Exit Planning Advice By Market
Selling an Animation Products and Services Business
A good business is about more than dollars and sense. To make your animation products and services business what it is today, you've had to fully invest yourself in its success. But the hard work isn't done yet. Before you can make a graceful exit, you will have to invest yourself in your business sale.
Personal and professional concerns surround the sale of an animation products and services business. In addition to the personal enjoyment you received from the business, you probably have concerns about what will happen to the people who made your animation products and services business a success.
For sellers who are willing to perform adequate sale preparation, the numbers make animation products and services businesses a solid investment for qualified buyers in the business-for-sale marketplace.
Pros & Cons of a Sale to an Employee
Employee sales have pros and cons. A key employee may seem like a natural sales prospect. If you need to sell quickly, the timeframe is condensed in an employee sale because you don't need to track down a buyer. Yet most employees lack the means to buy their employer's business at or near the asking price. Most of the time, employees also expect owners to finance a large portion of the sale. So if you aren't willing to finance the sale or need to get top dollar for your animation products and services business, a sale to an employee is probably not a possibility.
Realistic Expectations
Objectivity is a rare commodity in a business sale. Your estimate of your company's worth is probably skewed by your emotions and your close, personal connection to the business. Although it may be a hard pill to swallow, you need to find a way to introduce objectivity into your sale. Consider recruiting a team of objective professionals to help manage your expectations as you prepare and negotiate the sale of your business.
When the Sale Goes Off-Course
It's not uncommon for the owners of small animation products and services businesses to adopt a go-it-alone sale strategy. Plenty of owners sell their animation products and services businesses unassisted. Although there are exceptions, solo sales typically take longer and are less productive than brokered sales. As a rule, no business should sit on the market for more than six months without attracting the interest of at least a handful of qualified buyers. Lack of buyer enthusiasm or persistence indicates that something is wrong. The remedy is professional brokerage or a consultation with more experienced sellers.
Share this article
Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs