A buy-sell agreement is a pre-designed roadmap or playbook that can help address a number of issues at a critical time in the life of a business. A buy-sell agreement allows business partners or corporate shareholders to agree to the terms and conditions of a future sale before it happens… the contract provides specific directions […]
The Second Quarter Market Pulse Survey Report by the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), M&A Source, and Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management found some valuable information for those business owners who are trying to sell their companies. The survey for the first time asked business advisors about how they market their listings. […]
The latest survey from the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) shows that in the smallest deal category (businesses valued at <$500K), first-time buyers accounted for the largest buyer segment (59%). And in the largest deal category (businesses valued between $5-$50M) private equity made up the largest buyer group (40%). Individuals accounted for only 26% of […]
Can you believe that the Great Recession started nearly 10 years ago? The U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research says that the recession began in December 2007, was at its zenith in December 2008, and ended in June 2009. After that was more than 24 months of a “credit crunch” when banks restricted small business lending. […]
Buying or selling a business may appear to be a simple process, but to seasoned business advisors like Andrew Rogerson in Sacramento, these transactions have a multitude of issues that must be resolved. This includes things like the type of transfer that best fits the situation; the circumstances that are dictating the transfer; if the […]
The economic climate is strong for buying or selling a business in Sacramento, a recent report says. It was recently announced that the number of Sacramento area businesses sold on listing service BizBuySell hit a three-year high in the second quarter of 2017. The median asking price of small businesses for sale in and around […]
There have been numerous successes and failures when healthcare businesses are up for sale by their owners. Some of these issues associated with selling a medical practice are unique to the healthcare industry, however, many are applicable across all types of businesses. Consider these reasons why some medical professionals had troubles the first time around: […]
It’s no secret that between 70% to 90% of deals fail to meet the parties’ expectations. However, what may not be as readily known is the underlying causes for this failed M&A activity. Here’s what you need to keep in mind in order to prevent failed acquisitions. Integration As you start to investigate an acquisition […]
The most recent records of sales of small and mid-sized businesses in California shows a marked increase compared to past figures. The Q1 2017 numbers from BizBen.com, an index that records California’s small and mid-sized business data, found that the State of California saw a record number of small business transactions. Los Angeles City and County […]
There are a multitude of reasons why a business may realize less than its desired sales price… The most basic of these is that a buyer doesn’t assign the business the same value as the seller. Selling your business on your own is a mistake! Let’s look at some common company characteristics that cause buyers […]
The most recent Market Pulse survey shows that roughly two-thirds of M&A experts predict that a rising interest rate environment will have a significant effect on their ability to finance transactions. The interest rate is going up in the lower middle market. The Market Pulse survey interviewed 315 business brokers and advisors in 37 states […]
It’s not uncommon to see litigation against a physician or medical practice. Those who have failed to act on the matter of asset protection before a suit is initiated could be at great financial risk. As you start to consider selling your medical practice, it’s an opportune time to look at your business structure, your […]
Many physicians will need to face a big decision at some point during their career: the prospect of selling their medical practice. As Sacramento business broker Andrew Rogerson has told many of his clients, the sale of medical practice must be structured and executed to best attain the selling physician’s two primary objectives: (1) maximum […]
I think that we all can agree that super-charged and inspired employees do much more for your business and your customers than those who don’t really care about the job they do. Here’s how to effectively inspire employees to show enthusiasm for the job they’re doing. The problem is that an uninspired employee isn’t going […]
Working with children can be extremely rewarding. And while that joy can be an incredible high, it’s coupled with the daily stress of maintaining a facility, managing a quality staff, working with Local Child Care and Development Planning Councils (LPCs), and complying with local ordinances — as well as the laws and regulations specific to […]
You may be considering a change, like retirement, a move out-of-state, or taking on a new business challenge. In any event, there’s a lot to consider when selling a dental practice. First off is the fact that you’re an expert in dentistry, not business sales. While you will be selling to another dentist or entity […]
[table id= /] For sale: Highly profitable Low Voltage Contracting business that generates just under $10 million in gross revenue. This highly successful business with specialties including low voltage telecommunications cabling and AV System Integration solutions. The business location is one of the busiest and strongest economies in North America; the San Francisco Bay Area […]
The most recent Market Pulse Quarterly Report found that for the first time in almost three years, recapitalization has replaced burn-out as one of the main reasons that businesses valued at $5-50MM go to market. Recapitalization is when the owner of a business sells either a minority or a majority share of his or her […]
California Manufacturers Advantage® (CMA) is a terrific program that’s geared toward small and medium sized manufacturers. This California manufacturing program provides a comprehensive review of your business, with technical expertise and strong leadership skills to spot issues and create meaningful solutions. Every year, CMA advisors help hundreds of manufacturers around California identify and implement business […]
In case you weren’t aware, U.S. military veterans buying businesses makes for a strong force in the nation’s small business economy. While statistics have shown this to be true for many years, according to a recent study, it’s younger vets who are coming on as major players in the purchase of small companies. A demographic […]
