So you have a great business that you’ve invested your heart and soul in and now, for whatever reason, it is time to move on. You have kept your eye on the EXIT and have done all the right things.
What’s next?
Because success is so vitally important, you will want to engage the services of a trained, experienced professional to market your business to qualified buyers, and to oversee the transaction to ensure that it goes smoothly. There are specialists in every field, and business brokerage, mergers and acquisitions, and investment banking are no different.
The differences among a business broker, a merger and acquisition intermediary, and an investment banker usually are based on what each individual prefers to be called. When it comes to selling a business, the functions are the same, and just as in every profession, you will find very good ones and very bad ones.
Do not get caught up in the names. When it comes to selling your business, you want to find the best professional to handle your transaction.
Most owners sell a business only once in their lifetime. It is a momentous occasion, but one filled with unexpected challenges that could turn into monumental disasters if not handled correctly. When it is time to sell your company, your baby, the business that you have been married to for years, our advice is to seek out the best mergers and acquisition firm in your geographical area, the one with the best track record that you believe will provide the best service for you.
You should consider only professional business brokers who have industry designations that speak to the continual educational training they go through to ensure that they are serving their clients with the best possible knowledge, philosophy strategies, and ethics.
A trained professional will help with the following:
- Place the correct valuation on your business, a price that will meet your needs as the seller, while giving potential buyers good value for their investment.
- Screen interested parties to ensure that only high-quality buyers are introduced to your business.
- Prepare all the documents and anticipate questions from buyers so that answers can be presented in an honest, straightforward manner.
- Secure financing and will structure the deal to make it attractive to both buyer and seller.
- Will help you to map out your route in the most efficient and effective manner.
At the end of the day, the trained professional will not only help you to find your exit, but will make sure you have everything it takes to get there safely. Of course, all this work is done while ensuring absolute confidentiality.
The reality is that every business has a life cycle, and you need to be preparing to sell your business the day you open the doors for the first time.
Do you know where your exit is? Contact us today to speak with a broker who can help you start the process. Experience the Professional Difference.
