesale 1,399,500 1,399,500 875,000 1,240,000
Lawn/Landscaping
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703279 Saint Johns, Florida USA Tree Service 249,000 249,000 150,000 500,000
Liquor Related Biz
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703267 Duval, Florida USA Sports Bar 139,000 60,000 112,750 396,000
BBF-74703295 Saint Johns, Florida USA Liquor Nite Club 249,000 249,000 268,333 1,174,560
BBF-74703193 Saint Johns, Florida USA Sports Bar 295,000 295,000 152,857 798,312
BBF-74703149 Saint Johns, Florida USA Bar
/Restaurant
395,000 275,000 221,711 895,478
BBF-74703262 Duval, Florida USA Liquor Nite Club 425,000 425,000 110,000 350,000
BBF-74703044 Saint Johns, Florida USA Beer
/Wine Bar
495,000 275,000 218,922 415,877
BBF-74703212 Duval, Florida USA Adult Entertainment 2,400,000 1,900,000 650,000 1,200,000
Manufacturing
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-75609119 Duval, Florida USA Mfg-Metal Products 1,150,000 975,000 199,323 1,777,176
BBF-75609120 Duval, Florida USA Mfg-Metal Products 2,000,000 1,825,000 199,323 1,777,176
Medical Related Biz
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-75351040 Saint Johns, Florida USA Medical Speech Therapy 350,000 350,000 120,022 412,187
BBF-75608123 Duval, Florida USA Non-Med Home Care 520,000 520,000 132,836 478,615
BBF-74703087 Duval, Florida USA Laser Clinic 1,050,000 800,000 401,744 925,000
BBF-74703095 Duval, Florida USA Medical Spa 1,050,000 800,000 149,676 829,108
BBF-40901900 Duval, Florida USA Medical Equipment 1,650,000 1,320,000 455,007 1,488,927
Moving
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-75609103 Duval, Florida USA Moving Storage Company 6,755,000 6,755,000 403,767 717,133
Office Supplies
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-72002134 Saint Johns, Florida USA *Lender Pre-Qualified* Office Supplies 275,000 275,000 101,162 508,621
Pool & Spa Business
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703303 Saint Johns, Florida USA Pool
/Spa Supply Store
279,000 279,000 138,786 647,042
Printing/Typesetting
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-72002133 Saint Johns, Florida USA *Lender Pre-Qualified* Printing Business 275,000 275,000 101,162 508,621
Recreation
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74920353 Duval, Florida USA Entertainment 465,000 465,000 144,740 687,542
BBF-73909338 Duval, Florida USA Game Room 622,500 622,500 415,103 1,597,605
BBF-26407049 Duval, Florida USA Casino Ship 5,750,000 5,750,000 2,951,895 8,778,545
Rental Business
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703259 Duval, Florida USA Rental Party Goods 650,000 400,000 214,053 540,611
Restaurants
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703256 Duval, Florida USA American Restaurant 99,900 74,900 102,433 335,232
BBF-74703097 Duval, Florida USA Italian Restaurant 190,000 95,000 109,572 414,186
BBF-74703207 Duval, Florida USA Breakfast Lunch 199,000 150,000 140,000 550,000
BBF-74703255 Duval, Florida USA Pizza Shop 225,000 225,000 112,839 455,755
BBF-74703268 Duval, Florida USA Italian Restaurant 250,000 150,000 141,778 564,583
BBF-74703306 Duval, Florida USA American Restaurant 250,000 200,000 148,825 827,520
BBF-74703056 Duval, Florida USA Pizza Shop 275,000 275,000 110,220 600,000
BBF-75609082 Duval, Florida USA Pizza Shop 295,000 145,000 190,354 682,930
BBF-74703156 Saint Johns, Florida USA Cafe Type Eatery 450,000 250,000 216,735 629,690
BBF-74703278 Duval, Florida USA Italian Restaurant 599,900 300,000 330,469 1,263,569
BBF-74703055 Duval, Florida USA Pizza Shop 699,900 399,900 204,958 1,515,000
Retail Miscellaneous
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703285 Duval, Florida USA Retail Tobacco Store 550,000 400,000 307,298 1,539,648
Shoes/Footwear
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-74703147 Duval, Florida USA Shoes Retail 299,000 149,500 100,100 400,816
Transportation
Listing No.  Location  Category Detail  Price  Down  Adjusted Net  Sales 
BBF-75608126 Duval, Florida USA Medical Transport 520,000 520,000 132,836 478,615