Medical practices in Sacramento, CA, and around the country have a variety of intangible assets, including patient medical records, a workforce in place, and non-compete agreements. These assets are usually referred to as “goodwill.” Medical practice goodwill can be an important element in valuing a medical practice when an owner is preparing to sell. How […]
Roseville-based Gallina LLP announced it’s merger into Minneapolis-based CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. The area’s biggest firm based on the number of local CPAs says it’ll be effective the first of the year. Gallina has more than 300 employees in 12 offices. Those are in California, Nevada, Utah, and Washington. CliftonLarsonAllen employs over 4,500 professionals, with more than […]
After five years in midtown Sacramento, the vegetarian/vegan restaurant Garden to Grill announced it will shut down in early December. The owners posted on Facebook that the restaurant will close on December 11. A different business will quickly be in that spot by the middle of December, although there are currently no additional details about […]
The holiday season has expanded in recent years. Advertisements and commercials in October? Crazy, indeed. What used to be just a few special days with friends and family now includes shopping and the expectation of great deals. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now two of the most highly anticipated days of the year for […]
There are an increasing number of business owners in the environmental and facilities services industry who are preparing to retire. As a result, investors are looking at an industry segment full of opportunities for acquisition. There are also some other factors driving sub-sectors of business services towards consolidation. Let’s look at the details of HVAC. […]
A boutique medical practice, Parsley Health, is set to debut its first location in downtown San Francisco later this month. It’s a growing trend in Northern California and around the country. An increasing number of physicians are practicing concierge medicine and opening boutique practices as a way to avoid dealing with insurance and reimbursements. These […]
10 billion business cards get printed in the United States every year. Of that, 88 percent of these get thrown out after the first week, according to CNN. This might lead some to wonder whether business cards have become a wasteful relic in an age of smartphones and social media when everything is going paperless. […]
Cloud Based Services can enhance your business in many ways. While data storage is the most common form of cloud service, the cloud can do much more than just store data. However, with so many cloud products on the market, how do you know which will work best for your company? Here’s a look […]
This highly successful retail adult gift store concept is ready for a new owner to take it the next level. The current owner has spent ten years defining and refining the concept. He is now ready to sell and look for a new challenge. This business opportunity is completely turnkey with multiple retail locations successfully […]
One of the biggest headaches for the single business owner is may be their death; or perhaps it is their taxes? Because there’s no Accounting Department down the hall or a benefits coordinator on the fourth floor of your company in Sacramento, it’s up to you to manage your taxes. Without the resources of a […]
The decision to move forward with successful business acquisitions is a big decision, as well as a substantial investment of time, money, and effort. There’s a big upside to this decision, such as the ability to build critical mass, improve market position and brand awareness, and tap into opportunities in new markets and product offerings. […]
[table id=1 /] Do you enjoy helping people make their home look brilliant with the best floor covering? This floor covering business is now available to buy and its location is in Eastern Placer County and Sierra Foothills. A great place to live with Lake Tahoe about a one-hour drive, Napa Valley and its wine […]
[table id=8 /] The owner and founder of this Custom Home Design and Construction business located in the Sacramento, CA area started this business 9 years ago or in 2007. To date, the business has built over fifteen houses in various communities and locations in the Sierra Foothills. Custom Home Design and Construction business for […]
[table id=9 /] The owner and founder of this Residential HVAC business located in the Sacramento, CA area started this business 8 years ago or in 2008. In 2001, he started out working by himself from a small office, answering service calls and offering in-home consultations. As the business grew, he expanded the space, employee […]
[table id=10 /] The owner of this Commercial HVAC business located in Sacramento, CA started this business 31 years ago or in 1985 and now it is time to retire. During the course of his working career, he has built and operated this wonderful commercial HVAC with one exceptionally well trained and motivated employee. To […]
[table id=5 /] A very long established Endocrinology practice is now for sale in Ventura County in Southern California. This practice is located in one of the most desirable cities to live in Ventura County; in between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. It’s also nestled against the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains, home to excellent schools, […]
[table id=6 /] The current owner of this Kitchen and Bath Design business located in Sacramento, CA started this business in 1984 or 32 years ago and now it is time to retire. During the course of his working career, he has built and operated a wonderful kitchen and design business with exceptionally well trained […]
[table id=3 /] A very long established Family Medical Center is now for sale near Fresno, CA. To be more exact, the Family Medical Center is about a 20-minute drive south of Fresno, CA in a wonderful small city and its located in the main street and has been there for many years. The city […]
[table id=4 /] A very long established OB/GYN practice is now for sale about a 45 minute drive north-east of Sacramento, CA. It’s also in a wonderful city to raise young children and to slow down from the hectic city living of Southern California or from the San Francisco Bay Area. OB/GYN practice for sale near Sacramento, CA […]
How do you conduct a sale of a business by sharing documents without compromising integrity or breaching confidentiality? Here is how. There are many components and attributes of a business that make it attractive to potential buyers. It could be your solid history of profitability, a sizeable and extremely loyal customer base, or a distinct […]
