There are two key ingredients when it comes to selling a business: professionalism and confidentiality.  If either of these two ingredients are lacking, then you’ll most likely run into problems.  Sadly, many sellers see their deals fall apart due to a breach of confidentiality.  You certainly don’t want to be among their ranks. The simple fact is…

No one works forever.  Regardless of how much you love your business, sooner or later you will have to step away.  Owning a business can be very demanding.  This fact can be doubly true for owner-operators of businesses.  The simple fact is that you’ll have to embrace retirement at some point. Most business owners have never sold…

Many experts agree that the best time to prepare to sell your business is when you start your business.  That may sound extreme. However, few business owners reach that level of preparedness.  A simple fact of life and owning a business is that most sales are event-driven.  Factors such as problems with a partnership, health issues, burnout or even divorce…

Buying or selling a business is one of the most important decisions that most people ever make.  Before jumping in, there are several points that should be taken into consideration.  Let’s take a moment to examine some of the key points involved in buying or selling a business. Factor #1 – What are You Selling? Whether buying…

Are You Suffering from Burnout? If you’ve been running your business for many years, it is quite possible that you are suffering from burnout.  This issue is remarkably common with business owners and it is also very dangerous.  Owners suffering from burnout don’t invest as much of themselves and their creative energy into their businesses, and that…

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for business professionals in a variety of industries, including business brokerage. Business brokers can utilize LinkedIn to keep their current network of contacts abreast of their latest activities and business for sale opportunities, strategically grow their network, gain new insights and knowledge, and ultimately close more deals. The following tips will give…

Business owners considering selling should realize that they have many different types of prospective buyers.  Today’s prospective business buyers are more sophisticated and diverse than ever before.  Let’s take a closer look at the different types of prospective buyers and what you should know about each of them. 1.  Family Members Family members often buy businesses from…

If you own a business, then ownership transition should definitely be a central topic in your planning.  A few years ago, MassMutual Life Insurance Company conducted a very interesting and thought-provoking survey of family-owned businesses.  Obviously, family-owned businesses have their own unique needs and challenges.  The MassMutual Life Insurance Company survey certainly underscored this fact.  While the…

Selling your business doesn’t have to feel like online dating, but for many sellers this is exactly what it can feel like.  Many sellers are left wondering, “What exactly do buyers want to see in order to buy my company?”  Working with a business broker is an excellent way to take some of the mystery out of…

There are many terms used by business brokers in the marketing of a business for sale.  Here are some of the basic terms that all must understand if you are considering the sale of your business or looking for a business to purchase: Balance sheet The balance sheet is the statement of the net worth of the…