Highlighted Industry:

Heating and Cooling Contractors for Sale in Florida, includes HVAC Businesses For Sale in Florida,  A/C Companies For Sale in Florida

  • Number of HVAC or A/C Businesses  Sold in Florida in last 2 years -6
  • Average Adjusted Cash Flow of  HVAC Businesses sold in Florida  – $155,000
  • Average  Sale Price of HVAC Businesses sold in Florida in last 2 years  $295,000
  • Number of  HVAC  Businesses  Currently For Sale in Florida- 21

HVAC businesses in Florida  are very good opportunities for both the strategic buyer, looking to grow revenues by acquisition, and  a  good business for one looking to relocate to Florida.  Recurring revenue, large demand for the A/C component of the business and the good cash flow these businesses can generate are  a few reasons buying a HVAC business in Florida may be a good fit.  Looking to Buy a business in Florida?

*All above info compiled from data available via the bbfmls website.


For more info or questions regarding the Florida Business Acquisition Market or Florida Businesses for sale please contact

Scott M Messinger

Scott@Sellabusinessflorida.com

239.770.2421


 

Florida Businesses For Sale-

Florida Business For Sale  Florida Businesses Sold Activity (June 6.8.2011)

I am a Florida Business broker working with business owners selling their Florida  business, and business owners looking for acquisitions.  Prospective business buyers I work with are located in Florida, US., and Business buyers in Europe and throughout the world.

As a  member of Business Brokers of Florida, which is the largest state Association of Business Brokers in the United States we have access to significant data regarding businesses being bought and sold .   Thousands of businesses for sale are represented by over 1000 business brokers that are members of this Association.  These business brokers list their respective businesses for sale and prospective business buyers on a centralized listing site and buyers and sellers of businesses are brought together.

Several thousand businesses for sale are listed, modified, and advertised thru this website.  Valuable information regarding Florida business for Sales and Florida Businesses Sold help me as a Business Broker Professional  keep track of the ebb and flow of the Florida Business Acquisition Market.  Understanding a business to assist in selling that business requires an understanding of the numbers behind  that business.  And understanding the marketplace in which this business may be sold is furthered by a review of the data surrounding businesses being bought and sold in Florida. The below are a few statistics, totals, and items of note surrounding the business acquisition and sales market in the State of Florida.

 

Recent Businesses Sold in Florida Activity

  • Businesses Sold in Florida through Business Brokers of Florida  in last 30 days  – 48
  • Top 2 industries of  Businesses Sold in Florida through Business Brokers of Florida in  last 30 days:  9 Florida Restaurants Sold in Florida     4 Lawn Service Business sold in Florida
  • Avg Days it took to sell Florida Businesses Sold in last 30 days  – 270 days-  (9 months)

Businesses Currently For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida – 3213

Businesses Sold in Florida through Business Brokers of Florida over last year –  872

  1. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income Less than $100k – 1196
  2. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income More  than $100k –  1117
  3. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income More  than $200k  – 484
  4. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income More  than $300k –   223
  5. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income More  than $400k –   112
  6. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income More  than $500k –  66
  7. Businesses For Sale through Business Brokers of Florida with Net Income More  than $1M        -19

Highlighted Industry:     Automotive  Business For Sale in Florida                      Automotive businesses for sale include Auto Repair businesses for sale,Towing Businesses For Sale in Florida, Auto Car Washes for Sale in Florida, Auto Car Sales Businesses for Sale in Florida, Auto Body Shops for Sale in Florida, and other Auto related businesses .

