View all current blog posts, discussions and podcast sessions by ProIntermediaries and ProAdvisors on BizBen.com that are associated
with selling and buying Vocational Schools small businesses throughout the USA. Thanks.
Determining the right time to sell a private business is as much an art as a science, because there are so many factors at play and each business is unique. The timing of a business sale is critical. Christina Lazuric, CBI, Orange County Business Broker discusses this topic on this BizBen Blog post.
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.
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 problem owners encounter when offering a California business for sale is that not all so-called buyers are qualified to make the purchase. It's frustrating and costly to waste time showing non-qualified buyers the business. Here are ways to identify time wasters so the focus is on real buyers.
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.
Lee Petsas, a Southern California business broker addresses how he handles potential business buyers when they request information on a business for sale listing. He gives his strategies and tips for handling and directing business buyer inquiries.
While much of the negotiating for purchase of a small California business is conducted at arms length, meaning that the principal is not present when his or her offer or counteroffer is presented to the other party, there are times when buyer and seller find themselves at the same table, where they...
Lee Petsas a Southern California business broker writes about his experiences relating to when to tell employees the business is for sale or has been sold.
Most everyone who's decided to buy a small business in California knows the importance of due diligence. That involves close examination of a business prior to removing contingencies. But not everyone knows how to uncover problems that are not obvious. Here are five of the most common hidden issues.
In my opinion and experience, an LOI may very well be appropriate for lower middle market transactions of $5,000,000 or more; but, for deals less than that an Asset Purchase Agreement ("APA") with contingencies on the actions of the buyer (and seller) is much more efficient and effective.
Seller training from a business owner after a sale of a business can mean all the difference to a buyer and how successful the transition. This article by Peter Siegel of BizBen talks about different aspects of seller training after a small business has been sold.
The final part of the business for sale transaction process is the escrow. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen.com describes the escrow and bulk sale process in relation to buying and selling California small businesses.
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.
If you are buying a small business, you probably have really good ideas about changes you would like to implement and ideas to sell more, be more efficient and more organized. Christina Lazuric an Orange County business broker chats about business buyers and their decision making processes.
Was just asked the question from a business owner what the "typical commission" amount is for a broker and if upfront fees are common? Thought this might be a great Discussion topic on BizBen for both business owner/sellers and potentially for business buyers (buyer representation).
At What Point Do You Show Key Marketing Info And Materials To Buyers? Robb Hartman, Business Broker at BizBen discusses this topic with others on this BizBen Discussion.
Sometimes business brokers just can't win with their clients, because if an offer comes in too fast & too early then they must have lowballed the price & the seller is suspicious, and if not enough offers come in after putting the business on the market - they may look unproductive to their clients.
As the year winds down, it's tempting for business brokers to go through their old files and throw them out to make room for new client's folders, but that would be foolish. Joe Ranieri (Orange County Business broker) discusses strategies for saving files - a key annual strategy for brokers/agents.
Asking the seller straightforward questions and getting straightforward answers in return is an important part of the buying and due diligence process. In this Discussion, both ProIntermediaries and Advisors offer thorough questions you should be asking during your meeting with a business seller.
There are a lot of misconceptions about what enhances the value of a business. The following factors in this Discussion are aspects of a business that really drives its value and pricing. A business owner asked me this question today so I wanted to get others view points as well in this Discussion.
It can take months, sometimes longer to sell a small business. Here are 6 questions plus other information from myself plus other BizBen Users to ask yourself to help you determine why your small to mid-sized California business isn't selling. You might be surprised what those reasons are!
It's important to remember that selling a business takes time. Unlike selling a house, which can be sold relatively fast, a business can take up to six months to a year to sell. I discuss this topic with other advisors and intermediaries on this BizBen Discussion.
When seeking SBA loan financing many potential business buyers have wrong information about the process of securing the best financing to buy a business. Peter Siegel, MBA a business purchase financing expert delves into the myths regarding SBA financing and business purchase financing.
Many business buyers complain to me about business intermediaries not getting any financial information about the business they may be interested in purchasing. There are multiple reasons for this but I agree that financial information should be readily be available to interested buyers upfront.
Changing hands of business ownership can seem both exciting and daunting to all parties involved, but it's important that a smooth transition occurs to maintain or achieve success of the business. Here are some tips I recommend ensuring things go smoothly when buying a California small business.
Being prepared when potential buyers contact you about your business for sale is a good idea. Too many sellers (and brokers) are unprepared & miss good opportunities or get involved with unqualified buyers. This Discussion post and answers from ProIntermediaries on BizBen assist with this issue.
We're hearing more and more about "crowd funding" through sites like gofundme and kickstarter as a possible way to raise the cash needed to buy a small business. This method of collecting funds has proven successful in other kinds of situations. Could this strategy work when buying a small business?
A huge part of any exit strategy is properly planning for that moment in time when employees find out the business is for sale or, preferably, has been sold. Your workers have been kept in the dark for as long as possible. Some won't be a bit surprised. Others may be devastated.
