To be successful in buying a small business you must be able to look objectively at the company and determine whether or not it is a business that will be able to grow into the future. The key to long term survival is when a business is able to change and grow along with the needs of their consumer.

Even without meaning to be dishonest, sellers or brokers talking to someone who wants to buy a small business often make statements that are not true. And sometimes what is said is known to be a lie. The buyer is smart to carefully evaluate what they hear - six untrue statements sometimes told.

When selling a California business, owners should use our salability checklist to determine whether the effort will be successful. Ten factors must be considered to properly prepare a business for sale. Three of the factors account for more than 50% probability of achieving success in selling!

Knowing how to advertise a business for sale without revealing too much is an important skill for anyone who wants to find a buyer for a small or mid-sized California business at a good price. One caution about giving too much detail is that it might identify the company and ruin confidentiality.

Peter Siegel, MBA Founder of BizBen and the BizBen ProBuy, ProSell Programs discusses interpreting reported earnings from sellers through tax returns, financial statements and other means when buying a small to mid-sized California small business.

A business plan is a living document that should serve several purposes for your business. When you are buying a small business, a business plan will assist you in obtaining business purchase financing by showing lenders and investors how you plan to repay their loan by running a profitable company.

Each day, more than 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 62. Around this age, Americans, many of which are small business owners, start to think about their exit strategy from the workforce. For a small business owner, the process can be complex and their decision to retire has an impact on many others.

There are a handful of key asset categories in allocating or breaking down the purchase price allocation of a business sale. The allocation is required to complete the transaction. Lee Petsas, a Southern California business broker reviews this topic in detail for buyers and sellers of businesses.

What is your goal in 5 years? Do you want to become a business owner? Buying a business can be an exciting, safe opportunity to gain financial freedom. But how to buy the right business? This article will walk you through the process of buying a business.

To start a business or try something new, starting a franchise business is a great option. In this blog, we'll break down everything you need to know about buying a franchise in simple, easy-to-understand terms. This guide is for business owners, whether experienced or new.

If inventory is an asset of the small business, why is it treated differently from other assets in setting the business value and conducting the transaction? Tim Cunha, San Francisco Bay Area Business Broker explores this topic about how the inventory amount affects a business valuation.

When seeking large SBA business acquisition financing loans, it helps to review seller's add backs (cash flow analysis) as a source of funding to service the debt. Peter Siegel, MBA - SBALoanAdvisors.com Founder covers this specific topic for business buyers, owner/sellers, agents, business brokers.

Would you like to know what your business is worth? What's more, what it could be worth with a small amount of effort and investment? Business brokers have a variety of methods to determine value. Tim Cunha, JD a SF Bay Area Business Broker discusses his answers to this question about valuation.

In my experience working with the "right banks and financial institutions" repayment ability sometimes overrules collateral pledged by someone needing financing for a business purchase or a down payment. Peter Siegel, MBA - BizBen's ProBuy, ProSell Lead Facilitator explores this important topic.

Should owners who offer a business for sale reveal to prospective buyers any income that is not recorded in the books? This is a controversial topic with arguments both for and against. Most business sales intermediaries believe if you don't pay tax on it, you can't claim it. Some sellers disagree.

Most business acquisition financing strategies involve borrowing money to meet the purchase price. But an entirely different approach, equity sharing, is sometimes pursued if borrowed money is not wanted, or is not available to complete the purchase. Peter Siegel, MBA - BizBen.com covers this topic.

Buying a small to mid-sized business can be a confusing and/or frustrating process for many buyers. Statistics show that over 80% of all buyers never end up buying a business. The ProBuy Program assists potential buyers with the process of finding, evaluating & buying a small to mid-sized business.

Peter Siegel, MBA discusses buyers who want to buy a business or franchise know about asking the seller to provide part of the financing with a carry-back note. Many business buyers need some cash to help fund the down payment and for working capital. Here are four ideas about how to get that money.

With the multitude of factors that come into play when deciding the appropriate time to inform your employees that your business is for sale, I do not offer a standard or general answer. When sellers consult me as to my opinion on when it is the right time, I like to review the major issues that...

What are actual adjusted net earnings (cash flow) of a small business being purchased with business acquisition SBA Loan financing? That's an important amount that lenders need to know. Peter Siegel, MBA (BizBen.com, SBALoanAdvisors.com Founder) reviews this important concept with BizBen Blog users.

Selling a business is hard enough but using the wrong word, text, and strategy can really delay or outright kill a campaign to sell a small business successfully. Peter Siegel, MBA Founder of BizBen.com shares what words, phrases, and strategies work (and not) when selling a small business online.

The unfortunate truth is that approximately 50% of all small business sales transactions fall through. While failed transactions can happen for a variety of reasons, Peter Siegel, MBA (BizBen Founder & Lead Advisor) discusses the most common reason deals fall through; unrealistic asking prices.

The use of add backs & sellers discretionary cash is common among sellers of businesses when showing their financial information & explaining that the buyer will actually enjoy more profit than is shown. But buyers are cautioned to review documents closely. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen explains.

Owners should keep the fact that they want to sell their small business confidential. Before releasing information to prospective buyers, buyers should commit to confidentiality in writing & should understand why it is important. Peter Siegel, MBA a ProBuy and ProSell Advisor with BizBen explains.

First the dreaded statistic: 80% of all business buyers looking to buy a small business never end up doing so! Peter Siegel, MBA BizBen.com Founder & ProBuy Director) covers successful tactics & strategies all business buyers of small to mid-sized businesses should utilize now to buy a business.

SBA large loan expert and advisor Peter Siegel, MBA (BizBen.com & SBALoanAdvisors.com Founder) shares his views and experience for getting the right SBA loan for larger deals, getting deals professionally prequalified & analyzed, and getting that loan through underwriting with fewer complications!

Many times when buying a business there are reasons why buying stock or buying assets is the better business decision. We explore these options on the BizBen Blog Post of which option may be better depending on the circumstances of the buyer (and seller) involved in the transaction taking place.

Many business owners fail to maximize their business' value because they don't have a proper strategy in place to do so. Failure to maximize your businesses value will make it harder to attract the most qualified buyers. Have a plan that ensures your business is as attractive & valuable as possible.