  • Number of Automotive Businesses  Sold in Florida in last 2 years -54`
  • Average Days it took to sell –  282
  • Number of Automotive Businesses  Currently For Sale in Florida- 186

Currently I represent a Towing Business For Sale in Jacksonville Florida. This business for sale is available with or without Realestate and relizes revenue streams from towing, service, storage and resales. Looking to Buy a business in Florida?

All above info compiled from data available via the bbfmls website.


For more info or questions regarding the Florida Business Acquisition Market or Florida Businesses for sale please contact

Scott M Messinger

Scott@Sellabusinessflorida.com

239.770.2421

 

Relocating Your Business and Your Life for Business Owners

Small business Owners may face the prospects of relocating their business.  Sometimes moving a business may be a matter of moving your 1 person internet business, or may involve moving your brick and mortar, 25 employee business.  But usually when you are relocating your business you are also  relocating your life.    Ten years ago my family and I moved 1500 miles away from my business.  Subsequently I ran that business for 7 years remotely with the significant help of a qualified management staff and eventually sold that business.  My current status as a Dad and as a business broker in Florida has me and my family involved with another relocation.

Reasons For Relocating Your Business

People move for various reasons, and many aspects surrounding the decision and process relocating your business are surprisingly shared with share the decision process of buying or selling a business.  I have said in the past that there are many reasons one may want to sell their business or exit their business, but all those reasons can get reduce to 2 overall reasons. (reasons that your chose, or reasons that “choose you”)  You may choose to sell your business or circumstances make that choice for you (health, death, divorce, bankruptcy etc).  When you look to relocate yourself or your business, it may be a personal choice or situations around you may force/require such a move.

And like buying or selling a business you have a significant effect on your personal life, when you are relocating your business, your business activities, or your job, you are also relocating your life. A decision to move or relocate usually involves family, friends, significant others involvement. A decision to buy a business, sell a business, start a business directly affect your significant others.  You are not just relocating your business activities you are relocating the life that you are experiencing and significantly affecting the lives of those closest to you.

Relocating Your Business

Photo (c) multicube.com

I have always felt the decision to buy or sell a business can be a harder part than the actual implementation.  “Measure twice, cut once”.    In my previous business that I had owned we made several acquisitions.  I had spent many hours evaluating the accreted cash flow of an acquisition, how to afford the capital outlay, what assets we would keep or dispose of, what involvement if any we would have with the seller of the business after the sale, how we would integrate our billing, servicing, and support of the additional customer base that would come along with the acquisition.  

At some point the decision is made and now it becomes a matter of implementing the mechanics of integrating the acquisition. I believe the implementation was the easier part of the process.    If the decision to acquire was thought out the integration should be a fairly known process. Ten years ago when we made a decision to move our family 1500 away from our business and running it remotely, a tremendous amount of  thought and time  went into the decision, and the move worked out well for the business and my family.

About 2 years ago we contemplated moving due to a combination of personal reasons, and my business activities also entered into the decision.  The decision was more based on personal preference and family goals (my daughters education and school)  than business.   Approximately 1 1/2 year ago we made the decision to move 300 miles away to Northern Florida, from the Southwest barrier island we currently live on.  Subsequently, we have sold our home, found a new home, and the movers are loading up our life belongings in 3 weeks. 1 1/2 years ago I started preparing for the move as it relates to my  business activities.  Here  are some of the highlights and:

6 Measures to Take When Relocating Your Business

1. Plannin– yes the process of an effective move or relocation does share similarities with the process of effectively buying or selling a business.  Planning is so important in both matters.  When buying or selling a business I have always felt that if you are looking to buy a business or sell  a business or start a business in a year you should start planning yesterday.  Like Selling or buying a business, moving or relocating has so many moving parts and is a very involved process.  Dont really know how you can do too much planning for either.

