National statistics show that over 70% of all businesses on the market, are not sold. Why is this? The two strongest reasons for failure are lack of preparation and an unrealistic selling price. Valuing a business correctly tends to resolve the unrealistic selling price problem. Know when to hold the price and when to change […]
We often spend the least attention on the decisions that affect us most. Entrepreneurs pour heart and soul into building a business, often with the unexamined belief that the right exit will be bestowed on us as a reward for our hard work. On the other hand, seasoned successful CEO’s will tell you that planning […]
If you want to be successful in making a business acquisition, you want to work with a brokerage firm with a large inventory of businesses for sale and an experienced staff of professionals who are focused ONLY on selling businesses and have the training and experience to successfully close the deal. While most first-time buyers may initially […]
Can You Sell Your Home-Based Business? The value of a business depends mainly on the earnings it produces, with the expectation that those earnings will continue into the future should a new owner take the helm. It also depends on having something valuable to sell that allows those earnings to be produced. So, if you […]
Leadership November 26, 2007, 11:35AM EST text size: TT Are You the Best Boss for Your Business? Bakery Barn saw explosive growth in five short years, becoming a $6 million company. Now the founder thinks it’s time for a new leader by Kerry Miller The way Sean Perich tells it, the history of his […]
Houston’s economy will continue to flourish for the forseeable future, despite the nation’s credit crisis (Houston Business Journal 11/19/07). The TrendLines report, researched by Transwestern affiliate Delta Associates, projects an average of 60,000 new jobs in the Houston area each year through 2009. Job growth will cause office vacancy to decline and office rental rates to […]
Certified Business Brokers today announced the acquisition of MVP Aero Academy, an FAA Licensed Flight School in the Houston area, by a local investment group. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Sheela Patel, new owner and Managing Partner of the investment group, stated she is pleased to be assuming the reins of the largest […]
Houston, the home of the World’s largest medical center, is getting bigger. The Texas Medical Center in Houston is in the midst of the largest expansion in its 60-year history, with planned projects through 2014 totaling more than $7 billion, officials announced this month. The center’s square footage is already greater than the square footage […]
Get Reviewed and Prequalified For Financing So You Can Leverage Your Business Purchase. Getting prequalified for financing by lenders is very important for two specific reasons. 1) 90% of all small businesses sold have some form of financing involved. 2) One of the biggest reasons that deals falls through is because the buyer could not […]
Houston is the pacesetter in the race to a new-energy future — Wind Energy, Biofuels, Hydrogen, Nanotechnology and Carbon-Free Energy. As investment in alternative energy surges, scientists and entrepreneurs throughout the U.S. are trying to brew up remedies for the world’s so-called petroleum addiction. While it’s too soon to say which of these efforts will […]
The U.S. Small Business Administration posted record-breaking loan numbers again in FY 2007, expanding access to capital to thousands of entrepreneurs across America and setting records for both the combined number and dollar volume of loans, according to their News Release today. SBA approved 110,275 loans totaling more than $20.6 billion under its two primary […]
Business Owners Should Prequalify Their Business For Potential Buyers Before Putting It On the Market. Whenever we advise our business-owner clients this, they look at us sideways wondering if we have lost our minds! They usually reply, “isn’t it the buyers responsibility to get prequalified and get financing for the purchase of my business?” Nothing […]
The International Business Brokers Association is having its 46th Semi-Annual IBBA and M&A Conference this month, November 11 -17, 2007, in Dallas – Frisco, Texas. The International Business Brokers Association® (IBBA®) is the largest international non-profit association operating exclusively for the benefit of people and firms engaged in the various aspects of business brokerage and […]
Don’t start it, buy it! Why should you buy a business versus start a new one? Here are ten solid reasons: (1) The success rate for existing businesses purchased is significantly higher than the success rate for a new business startup. Statistics indicate a 90% failure rate for new business ventures within five years, while […]
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ April 29, 2008 release, the Houston Metropolitan Area is still leading the nation in year over year job growth. The stats not only indicate Houston as the hottest job market, it highlights the fact that Texas’ other three major metro areas are dominating the job scene as well. Two […]
What would happen if all the baby-boomer business owners closed their businesses instead of selling them. The implications to our economy are alarming. It would bring about drastic changes to every sector of the U.S. landscape. But they are only a minute part of the picture. When a firm closes its doors, […]
HOUSTON, TX — May 2, 2008 — Certified Business Brokers’ M&A Group (CBB) announced the sale of a privately-held, multi-state non-destructive testing company with headquarters in Houston and regional offices in three other states in the U.S. to a multi-national strategic acquiror. The Houston-based non-destructive testing (NDT) company, which has been providing inspection services to […]
