At some point, every business owner will need to think about selling his or her business. This means you’ll need to be ready to overcome a range of obstacles, as the process of selling a business can be both confusing and time-consuming. This is especially true for those who have not gone through the […]
KEY TAKEAWAYS: When it’s time to sell your business, your numbers must tell the right story. Ensure you know your numbers inside and out by following these 9 tips. The lack of financial integrity is one of the most common hurdles encountered during the process of selling a business. Reliable financial records are not only a […]
Are you thinking about taking the leap of faith into being part of the self-employed — into business ownership? If you are one of those people who have long yearned to be self-employed, to call your own shots and design your own destiny, you must break through all those yeah-buts that have been stopping you. […]
An earnout is a type of payment agreement which is sometimes used in a business acquisition. An earnout is a buyer’s commitment to pay the seller a certain amount of the money tied to future performance after a sale. It bridges a valuation gap between what the seller wants out of the business and what […]
Whether you are buying or selling a business, your accountant can make or break the deal. If you choose to engage advisors, such as a CPA, to assist you in the sale or purchase of a business, it is important that they be deal friendly and transaction experienced. They must have a clear understanding […]
Closing the deal can be the most challenging part of buying or selling an operating business. Valuations, investigations, and negotiations are complete and now it’s a matter of getting everything into writing in a form that satisfies everyone so that the transfer of ownership of the business can take place. However, you can definitely count on someone getting cold […]
A growing number of investors are selling properties and paying taxes later through a deal structure called a 1031 exchange. Section 1031 of the U.S. Tax Code permits a seller of commercial properties to defer the capital gains obligation if it identifies a replacement property within 45 days of closing the sale. The seller must […]
The following serves as an excellent checklist for a Buyer in compiling questions to ask the Seller about his business during the Due Diligence period. Potential Problem Areas to be Addressed Changes in law, New competition, Change in technology Foreign imports, Drop in demand, Equipment obsolescence Facility obsolescence, Market shifts, Down trends Employee theft, Interest […]
A Simplified Checklist When Selling A Business & Closing A Deal – Adjust purchase price This would take care of prorated items such as rent, utilities and inventory up to the time of closing. – Review documents required to be provided by the seller This would be a corporate resolution approving the sale, evidence that […]
Who are the Buyers for Privately-Held Companies and What is Their Acquisition Criteria? Understanding who the buyers are and their acquisition criteria will enable business owners to be better prepared when the time comes to sell. Unrealistic expectations of value and factors that drive value result in many business owners being unable to sell their […]
The Individual Buyer Category represents the largest number of prospective buyers for small to midsize privately-held businesses. Understanding who the buyers are and their acquisition criteria will enable business owners to be better prepared when the time comes to sell. The individual buyer category encompasses a variety of buyer types that include wealthy individuals, […]
Why? Because SBA prequalified businesses for sale in the marketplace sell faster. The normal train of thought for most people is that it is only the buyer’s responsibility to get prequalified and get financing for the purchase of a business. Yes, the buyer must be able to qualify for a loan. However, the business must be […]
It can be difficult to determine which kinds of insurance is needed for a small business. Different types of insurance have confusingly similar names. Your state, town, or county may have its own insurance requirements and many industries have coverage specific to them. To assist in determining which kind of insurance a business should have, […]
Why Should the Seller of a Small Business Consider Financing the Deal? One of the best ways to finance the acquisition of a business for a buyer is through the seller. The seller’s willingness to provide financing will be influenced by the buyer’s qualifications and by his or her own requirements such as tax considerations […]
Should you be the architect of a new business and start from scratch, buy a new franchise, or buy an established existing business? Every year, thousands of people consider going into business for themselves and these are the three routes to get there. Each course has advantages and disadvantages that one should consider. Starting your […]
ed to the suburbs, employees then feel comfortable moving another half-hour beyond that into the exurban periphery. As long as employers stay in the core, sprawl has practical limits if employees want to maintain a reasonable commute. The second key factor is maximizing the number of people and jobs inside the opportunity zone. People have […]
Something interesting happened at the bank yesterday. Sadly, it wasn’t that I noticed an extra $100,000 in my account. I was at the teller window and the young guy next to me was probably in his mid twenties, with his little toddler in tow. He was inquiring about the best way to set up regular […]
Since 2005 Houston has been enjoying employment growth at a higher percentage rate than the rest of the U.S. and is anticipated to keep the city’s economic engine running. Houston Ranks Third in Employment Growth in U.S. After peaking late in 2006, the Houston economy has steadily lost momentum over the past six months. Despite […]
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 […]
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-based banks feel less subprime pain — Credit harm not as severe as in other regions By PURVA PATEL Dec. 5, 2007 Houston Chronicle National banks that were heavy into the mortgage market in parts of the country where the credit crunch has taken its toll have taken billions in write-offs related to loan […]
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 […]
What are the odds of your business actually selling once you have made the decision to sell? Well, national statistics indicate that the odds of your business selling are only 25 to 30 percent. What does this mean? To put it bluntly: if you are thinking of selling your business, you have, on an average, […]
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 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 […]
If you are buying a business and plan to obtain financing from a lending institution, these five tips provided by Adeline Rem, Regional Vice President of Celtic Bank, will be helpful in getting your loan approved. 1. Capacity The capacity of the borrower to repay is the most critical of the five factors. The prospective […]
The Small Business Administration today announced their support of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Treasury Department to improve the TALF Program, which will help unclog the secondary market for asset-backed securities, including SBA 7(a) backed loans which is the vehicle used for small business acquisitions. “We are pleased that terms for […]
Private Equity Groups have excess capital to invest and are looking for business acquisitions. One of the major market shifts for the acquisition of privately-held companies has been the growth in the number of Private Equity Groups (PEGs) over the last decade, they number in the thousands. PEGs have become key players in business acquisitions. […]
With negative economic news grabbing the headlines in the United States, business owners may think it is not a good time to sell their company. But fortunately for owners looking to sell, that is not necessarily true. Business sales are still taking place with sellers capturing attractive prices and favorable terms, when the deal is […]
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 […]
The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH), as part of their Small Business Success Series, will be hosting a moderated dinner event at Bombay Brasserie Restaurant in Houston, Texas, on June 24, 2008. Tara Energy, headquartered in Houston and one of the largest independent retail electricity providers in Texas, is sponsoring the event. […]
The first job facing many prospective business owners is rounding up the cash necessary to make the purchase. They may find that banks have made borrowing difficult (or all but impossible), and that even SBA loans have requirements too stringent to meet. One viable option is obtaining financing from the seller; another is to seek […]
Extension of SBA Recovery Lending Programs Will Support $1.8 Billion in Small Business Lending Agency plans to restart Recovery loan approvals on March 10 WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama signed legislation Tuesday extending until March 28 the U.S. Small Business Administration’s ability to provide small business loans that are enhanced with special provisions of the […]
On Thursday December 10th, Sens. Landrieu and Snowe introduced S. 2869, the Small Business Job Creation and Access to Capital Act. This new bill contains a series of measures that were separately introduced by Sens. Landrieu and Snowe earlier this year. The Senate Small Business Committee will mark up S. 2869 Thursday, December 17th. Highlights […]
An earnout is a type of payment agreement which is sometimes used in a business acquisition. An earnout is a buyer’s commitment to pay the seller a certain amount of the money tied to future performance after a sale. It bridges a valuation gap between what the seller wants out of the business and what […]