2. Have that very important discussion and or  discussion regarding the pending move with your significant other early on.  Sort thru the personal, emotional, and logistics up front.  If it is a “voluntary” move make sure you both are on the same page.  If it is a move that is being brought upon you, make sure that is known to your significant other, as you should share a common goal to make the best of it.

3. Try to pre-emptively build develop or expand a client base prior to your move.  To me this was one of the more important steps I made in preparing.   Over a year ago I would travel about every other month to prospect, network and begin developing a presence in the new area.  As I developed clients I started travelling to the new area monthly and currently I go there every 2-3 weeks. I chose this route over moving to a new area and starting at square one to build a client base.  I now am moving into a new area  working with business owners looking to sell their Florida  businesses in this new location.  It is a smaller but developing existing client base.

4.  Make sure your email can follow you–  Back in the old day (and yeah my teenage kids eyes gloss over when I begin a statement in this way), but back in the old day, when you move you go to the Post office to have your mail forwarded or notify them of a change of address.  While that is still one of the items on the moving to do list, moving your digital address for your business can be  so much more important.  I have several emails, and one of my main emails is tied to the local cable provider in the area.  Make sure your email is portable, if not get a portable email address and start using it prior to the move.

5. Update Modify your website.  Does your website reflect your new contact information, your new business locations, your new geographic area of focus, if that has changed.

6. Out with the old and in with the new.  When relocating this is a good time to review old records to see what can be securely disposed of.  Why move all these records only to throw them out at the new location.  Storage and space is a valuable commodity no  matter where one is located.  Using the space around your efficiently is enhanced when unnded paperwork files are gotten rid of.  And it makes organizing at the new location that much easier.

Along with all the above business matters, we had to sell a house (in Florida, not so easy now adays), find a new house, find new location to operate business from, register for school for daughter, hire professional movers, help pack, etc. When you are relocating your business or your business profession you are also relocating your life. When buying or selling a business so many people think about the finanical and business side of the process.  But Buying or selling a business, like moving, has as much to do about the personal, family matters and lifestyle as it has to do about the business itself. Again, if you are thinking about buying or selling a business, or relocating your business next year, start planning yesterday.

Selling Your Business-2 Most Important Ingredients

Selling your business very often  involves many many moving parts and finding the right Buyer for your business can be a very involved process.  Do you use a business broker to sell your business?  Do you try to sell the business yourself?  These are just a couple of the initial questions a business owner must answer to begin the process of selling ones business.  When selling a business it is easy to think that I will sell my business to “the first person to comes along with enough money to pay my asking price” .

The Right Conditions For Selling Your Business

The sale of a business involves many terms and conditions by both the buyer and seller that must be met to consummate in a sale.  Very often as you go thru the process of due diligence by both the buyer and seller, wants and needs are uncovered, and potential roadblocks to completing the sale can occur. Two important elements have a very strong impact on increasing the likelihood of a successful sale of a business.

When trying to sell your business are you working with:

An Interested-Qualified Buyer?.

  • An Interested business buyer
  • A Qualified business buyer

As a business broker based in Florida, one of my more important responsibilities  when I represent a business owner selling their business is to qualify or “pre-screen” the various inquiries on the business for sale.  There are many people that inquire/ask about a business for sale and probably less than 5% of those buyer prospects actually buy a business at all.

Difference Between Qualified And Interested Buyer

A Qualified buyer can mean many things, but having the adequate available cash, equity, financing, special skillset, proper personal family and life situations are important to establish.

An Interested Buyer is one that wants to buy the business.  They have seen basic information on the business and based on that, if no significant negatives or unknowns surface, they want to buy the business.  There will always be a lot of due diligence, verification, questions and answers, but this buyers desires to see the process move forward.  If my wife and I were looking to buy a new home, and she finds a home that she likes- I am pretty much transformed into an Interested Buyer.

I may turn from looking to buy a home to working to buy this certain home.  Issues may occur when doing the due diligence on buying the home but I task these as issues to overcome, not reasons to get out of the deal- If I am a truly interested buyer (and or my wife really wants the house).

