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First Steps to Buying a Business
October 25, 2017 / in Acquire a Business / by Don Ross
I work with a lot of sellers and buyers of small to medium sized businesses in the North San Francisco Bay Area. Most potential buyers do not succeed in buying a business, largely because they lack a systematic approach. A few weeks ago a high-net-worth individual asked for my advice on acquiring a business, and my reply was along the lines of the following. A simple five step plan that can help you target and …
When is the Right Time to Sell My Business?
October 11, 2017 / in Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
BOOK REVIEW — I don’t recall the last time I recommended a book, but today I feel compelled to tell business owners about an excellent new book titled, “When is the Right Time to Sell My Business?” This book not only helps you decide when to sell your business, but will also help you understand its value from the perspective of willing buyers, increase its value and marketability, and choose and plan your best exit …
California Loan Guarantee Program: A viable financing option for small business acquisitions
October 6, 2017 / in Acquire a Business / by Adam Wiskind
Banks often use the Small Business Administration 7a program to guarantee acquisition loans for small businesses. Because small business ventures face unique risks, most do not qualify for conventional bank financing. In most states, the SBA program is the only option; however, here in California a less well known alternative called the California Loan Guarantee Program is also available. California’s program is not new. Our state has been offering loan guarantees since 1968. It is administered …
Forbes Article: Which Is Better, A Financial Buyer Or A Strategic Buyer?
October 4, 2017 / in Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
I thought would share this brief Forbes article that came across my transom early this morning. I generally agree with author John Warrillow’s comments on Strategic versus Financial buyers. If your goal is to maximize value and liquidity today, and you’re not looking for an equity partner to help you build longer term enterprise value, a strategic buyer generally produces the best outcome. Having multiple strategic buyers at the negotiating table as a result of …
Exit Planning: Meaning and purpose drives sustainable business growth
September 26, 2017 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning / by Al Statz
Several years ago I had the opportunity to work on an acquisition assignment for Mitsubishi Electric, one of the multinational business units of the Mitsubishi group of companies. While doing research to better understand my client’s organization, I found an inspiring article that quoted Tachi Kiuchi, Mitsubishi Electric’s managing director at that time… “Are the needs of the corporation and the world in conflict? In the long run, they can’t be. Today, 600 million of the Earth’s …
Preparing to sell? Why clean financial records are important.
September 20, 2017 / in Exit Planning / by Exit Strategies
Most business owners don’t like to spend any more time on financial statements than they have to. Trust me, I was one of them! But, when it comes time to prepare a business for a potential sale, owners need to get serious because having clean financial records is one of the most important factors in concluding a successful business sale or merger. What do I mean by clean financial statements? First, all relevant business transactions …
Is Private Equity the Right Solution for Your Exit?
September 13, 2017 / in Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Is Private Equity the Right Solution for Your Exit? Private Equity Groups (PEGs) are disciplined buyers of lower middle-market companies. Most have cash funds and lender relationships in place for the right acquisition opportunities. PEGs often recapitalize a company, where they purchase a majority or minority interest. They bring growth capital and business acumen to unleash the company’s full potential. A recapitalization gives the owner substantial liquidity now, and a second hopefully larger bite of …
Targeting Strategic Buyers for Your Company
August 30, 2017 / in Sell a Business / by Exit Strategies
One aspect that separates M&A advisors from business brokers is the approach used to identify and target buyer candidates. The typical business brokerage approach is largely advertising based. They place a description of the seller’s business on several websites (BizBuySell and others) and then simply await inquiries. Business listing websites are effective for “main street” businesses (restaurants and auto repair shops) where the buyers are individuals and ad-hoc partnerships. However, in the lower-middle market, specialized corporate …
EBITDA – What’s it all about?
August 23, 2017 / in Business Valuation / by Jim Leonhard
EBITDA may seem to be the holy grail of business assessment in the M&A world. Almost every potential buyer starts by asking what is the selling company’s EBITDA; and almost every seller wants to know at what multiple of EBITDA his or her business will sell for. From an accounting standpoint, EBITDA is a simple concept: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization. However, it has also been referred to as “Earnings Before I Trick …
How to Apply for an SBA Loan
August 16, 2017 / in Acquire a Business / by Exit Strategies
Thousands of small businesses receive funding for real estate, equipment, working capital and business acquisitions through loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA loan terms are very reasonable. Down payments range from 10%-35% depending on various factors. Interest rates are generally 2-3% above the prime lending rate. This low cost of capital has helped many to achieve the dream of business ownership. SBA offers two loan types: guaranteed and direct. Guaranteed loans involve …
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