Seller Resources

When Should I Start Exit Planning for My Business?

It's never too early to start thinking about exit planning, even if you're just starting out in your business. In this article, we dive into what an exit plan is, when you should start planning and why it's important.

Why Employee Tenure Matters

Employee tenure is a metric that speaks to the institutional knowledge within an organization as well as the likelihood to retain that knowledge in the advent of a sale. We'll run through what buyers want to see when it comes to talent.

Customer Concentration in Small Business Sales

Customer concentration is a measure of how reliant a business is on a small group of customers. In this post, we’ll dig into why it matters, how to calculate it, and what to do about it.

Reverse Due Diligence

In small business acquisitions, preparation is key but often forgotten. Reverse due diligence is one of the most helpful things a business owner can do before listing her business for sale.

A Guide To Selling A Business To Your Key Employees

Learn about the different deal structures that exist before deciding on what exit strategy you'll use to sell your business to key employees.

How Long Does it Take to Sell a Small Business?

We'll walk you through the key milestones we see across almost all small business deals and the expected timing of each phase.

Considerations When Selling a Business as a Going Concern

There are specific accounting rules that govern the definition of a business as a "going concern." Understanding the implications of a business sale as a going concern can keep you and your potential buyers on the same page.

A Seller's Guide to Small Business Valuation

Conducting a business valuation is a valuable exercise at any stage in the small business lifecycle. If you are thinking of selling your business, conducting a fair market valuation can help you understand what a buyer is likely willing to pay.

Working Capital in a Small Business Acquisition

Working capital allows operations to run smoothly even when there's cash coming in and out the door on different timelines. We'll help you understand all things working capital as it relates to small business acquisitions.

Why Owners Should Reasonably Price Their Businesses

Setting an asking price for your business is a mix of art and science. In this article, we run through our best practices for pricing a small business for sale.

4 Differences Between An Asset Sale vs. Stock Sale

As a seller of a small business, you should understand the difference between an asset sale vs. a stock sale. The difference can be key in maximizing your financial benefits at closing.

Why You Should Keep Your Business Sale Confidential

When going through the process of selling a small business, most business owners keep the business sale confidential. We'll go through examples of why confidentiality matters and share strategies to ensure your deal is announced at the right time.

Why do Business Owners Use a Business Broker to Sell to an Employee?

We’ve spoken with a number of owners who consider an employee transfer and decide to do a competitive sale process instead. This begs the question, why work with a broker if you’re considering selling to an employee?

Understanding Seller's Discretionary Earnings

A common metric used to value small businesses is seller’s discretionary earnings, often abbreviated as SDE. This metric is a calculation of how much cashflow a business generates.

Owner's Draws: What they are and how they impact the value of a business

Everything you need to know about owner's draws. What they are, how they compare to other forms of compensation, and how they impact the valuation of a business.

Debt-service coverage ratios and why they matter to your business sale

We demystify debt-service coverage ratios so you understand how lenders think about the metric and what that means to you as a buyer.

9 Questions to Ask a Business Broker

Working with a business broker is a great option for many business owners, but not all business brokers are created equal. This post covers the key questions to ask a broker before signing an engagement agreement.

How to Handle a Lease When Selling a Business

We've seen too many sellers and buyers invest time into a deal only for the lease to throw a wrench into things. This post outlines best practices for handling a lease when selling a business.

Business Broker Fees: How Much Are They, And Who Pays?

When you want to sell or buy your business, you want the best value possible. As a seller, you want the highest selling price, and as a buyer, you look for the lowest price. Business brokers help you achieve the best value possible.

Valuing the Inventory of a Business

Everything you ever wanted to know about inventory: the definition, accounting methods, common objections, and how inventory is treated in the sale of a business.

5 Types of Business Buyers Who Might Buy A Business

Who are business buyers? Understanding the different types of business buyers you might encounter as you try to sell your small business or franchise can help you find a buyer quickly for as high of a price as possible.

Do's and Don'ts for Buyer Meetings

As most acquirers of small businesses plan to own and operate the businesses, the owner meeting is a large factor in whether a buyer decides to submit an offer.

Non-disclosure Agreement

Our non-disclosure agreement template is a great starting point for ensuring confidentiality of both parties throughout the sales process.

Common Mistakes People Make When Selling a Business Online

Selling online can help you minimize broker fees and find the best buyer for your business. But depending on where you sell, you might be setting yourself for more work and a worse outcome.

4 Places To Find Qualified Buyers For Your Business

There are many people out there looking to buy small businesses. Read about listing websites and other strategies for finding them.

What a Non-Compete Covenant Means For Your Business Sale

What a non-compete covenant entails, what to expect from non-compete agreements, and the factors that business sellers should prioritize when negotiating non-compete clauses.

Transition Periods in a Small Business Acquisition

Almost all business acquisitions include a transition period. This post details the purpose of transition plans, their structure and compensation, and more.

How To Minimize Capital Gains Tax On Your Business Sale

Tax rates on small business sales can be brutal. Consider offsetting your capital gain with reinvestment or other tax deferral strategies.

Seller Financing: Why is it required? What are the common terms?

Seller financing is almost always part of small business acquisitions. Understand why that is as well as the common terms associated with it.

What an SBA Loan means for Seller Financing

SBA loans and seller notes are almost always used in conjunction. We'll break down the different types of Main Street financing and how they relate to each other in the purchase of a business.

Non-solicits: What are they and why are they important in a small business acquisition?

Non-solicits are important to understand in the context of a small business deal. This contract helps protect the goodwill value of the business being acquired.

Best Practices for Announcing the Sale of a Business

Announcing the sale of a business is a critical part of the transition of ownership. If done correctly, the new owner will hit the ground running.