Building assets in your business is good business. For example, although buying and driving behaviors for personal cars can be relatively predicted, this is not always true for company cars and their various users. Research into company car drivers found there is no such thing as the typical corporate car user. Instead, there are different […]
On April 19, 2016, I received an email from someone I never met before saying they had an interest in a business I had for sale they saw on one of the websites I used to advertise businesses for sale. Because I help those that want to buy and sell a business this was part […]
The manufacturing industry has experienced tremendous growth over the last few decades, with more companies adopting lean methodology and successfully competing in a global marketplace, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. Productivity also hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Overall, the hourly output for all workers in the manufacturing sector increased over 2.5 […]
On Sunday May 22, 2016, Fareed Zakaria, in one of his segments on his show on CNN called GPS or Global Public Square asked the question why the number of new companies in the last 6 years is declining. Fareed’s observations included too much regulation stifling innovation, credit being hard to get, the movement of […]
Acquiring a business immediately puts you in the driver’s seat. One of the most fundamental career choices for an individual to consider is whether you want to work for someone else or work for yourself. But working for yourself sounds a bit like starting your own business. This thought makes some folks queasy, seems pretty […]
Whether you already own a business and want to expand, or you want to break into the business world by purchasing an established company, there are many things to consider before you begin the process. Purchasing an established company means you won’t have the struggle to build a business from the ground up and can […]
British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli is credited with the saying “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” BizBuySell have announced the results of their analysis of the first quarter of 2016 and how the national market is performing with the sale of small businesses. If you’ve been looking to buy a […]
There are thousands of business books that will tell you how to manage your employees. Many of these resources can be useful. However, if you haven’t the time to delve into a book right now, here are some short and simple tips for improving the performance of your team. 1. Be clear with what you […]
There’s been a lot more interest from hospitals and large groups in buying medical practices in and around California. More and more physicians who are planning ahead and considering the sale of their practices are conducting valuations, as they want to have an idea of the value of their practice as a way to have […]
Some people say that buying an existing business can be a shortcut to success. While that may be true, you should work with an experienced Sacramento business valuation consultant to help you make a wise decision, so that you can bypass some of the stressful and backbreaking efforts involved with building a business from scratch […]
What is Due Diligence? Due diligence is simply the homework that one does when they are contemplating the purchase of a business. It’s the detailed research and analysis of a business and its related factors that are conducted in preparation for the sale by the buyers. If you are considering buying a Sacramento business, you’ll […]
Starting or buying a business is never easy. It’s even harder if you are a Veteran and have served your country and would now like to use the training and experience from being in the military to apply it to owning and operating your own business. For those Vets that live in California and need […]
Without exception, the sale of a business from the current owner or seller to the new owner or buyer is exceptionally difficult. In simple terms, the difficulties for each party touch the ‘head’ and the ‘heart.’ For the seller, normally their greatest challenge is their ‘heart.’ They have been thinking and talking to their loved […]
You might be asking: how to reduce risks in a business purchase process? Make sure that you’ve thoroughly prepared your due diligence for a structured, competitive transaction process, and ensure that the window of vulnerability is as short as possible. Window of Vulnerability Throughout your interaction with a potential bidder right up until the sale […]
What’s the first decision for a new business owner? The answer should be simple and complete. Do absolutely nothing. Buying a business is a demanding process. It’s demanding intellectually and financially but it’s more demanding emotionally. If you’ve bought a business you’ll know the above makes perfect sense as you can remember lying awake late […]
How do you manage capital costs and selling a business? Almost without exception, a business sells for a Fair Market Value or FMV. FMV is recognized in law as mainly meaning that a business will only sell once the buyer and seller understand exchange full information not only about the business and how it works […]
The concept of a work-life balance is hardly a new one. Most parents are familiar with the idea of devoting attention to their families while also masterfully handling their career and personal goals. The problem is that most of these folks also think it is impossible to truly achieve. While it’s not an easy balance […]
Mobile technology is in a constant state of flux. Hardly a week goes by where apps don’t update, and smartphones often change in size or in software versions. In an ever-changing digital landscape, how do you optimize your business’s website for maximum sales and outreach? If your business has run aground in keeping up with […]
BizBuySell.com is one of the many websites that charges business brokers and other professionals to list and market a business for sale. Business owners can also list and try and sell their business on their own. On a quarterly basis they prepare and release different reports that analyze what’s happening with the sale of privately […]
Rex Berry is my guest on 105.5FM and Money 2.0 and our topic covers employment law and how an employer in the Sacramento area can take steps to reduce unwelcome lawsuits and employee claims; which drain the owner by wasting time and energy on a unproductive problem. Rex is an attorney and therefore a member […]
\Bret Rossi lives and works in the Sacramento area and is a member of The State Bar of California. That is, by profession he’s an attorney. Like all attorneys, he has specific areas of interest or specialization and these are Litigation and Bankruptcy be it personal or business. That’s not how Bret sees his job, […]
Donna Sauter lives and works in the Sacramento and Modesto, CA areas and likes to deal what many would consider the most boring subject of all; taxes and financial statements. As far as Donna is concerned, her job is not about taxes and financial statements but using the data and wealth of information that flows […]
