Positioning a Business for a Merger or Acquisition (# 2)

Selling a business is different than selling anything else, and your prospective buyer will closely scrutinize your business before they make an offer. Are you ready for that level of examination? Jim Grebey helps you get ready in this article originally posted here. (re-posted with permission)

Understanding Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE)

Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE) goes by other names: owner’s benefit, total owner benefit, seller’s discretionary income, etc. All these terms are designed to answer one question: What is the financial benefit of being the full time, owner operator of your business? When the costs of the business are met, what’s left over for you as the owner?

Business Legacy is a Lie. Only People Matter

The business I sold in 2010 doesn’t really exist anymore. I’ve never written about this and it’s not something I talk about much either. It’s not that I’m trying to hide the story, and I’m not embarrassed by the fact that the business shut down. It’s just that the details don’t really fit well under one tidy subject area – until we start to talk about business legacy.

Things Get Screwed Up When I’m Not There

Is your business dependent on you? You rightly answer. . . “Of course it is you idiot, I’m a small business owner.” It’s completely understandable. You started the business from nothing. In the beginning it was only you. You made the difference.

Unrealistic Seller Expectations – The Wrong Way to Exit Your Business

Along the way, I’ve heard many sad, and even sometimes horror stories, of people sold their businesses the ‘wrong’ way. It is heartbreaking to see years of blood, sweat and tears invested into a company only to have it end in a big fizzle out. The regrettable part of this is that it can be prevented by doing some simple, even basic, exit strategy planning.

It Sure Looks Like Lipstick on a Pig From Here

Don’t make the same mistakes we see in this business for sale article – sales pitch with deep undertones of a failed business. Warning! Warning! Warning! There are certain warning signs that tell you you’re dealing with a failing business, before you ever see the financials.

Positioning a Business for a Merger or Acquisition

Selling a business is different than selling anything else, and your prospective buyer will closely scrutinize your business before they make an offer. Are you ready for that level of examination? Jim Grebey helps you get ready in this article originally posted here. (re-posted with permission)