I found this post by Chicago Addick interesting and comical as he describes the wonders of Houston from a Northerner’s point of view. The writer seemed amused, amazed, appreciative, and condescending all at the same time: Houstonians spend more time in their cars than their homes and perhaps then understandably spend more money on their car loan […]
The Houston metropolitan area ranked fourth in the nation for overall population growth between 2006 and 2007, according to new census data released last month. The increase is attributed to our job market and booming economy. We have full-occupancy in our Class A office space, and we have experienced the #1 job-growth rate in the […]
It’s all about supply and demand. Potential buyers and sources of capital for the acquisition of profitable privately-held companies is plentiful while the supply of businesses on the market is not. This makes a profitable, established business a hot commodity and in demand. Inc. Magazine spells it out in this month’s issue, “The Most Valuable […]
Certified Business Brokers (CBB) will host a breakfast Exit Strategy Seminar on April 10, 2008 in Houston’s Galleria Area. The seminar team will consist of CBB’s M&A Group, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisors, as well as Tax, Legal, and Accounting professionals. The seminar will cover key issues surrounding the successful sale of a privately-held company: […]
Back in March 2007 I wrote an article touting Houston’s booming economy. In revisiting that article, while there is certainly economic turmoil on today’s national scene, Houston is still hot! The reason for this blog post is to share some of our current hands-on observations and experiences that keep us aware of the climate in Houston. […]
HOUSTON, TX — The Houston Chapter of the Texas Association of Business Brokers (TABB) announces their first monthly luncheon for the new year to be held February 27, 2008, featuring guest speaker Mr. William Sherrill as he presents Houston’s economic forecast for 2008. Mr. Sherrill, who has significant experience in such fields as real estate […]
Last Friday afternoon I was a guest on KSEV Radio AM 700 with host Aubrey Thoede and had the opportunity to discuss a subject that many call-in listeners wanted to learn more about….starting their own franchise. But buying a new franchise is not the best way to go about achieving the “American Dream.” Everyone reads […]
I thought this story on WashingtonPost.com was humorous and not surprising. While I am not pleading guilty, I am sure most fellow business owners will relate. I certainly hope we don’t start getting profiled and arrested for driving while BBO. Survey Reveals Work Habits of Business Owners Anyone who’s ever been irritated by an erratic driver take heed […]
Keeping the Process Moving and Keeping the Deal on Track helps Seal the Pact. Many factors can bog down the sale of a business. In fact, more than purchase price or structure, time is the most likely reason that a business sale may fail. Time can breed frustration and fatigue. As a potential sale drags […]
Selling a business and walking away can be very difficult. But in many cases, as part of the sale, there’s a transition period that can be as short as a month or as long as a year or two, depending on the size of the company and the role of the owner. In most situations, […]
Acquiring a business is a team effort and finding the right business broker (intermediary) is just the start of building your squad. Here’s a very common question posed by prospective buyers: “I’m ready to purchase a business that’s currently available for approximately $1.1 million. I feel I need a person who can help me with […]
When it comes time to sell your business, knowing how to enhance its value and PLANNING AHEAD are key to doing it ON YOUR TERMS. Selling a business can be complicated and very time consuming. Since the average business sale transaction takes anywhere from FOUR TO TWELVE MONTHS, business owners need to be in the right frame of […]
Keynote speaker at the recent International Business Broker Association last week in Denver, Jerry Osteryoung, Executive Director of Global Entrepreneurship at FSU, was kind enough to allow this reprint of his report concerning the future economic changes that will be necessary in our society and the way we do business in order to cope with […]
When preparing for any invasive procedure, you would want to first address the issues that are the most crucial when deciding if further exploratory examination is warranted. Therefore, every person looking for a business to buy should ask key questions that will cut right to the chase in order to decide if a particular business […]
Buying a business takes time and planning. Just as it would be sensible to pre-map a road trip through unfamiliar territory, it would be practical for a first-time buyer to develop a plan to navigate the path to business ownership. Charting the route is key to buying a business and becoming your own boss. If […]
The current status of the small business marketplace in Houston is dynamic. Buyers in every category are plentiful, our economic position is one of the top in the nation, business policies are in place for continued prosperity and growth, interest rates are at historic lows, and capital is available for business acquisitions. Fueling the Houston […]
Despite a sluggish economy in the U.S., Houston is still displaying its buccaneering spirit. While the oil boom is a large part of the Bayou City’s good fortune, it is not the only gusher pouring out prosperity. A diversified business base is the fuel that powers Houston’s shining-star status. Newsweek published an article this weekend titled, Houston, […]
Despite the current credit crunch, well capitalized community banks still have money to lend for business acquisitions. The SBA 7(a) loan program is an excellent way for both bank and borrower to tread through this troubled business environment. While many large financial institutions are licking their wounds from the mortgage mess and the credit market […]