Graeme Plant has a passion and interest in Angel Investing in the Sacramento area and the benefits and opportunities it brings to the economy. Partly this is where Graeme lives and partly it comes from dealing with clients across the US and from around the world. His job includes working as a Mergers and Acquisitions […]
General Stanley McChrystal, amongst other things, was a 34 year military veteran in the US military including the US Commander in Afghanistan up until 2010 when he resigned and was replaced by General David Petraeus. Recently he wrote and published a book called “My share of the task” and was talking with Charlie Rose on […]
Representations and Warranties are standard clauses in any purchase agreement for a business or practice. It’s not something the buyer and the seller tend to spend too much time on; until something goes wrong. Once it goes wrong, the conversation quickly turns to hiring an attorney and taking legal action. Perhaps a little knowledge may […]
Asset Preservation by Deferring Capital Gains Tax Asset preservation by deferring capital gains tax is what Bill Angove is all about. Bill was my guest on Money 2.0 to talk about the work he does at Asset Preservation, Inc. where Bill is the Vice President. Asset Preservation specializes in helping clients defer capital gains tax […]
The amount of data that’s generated every day is overwhelming to even think about. According to Science Daily, 90 percent of all the data in the world has been generated in the last two years. Many businesses enlist the services of a content management system or digital asset management service to access and manage this […]
How quickly can I sell my business? This is one of the questions that comes up in every meeting with every seller and it’s almost without exception in the first meeting. Once a business owner decides it’s time to sell their business they generally want to start the process and get the business sold as […]
The Uncertainty Principle, according to Wikipedia, is a variety of mathematical inequalities used in Quantum mechanics. As I have almost no understanding of Quantum mechanics I am unable to use it effectively except I heard it paraphrased the other day with an explanation that “the more precisely you study and learn something, the less you […]
Employment Training Panel grants are job training funds providing reimbursements for employee training costs. Grants range from $15/hour to $26/hour per employee, depending on the business size and type. Since the Employment Training Panel program began in 1982, California employers have been reimbursed in excess of $1 billion for training workers in more than 80,000 […]
Hal Johnson, from LeadershipOne based in Sacramento, joins me as my guest on 105.5FM and Money 2.0. Hal talks about the work he does at LeadershipOne and his new book entitled ‘The Game Changer.’ LeadershipOne is a consulting firm that deals with the business transition needs of family businesses when the original or older key […]
Confidentiality and selling a business is generally way more important to a business seller than a business buyer. Interestingly, when professionals are involved such as landlords, lenders, escrow officers, accountants and attorneys, if they have a reasonable amount of experience they too get its importance. However, when it involves a buyer or a new professional […]
Steve Zeller is a co-owner of Zeller Kern Private Wealth Management, Inc. and I am delighted to have him as my guest on Money 2.0. Zeller Kern is a fee-based, independent financial advisory firm based in Gold River, California. Steve talks about the firm’s background and what they look for in clients. He explains that […]
A survey was recently released by BizBuySell that asked business owners if they believe the new disruptive technologies such as Amazon, Uber and Airbrb affect the value of their business. One of the results of the survey showed that nearly 40% of business owners consider new technologies affecting their business value. The survey also asked […]
Due diligence occurs during the sale of the business when the price and basic terms of the deal have been agreed upon. Its specific purpose is to allow the buyer to verify the representations of the seller and continue with the purchase of the business or if they feel the details are not accurate, discontinue […]
Michelle Elder is a CPA and joins me on Money 2.0 to share some great tax and accounting tips for small business owners. Michelle owns and operates Elder Accountancy and has just completed her 30th tax year (but please don’t mention this to her.) Michelle begins by sharing what piqued her interest in her field […]
Owning and operating a business is difficult enough at the best of times and even more difficult when starting. As a business owner, whether you like it or not there are laws to follow and those include both Federal and State laws including the tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing agencies […]
If you are thinking of buying a business and want to do it as quickly and easily as you can, don’t make a list of things that are important to you and use that as a start for your search. The more important place to start is with you and how you will be received […]
Learn how to buy a private business in California. Buying an existing private business in California is not an easy task. You need to properly plan the acquisition and follow key steps in valuing and buying a business. Does it start with answering what Is your passion, hobby, or motivation? Yes, this is the first […]
The selling price of a business that goes onto the market is critical. If the business’s selling price is wrong the chances of selling go down considerably. The bad news is that only one in four businesses sell. Having the wrong price on the business for sale is one of the reasons 80% of businesses […]
The Downtown Sacramento Partnership is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of Sacramento’s central business district. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership oversees maintenance, safety, and revitalization programs financed by the Downtown Sacramento Management District, a property assessment district established in 1995 and renewed in 2000. Valerie Mamone-Werder is the Business Recruitment Manager for the Downtown […]
Some companies consider customer service as a necessary evil, forced because of either a problem in the production system or from the inabilities of the consumer. These companies believe that a perfect world would not need customer care. But smart businesses know that a customer service department is an investment in marketing, brand loyalty, and […]
Discussion with CoStar’s Curtis Kroeker about the invaluable business tool: bizbuysell.com.