Selling Your Business

Photo (c) kathleenrichardson-mauro.com/

When going through proper due diligence many discoveries and discrepancies can be uncovered.  When you have a Seller that is truly interested in selling their business and you are working with an interested and qualified buyer, issues uncovered in due diligence are not “Gothcha” moments but rather are business related issues that both parties seek equitable resolution and or explanation on. Issues that surface become hurdles but not roadblocks.

Buying and selling a business is a process.  When Selling your business at some point in the process you ascertain that you are working with an interested qualified buyer.  From my perspective, having an interested Seller and recognizing that you are working with a truly interested qualified buyer are two important ingredients towards a successful sale of a business.

You Want to Sell Your Business Someday How to Prepare Today

Every Business Needs an Exit Strategy.  Do you want to Run Your Business Forever?  Do you Want to Sell your business?  Do you want to leave your business to your children?  Do you want to sell your business to Your Employees?  Do you Just want to close your doors and Move on?  How do you want to exit your business ?- And when?

Recently a good friend of mine that is a successful business owner contacted me about the prospect of selling his business in a few years. He asked me to contact him regarding what he may want to be doing now to prepare his business for sale.  He has a successful growing business, he has grown his number of employees from 10 to 75 over the last 18 months.  He is effective at gaining new contracts and growing revenue, but like so many  businessmen, he has never attempted to sell his business.

Devising An Exit Strategy For Selling Your Business

Normally during the startup of a new business the thought of an exit strategy is not even a consideration.  Then small business owners get so involved with the day-today operation of their businesses that again an exit strategy is either not even thought of or possibly just put on the back burner.  Taking some time to put some thought into your exit strategy can go a long way to increasing your odds of exiting your business the way you desire to.

Planning, gaining knowledge, and preparing  may be the 3 most important measures you can take when considering an effective exit strategy.

If your exit strategy involves an interest in trying to successfully sell your business in several years, what sort of measures or actions should a business owner take to make this successful:

  1. Make sure your financials are in order. Clean understandable Income Statements and Balance  Sheets will add value to your business.
  2. Systematize and document your operations and procedures.  Well documented policies, procedures and practices are a sign of a well run company and  probably would help your company run better, and add value. If you got hit by a truck tomorrow could someone use your documented practices to help continue run your business?
  3. Move your business towards a business that does not rely on you.  Do your customers do business with your company or do customers do business with you.  When you go to sell your business are you selling a business that is dependent on you the owner or a self-sustaining business based on a solid philosophy, solid customer service and reliable employees and practices. Or when you go away, does your business go away?
  4. Speak to your trusted advisers- let them know your intentions see if  they have any input suggestions that could help move you towards this goal.  Trusted advisers may include your attorney, CPA, financial advisor, business brokers.
  5. Learn by speaking to your trusted advisers what are the most important aspects that affect your business value.  How does one value your business? What is most important to business buyers?-  Your Assets, your cash flow, your sales, your number of customers, your patents, trademarks, your competitive advantage.  Learn what the real driving factors are behind raising the value of your business and work on them. Understand that not all businesses that attempt to sell actually do find a business buyer and sell.
  6. Running your business and concurrently, preparing your business for sale is a viable  approach towards business transition. It is not a” one or the other approach”.  Preparing your business for sale does not need to get in the way of running your business, and most measures improve your business. If you make needed improvements to your business and or operations and decide not to sell your business or exit your business, you still most likely will have a better business on your hands.
exit strategy

 

 

 

For planning purposes try to learn what the potential value of your business may be. Also educate yourself on the business buying or selling marketplace.  It is not always the same.  Selling a business during the 90’s was different than selling a business in 2006, and is significantly different than selling a business in 2010… and different than 2015 or 2020.

If you think you want to sell your business in 5 years for $1M, attempt to understand what realistically your approximate value may be today.  If your business may realistically only be worth $250,000- change your expectations, change your time frame, or maybe more importantly get to work on making necessary changes to your business.