Are You Ready to Exit?

If you've gone this far, then selling your business has aroused enough curiosity that you are taking the first step. You don't have to make a commitment at this point; you are just getting informed about what is necessary to successfully sell your business. This section should answer a lot of your questions and help you through the maze of the process itself. Question 1 The first question almost every seller asks is: “What is my business worth?” Quite frankly, if we were selling our business, that is the first thing we would want to know. However, we're going to put this very important issue off for a bit and cover some of the things you need to know before you get to that point. Before you ask that question, you have to be ready to sell for what the market is willing to pay. If money is the only reason you want to sell, then you're not really ready to sell. *Insider Tip:It doesn't make any difference what you think your business is worth, or what you want for it. It also doesn't make … [Read more...]

10 Tips for a Successful Sale

1.Sellers should find out the loan value of the fixtures, equipment and machinery prior to a sale. Many buyers will count on using it for loan or collateral purposes. No one wants to find out at the last minute that the value of the machinery won't support the debt needed to put the deal together. 2.Sellers should resolve all litigation and environmental issues before putting the company on the market. 3.Sellers should be flexible about any real estate involved. Most buyers want to invest in the business, and real estate usually doesn't make money for an operating company. 4.Sellers should be prepared to accept lower valuation multiples for lack of management depth, regional versus national distribution, and a reliance on just a few large customers. 5.If a buyer indicates that he or she will be submitting a Letter of Intent, or even a Term Sheet, the seller should inform them up-front what is to be included: price and terms what assets and liabilities are to be assumed, if it is to be … [Read more...]

The Term Sheet

Buyers, sellers, intermediaries and advisors often mention the use of a term sheet prior to the creation of an actual purchase and sale agreement. However, very rarely do you ever hear this document explained. It sounds good but what is it specifically? Very few books about the M&A process even mention term sheet. Russ Robb's book Streetwise Selling Your Business defines term sheet as follows: “A term sheet merely states a price range with a basic structure of the deal and whether or not it includes the real estate.” Attorney and author Jean Sifleet offers this explanation: “A one page ‘term sheet' or simply answering the questions: Who? What? Where? and How Much? helps focus the negotiations on what's important to the parties. Lawyers, accountants and other advisors can then review the term sheet and discuss the issues.” She cautions, “Be wary of professional advisors who use lots of boilerplate documents, take extreme positions or use tactics that are adversarial. Strive always … [Read more...]

What Makes Your Company Unique?

There are unique attributes of a company that make it more attractive to a possible acquirer and/or more valuable. Certainly, the numbers are important, but potential buyers will also look beyond them. Factors that make your company special or unique can often not only make the difference in a possible sale or merger, but also can dramatically increase value. Review the following to see if any of them apply to your company and if they are transferable to new ownership. Brand name or identity Do any of your products have a well recognizable name? It doesn't have to be Kleenex or Coke, but a name that might be well known in a specific geographic region, or a name that is identified with a specific product. A product with a unique appearance, taste, or image is also a big plus. For example, Cape Cod Potato Chips have a unique regional identity, and also a distinctive taste. Both factors are big pluses when it comes time to sell. Dominant market position A company doesn't have to be a … [Read more...]

Is This the Right Time to Sell?

“Whatever the reason, there should be something other than dollars that motivates you to explore a sale. After all, if it weren't more valuable to own the business than to sell it, no one would ever buy it.” Mike Sharp, M&A Today, November 2002 The owner of a successful company is considering selling, thinking now may be a good time. However, he is told by an outside advisor that business is good and that if he holds on to it for several more years he will get a much higher price. On the surface, this makes a lot of sense. After all, when an advisor tells the owner that if he keeps it for three more years the price will double, that's a terrific incentive to keep plugging away. However, there is another side to what would appear to be sound advice. The most dramatic downside would be that the business could go downhill rather than uphill as the advisor predicted. Although no one can predict what the economy will do, there are a couple of possible scenarios. The industry itself … [Read more...]

Mashpee Class A Professional Office Space

Mashpee, Ma - 400 Nathan Ellis Highway LEASED! Prime sited professional office space located at 400 Nathan Ellis Highway (Rte 151) in Mashpee. These office suites area ideal for many different types of professionals. Prime sited professional office space located at 400 Nathan Ellis Highway (Rte 151) in Mashpee. 400 + SF unit with private entrance, one large (11 x 15) office, reception area and private lav. Central air/gas heat. Gross lease tenant only pays electric! $697 per month!   This space will have access to the common area PUTTING GREEN! This is one of kind on Cape Email Adam Bauer at abauer@tbxllc.com to arrange a showing                   … [Read more...]

Tips on Avoiding the Dealbreakers

One of the most important steps is to hire the right advisors. This begins with the right professional business broker/ M&A specialist. The right attorney should be added to the team. The right one is an attorney who has been through the sales process many times – one who is a deal maker seeking solutions, not a deal breaker seeking “why not to” reasons. The accountants must be deal oriented, and if they are the firm's outside advisor, they should be aware that they may not be retained by the buyer, and must still be willing to work in the best interest of putting the deal together. Getting through due diligence One of the three or four times a deal can fall apart is half-way into the due diligence phase, when the buyer finds something he or she did not expect. No one likes surprises, and they can't all be anticipated. An experienced buyer will probably work his way through it, but a novice may walk away. Although sellers too often hope a potential problem doesn't surface, it … [Read more...]

Mixed Use Investment Property Hyannis

    Hyannis, MA - Centrally located Hyannis mixed use investment property boasting 6,884 SF (GLA) on .21 acres located at 67 Willow Ave in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  The property consists of one free standing two story building consisting of two commercial units on the ground floor and three residential apartments on the second floor.  The site is located on a side street adjacent to main street and in close proximity to many of Hyannis amenities. The property has dedicated parking and is on town sewer/water.  Zoned HVB (Hyannis Village Business) the commercial space would be approved for an array of uses.  Currently the property is generating over $54,000 annually.  Offered at an 8.5% CAP rate.       … [Read more...]

Do You Have an Exit Plan?

“Exit strategies may allow you to get out before the bottom falls out of your industry. Well-planned exits allow you to get a better price for your business.” From: Selling Your Business by Russ Robb, published by Adams Media Corporation Whether you plan to sell out in one year, five years, or never, you need an exit strategy. As the term suggests, an exit strategy is a plan for leaving your business, and every business should have one, if not two. The first is useful as a guide to a smooth exit from your business. The second is for emergencies that could come about due to poor health or partnership problems. You may never plan to sell, but you never know! The first step in creating an exit plan is to develop what is basically an exit policy and procedure manual. It may end up being only on a few sheets of paper, but it should outline your thoughts on how to exit the business when the time comes. There are some important questions to wrestle with in creating a basic plan and … [Read more...]

What Is Burnout?

Burnout can come with a business that's successful as well as with one that's failing to grow. The right time to sell is before the syndrome becomes a threat to the effective management of a business. What are the warning signs of burnout? • That isolated feeling. The burnt-out owner has been “chief cook and bottle washer” for such an extended period of time that even routine acts of decision-making and action-taking seem like Sisyphean tasks. These owners have been shouldering the burdens alone too long. • Fuzzy perspective. Burnt-out owners are so close to their work that they lose perspective. Prioritizing becomes a major daily challenge, and problem-solving sometimes goes no further than the application of business Band-Aids that cost money in the long run rather than increase profits. • No more fun. Of course, owning a business is hard work, but it should also include an element of enjoyment. The owner who drags himself or herself through every day, with a sense of dread – or … [Read more...]