Moving to the United States or specifically to live in California is very attractive to people all around the world from all walks of life. Doing it legally is a challenge not only because of the amount of time it takes but also waiting for a visa quota to open up so an application can […]
One of the hazards in today’s society is becoming a victim of credit card fraud, here is how to prevent fraud from damaging your business. It can happen in many ways. Here are some popular scams identified by the banking industry: Data Breach Credit Card Scam You get a text message, claiming to be from […]
Buying a business has many complexities. How to determine working capital needs? Understanding the business value, negotiating with the seller, obtaining finance, conducting due diligence, working with attorneys, accountants, tax advisors, government agencies, and more. With so many areas to review, negotiate and decide on, there is one area that is easy to forget. This […]
Social networks reach 80 percent of American Internet users and account for nearly one quarter of all time spent online, according to the Content Marketing Institute.
The Balance Sheet is a critical document when selling a business. The first place almost all buyers start are the financial statements including the Balance Sheet. They typically ask first for the Profit and Loss Statements and Tax Returns as they want to see the cash flow and profitability of the business that is in […]
SEDCorp’s outgoing CEO Brent Smith discusses SEDCorp’s mission in servicing the Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, and Sierra counties.
Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Babe Ruth and Mozart to name a very few were all considered to be a genius.
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines genius as “great natural ability: remarkable talent or intelligence.”
Linda Bigler is a business coach that works one on one with business owners or CEO’s to help them define their goals, put a strategy in place, and hold them accountable in reaching them. I had a chance to interview her on Money 2.0.
Get maximum price when selling your business. The steps to sell a business are many and complicated. When a business owner decides they want to sell, the starting point is a business valuation.
Graeme Plant says Angel investors are often retired entrepreneurs or executives, who may be interested in Angel Investing for reasons that go beyond pure monetary return. These include wanting to keep abreast of current developments in a particular business arena, mentoring another generation of entrepreneurs, and making use of their experience and networks on a less than full-time basis.
Negotiating a lease when buying a business adds to the complications and stress of getting into business. That is, it’s tough enough negotiating with the owner of the business that wants to sell to get a deal that makes sense for both seller and buyer let alone negotiate with landlord
It is normal for a business owner when they plan to sell their business to get a valuation. Often they leave the decision to get a valuation when they plan to sell. This means the opportunity has gone to make some changes or be proactive with strategies that will increase the value of the business.
However, there are different types of buyers and each of them will look at buying your business through their lens or view of the world. Their view obviously comes from their If you are thinking of selling your business you probably have a simple outlook
Ron Crane, Managing Director at DCA Partners based in Roseville, CA, joined me on Money 2.0 to discuss the work they do at DCA and about being an entrepreneur.
Nearly two out of five small business owners say their time is their company’s most valuable asset, and one in four would pay more than $500 for an additional hour of work per day, according to a j2 Global survey. Approximately 44 percent of respondents related their time management problems to wearing too many hats at their companies, often performing five or more distinct tasks within the organization.
Fred Hall, CEO of Amador Appraisals and Acquisitions, joined me on Money 2.0 to discuss the complexities of business appraisals. Fred specializes in business valuations for SBA loans, IRS valuations, divorce, and minority share owner appraisals.
Why sell a business? The successful sale of a business requires both a motivated seller and a motivated buyer. As part of that requirement it also requires the seller disclosing all details of the business to the buyer and often requires the buyer making disclosures to satisfy the seller
Accurate bookkeeping enhances business success. There are too many things to do when you first start a business or the new owner of an existing business. One of the simplest and most important things to ignore though is tracking and recording the sales and expenses of the business.
Last month I wrote an article called “How to buy a business.” The purpose of the article was to help future business owners or those wanting to buy a business navigate more easily through the difficult process of buying a business and how they could do things better.
