Exit Planning Techniques By Market
Selling a Foundations Business
A lot can go wrong during the sale of a foundations business even if the seller has previous business sales experience. More than ever before, it's important for sellers to know the tactics and techniques that are being used to maximize sales price and achieve desired sale outcomes.
When it comes to selling a foundations business, there are no shortcuts to success.
If your exit strategy involves selling a foundations business these days, you need to apply the right combination of preparation, strategy and common sense.
Preparing Your Employees
As a business owner, you want to keep you employees informed about your plans; as a seller it's in your best interest to keep your employees in the dark for as long as possible. You're concerned about confidentiality, and rightfully so. However, the longer the selling process drags on, the more likely it is that rumors will begin to circulate throughout your workforce. So at some point you will have to resign yourself to the idea of telling some or all of your employees that you have listed the foundations business on the market. Maintain a positive tone in your conversations and answer your employees questions as completely as you can without jeopardizing the sale.
Sale Preparation Timeframes
It's critical to properly plan for the sale ofa foundations business. For starters, the financials need to demonstrate a track record of profitability and growth. Next, the business will need to be documented in professional financial statements and manuals that facilitate the ownership transition. Since all of this takes time and effort, a foundations business can rarely be ready for the marketplace in less than six months. If you can afford to wait, we recommend investing a few years in improving your business's financial position before you put it on the market.
Leveraging External Resources
Rarely, if ever, do owners sell a foundations business without outside assistance. Brokers can be an important resource for your sale, especially if you are unfamiliar with the business-for-sale marketplace. We also suggest hiring an attorney, an appraiser, and an accountant early in the process. The early recruitment of external resources reduces your risk and results in a more predictable final outcome.
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