There is only one reason a business never sells. I can already hear you reading the headline and saying to yourself – what’s Andrew talking about. Yet it’s true and I would suggest every seller fails to consider it properly when trying to sell their business.
There are many laws that apply to owning and operating a business. There are Federal laws including the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service. There are State laws including the different legal entities you can choose and the selling, sales and use taxes and distribution of alcohol.
Buying a business is easier than ever thanks to a spate of new tools that can help you through every step, from finding a broker to putting in an offer.
Your business is a reflection of your dreams and aspirations. It’s a work of art that’s an expression of who you are and what you are about. It devours your time and creativity so you can’t do other things you would at times prefer to do. So what are you going to do with your business when your time and motivations change?
Most people are familiar with the life coach Tony Robbins. I was listening to one of his short videos when he made a simple statement that caught my attention. His statement was “business is a spiritual journey.”
In June 2013, Karl Palachuk joined me as my second guest on an episode of Money 2.0. Karl is the author of ten books and has an extensive background in I.T. Most of his books are I.T. related, however one of his books, Relax Focus Succeed®, is a life balance book
Have you thought about buying a business in the marketing and advertising industry? There are over 37,000 companies in the US alone servicing this sector, with a combined annual revenue of about $94 billion. The industry is highly competitive, has an ever-changing technology and regulatory landscape, and relies heavily on creativity and the fostering of client relationships. There are, however, many opportunities with current evolving trends and niche marketing.
What happens if I default on a SBA loan? If you’ve taken out a Small Business Administration or SBA loan and are not able to make your monthly payment it is undoubtedly creating a lot of stress and distracting you from your core task which is to own and operate your business.
Business selling and buying is a vulnerable time for many. Sellers employ due diligence and open up their books to potential buyers. But the owner and the business must still be protected in case of fraudulent activity.
Surprisingly, in spite of the recession in the US, starting up a company is still proving to be big business. Recent figures in BusinessWeek.com confirm that last year, a staggering 12% of US adults started up their own business; either from scratch, or by buying an existing business or franchise; a significant and dramatic rise from the percentages of previous years.
A small business always beat big business; or using the story we are all familiar with, David will always beat Goliath.
SBA loans have become a critical source of finance when a seller wants to sell their business and a buyer wants to buy a business. The SBA or Small Business Administration is a federal government initiative and since the Great Financial Recession has been the primary source of third party finance allowing businesses to be bought and sold.
How to prevent fraud from damaging your business? Fraud costs many businesses more than it should, can threaten the very survival of the business and ties up its owner in emotional knots. Mike Ueltzen is a partner in the firm he founded some 16 years ago called Ueltzen and Co.
The bulk sale process applies when a business is being sold and the assets move from the owner or seller to a new owner or buyer. In California, the sale of a business from one party to another is considered a personal property transfer or transaction.
There is no question that finding a source of finance to buy a business right now is incredibly tough. Be it good or bad, the market for finance for business acquisitions centers around loans done through the Small Business Administration or SBA loan programs.
There has to be a purpose to the things we do in life or it’s a waste of time. At the end of the day, time is all we have. Better still, it’s a waste of an opportunity. Life to me is all about opportunities.
Why getting a business loan is so difficult. You’ll notice this is a statement and not a question as I recently found the answer. On May 23 I attended I was part of the audience for a presentation organized by the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Risk Management Association.
Importance of a financial plan for a business owner. Most business owners spend a disproportional amount of time running their business to make sure it’s successful. Similarly, most business buyers, especially those buying a business in their late 30’s and 40’s are doing so because they believe they can earn more as a business owner than as an employee and therefore set themselves up for when they plan to retire.
The power of marketing made 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year. This is pure and simple a business success story and how true entrepreneurs focus no more and no less on simply getting it done. No excuses, no fear, no procrastinating.
The process of buying or selling a business has many steps. These can include negotiating with the landlord, arranging third party finance, the buyer conducting due diligence to verify the representations of the seller, the buyer taking over the franchise agreement, the buyer using their 401k money as a downpayment to make the purchase of the business and many more.
How do I apply for an SBA loan? Since the Great Financial Crisis started in the third quarter of 2008, small business owners have been squeezed with the performance of their business as they have been starved of access to credit. This starvation for credit would have been exasperated were it not the lending of the SBA through their different loan programs and the banks they support.
The economy continues to heal. Many business owners were holding off selling their business while the economy was performing poorly and finance hard to get as they had the belief they would not get the best price for the business.
Terms of the deal are more important than price. There is a saying in business brokerage we share equally with buyers and sellers and it is “Get the other party to name the price and you name the terms.”
A good credit score is critical in business and this seems simple enough. However it plays out in many different ways. When a new business starts out, it makes sense to keep costs low and save time by simply operating the business as a Sole Proprietorship.
Do you own a business and know about the Law of Two Feet? So we have all heard of the Law of Attraction and Einstein’s Law of gravity
Should I consider an earn-out when selling my business? If you own a business and you think it is time to sell, an option to add to your tool kit is whether or not you would be willing to receive an earn out as part of the purchase price of the business.
Do you use Key Performance Metrics to run your business? One of the truisms I’ve come to believe wholeheartedly is that no business owner is good at every aspect of owning and operating a business.
To be a little clearer, the skills to own and operate a business are many and varied. What tends to attract a business owner to operate their own business is a self belief that they can do one or two aspects of running a business very well and either hire the skills they lack or learn these with time.
If you watch the TV channel CNBC and in particular Larry Kudlow’s show called ‘The Kudlow Report,’ you will hear his constant preaching that “free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity.”
Always run your business as if it is for sale in case you hear the magic words “I would like to buy your business; are you interested in selling?”
Can I negotiate a lease with the landlord when selling a business may seem an unusual question but it’s worth getting the right answer. And the right answer is – absolutely.
The Small Business Administration (or SBA) has been the provider of many loans for small businesses for many years. If you plan to apply for a loan, here are 10 more reasons for your SBA loan may be declined.
Everyone is familiar with the Christmas song, the 12 days of Christmas. Without going into every verse of the song, the carol works forward with the first day of Christmas being a partridge in a pear tree, the second day of Christmas two turtle doves and so on.
One of the hardest aspects of being an entrepreneur is staying on top of some things you may not like to do because you either don’t enjoy them or simply aren’t good at them…or both.
For all buyers and sellers of businesses, it is important to understand what and how intellectual property can affect you. Understanding the different kinds of intellectual properties is important in figuring out the right kind of legal protection one must have to protect assets and ensure the business is worth the right amount.
Not everyone will agree but I am sure it’s close to the truth that buying or selling a business is unlike anything else. Here are four reasons.
A Covenant Not To Compete is useful when a seller has found a buyer for their current business. This ensures that the new buyer does not open the same type of business as the seller for risk that existing customers will want to do business with the seller and not the new buyer. There are many factors involved to evaluate a Covenant Not To Compete and they are outlined in this article.
For many small business owners, the single most important document for their business is the lease. Unfortunately a lease is generally a long and fairly complicated document. Because of its complexity, many small business owners either accept what they receive or do the bare minimum. Here are some suggestions for you, in no particular order.
If you own a business and receive an unsolicited offer to buy your business please be careful. If your business is currently for sale be even more cautious.
If you own a business and have a partner and have not put a legally binding Buy-Sell Agreement together it is probably the most important document you need to accomplish as soon as you can. Hopefully you never need to put your Buy-Sell Agreement in motion but if you do, you want to execute what’s important to you and your partner so it saves time, money and provides the peace of mind it is supposed to provide.
It is important to know what tangible and intangible assets are in business. Knowing the difference and examples of each can help you with your taxes and the transaction of buying or selling a business. Assets can also be a legal matter, in which case it is important to know about legal protection and how they can help you in any business transaction.
Is it time for an insurance tune-up for your business? The theme of the articles this month are about change and protecting the business. We’ve touched on globalization and technology and how they impact a business. We’ve also talked about disasters and how we have little control if and when they happen. A natural extension […]
The need to understand what and how purchase price allocation works helps when buying or selling a business because it affects both the buyer and the seller. This article outlines purchase price allocation and in what ways in effects a buyer and seller of a business.
Selling a business comes with many challenges. The number one reason most transactions don’t close after a buyer and seller have “negotiated” a deal is that the landlord cannot come to terms with the seller and/or buyer. The number two reason is that finance is not available.
Strategies to successfully sell a business These strategies and top tips when selling a business will increase your chances of success. Successfully selling a business requires a lot of preparation, attention to detail and organization. Most sellers badly underestimate both what they need to do and what to do if a qualified buyer comes along. […]
An add back is a type of tax deduction that small business are able to claim on their taxes. Understanding them and how they work shows one of the many benefits to owning your own business. This article goes into detail about add backs and how they are used after you decide to buy or start your own business.
Getting an SBA loan hasn’t always been an easy task and some recent changes have been to require a business valuation in order for the loan to be approved. An SBA lender cannot provide this service, but a third part like a business broker can. The benefits of an SBA loan and reasons for hiring a business broker to help are outlined in this article.
New business models are emerging that challenge the old assumptions about how to operate a business for profitability.
In the book “Firms of Endearment – How World Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose”(Wharton School Publishing), the authors, Sisodia, Sheth and Wolfe, provide many examples of how companies that take care of all the stakeholders – not just the shareholders – achieve significantly higher profits.
SPICE is their acronym for all the stakeholders:
Ethics you should expect from your business broker when selling your business or buying a business in Sacramento, Los Angeles, New York or anywhere should be non negotiable.
Though the price is an imperative part of buying or selling a business, the terms of the deal are also crucial. This article shows some of the reasons why understanding the terms can help you when it comes to any business transaction.
A business for sale is similar to a house for sale in some respects but very different in others. Some helpful tips to consider when selling your business include: considering commercial real estate, how helpful a team of advisors could be in your journey to sell your business, what assets there are and that the value of all things included in the business are properly valued.
When trying to sell your business, getting an appraisal is beneficial for a number of reasons. Understanding what assets are part of the sale, removing any personal items that aren’t for sale and deciding the worth of your business with a professional ensures success when trying to sell your business. This article outlines the benefits of an appraisal and why it is critical when selling your business.
If you experience difficulty selling your business, there are options available to you. It is important to take care of your lease if applicable, assess your assets and see what you can do to get the best price for your business and work on your inventory. This article goes over these steps and more to help you when you find you cannot sell your business.
To understand your financial statement, you might consider an assessment of where you are right now with your business in terms of sales and goals. A Profit and Loss statement is useful when trying to understand what’s happening with your business and a balance sheet ensures you stay on track with all things going on with your business. These small steps help business owners understand where they are in terms of their financial statements.
If you are selling your business what is your tax position? If you own a business and wish to sell, do you need to understand your tax position before you sell? You are a business owner who is thinking about selling your business.
To successfully sell your business, there are 9 important areas to consider before selling. They range from creating a team to support and help, goals to achieve, tax responsibilities, income necessary, different legal matters to consider, etc.
The process to sell a business is not a quick and easy matter. At the moment it is taking about 8 months to sell a business, if it sells. This means the business sits on the market for about 6 months before finally getting an offer from a buyer. Once the negotiations finish, due diligence commences and closes and escrow opens and closes we arrive at the 8 month period. And this applies if the business sells.
A business should be a constant ball of energy moving in different directions as the economy changes, new tools and innovations come to the market, the stress and strain from competitors and the ever changing demands of customers.
Most business owners have or understand the value in business insurance. It protects the business in case an insured event happens and rather than the business owner wasting time and losing business by addressing the problem, the insurance company takes care of things. Business insurance makes good business sense.
An area that a lot of businesses don’t spend a lot of time measuring but is very easy, cost effective and critical to do is the key performance areas of the business. These key performance areas or metrics can show whether the business has all the parts working together
Email, websites, online bill paying, Amazon.com, FaceBook, Twitter, WI-FI, online banking; how did we survive prior to the internet? The virtual world is all around us and guess what; it’s only going to get more immersed in our everyday life as we look to watching TV and movies
So you’ve made your New Year’s resolutions which included building a business plan. This includes setting your personal and business goals. You also did a budget to make sure you can afford to do what you’ve planned. You are therefore all rested and dressed up and ready to go. Bring it on you say. My question is therefore, you know WHAT you want to do but HOW are you going to do it?
Chances are you have a list of projects and tasks you want and need to do. It probably doesn’t include answering phones, sending and receiving emails, reading articles and newsletters, attending conferences, staying on top of compliance items that affect your industry but numerous day to day activities that lead most entrepreneurs at the end of the day to say “Where did the day go?” And that’s the point of a Productivity Plan.
Buying or selling a business is a complex matter. There is no question about it. The complexities start from the moment a buyer and seller start interacting but there is natural conflict in place. For a start, the buyer doesn’t have any history of the operation of the business and so has to rely entirely on the representations of the seller. Conversely, the seller has lived and breathed the business, knows its upsides and downs including its strengths and weaknesses. My Golden Rule when assisting with a business transaction is for each party to put their feet in the shoes of the other party. In other words, the seller should see things from the buyer’s perspective and the buyer should see things from the seller’s perspective.
The life blood of what we do as human beings and the glue that keeps us all together as a society be at a local, regional, national or indeed international level is the ability to communicate with one another. Many times that communication breaks down and many times this leads to
The sales and marketing plan is a document that most entrepreneurs don’t have time to get around to putting together. I’m not sure why that is as it’s just as important as the business plan and indeed complements it.
Being an entrepreneur requires the need to constantly make decisions. Being a successful entrepreneur requires constantly getting most of those decisions right. No entrepreneur gets every decision right. Just ask Tiger Woods.
One of the hardest aspects of being an entrepreneur is staying on top of some things you may not like to do because you either don’t enjoy them or simply aren’t good at them…or both. Doing math back in school just wasn’t fun for me.
Buying or selling a business is a major step for all entrepreneurs. It comes with obvious financial risk which everyone understands and prevents many would-be-entrepreneurs from starting their journey. However, an element not many understand is that the business ownership comes with
As an environmental consultant it seems that hardly a year passes that does not bring along with it some new potential concern, previously unidentified liability or new tougher regulations that must be adhered to. In this article, I wanted to inform our members of recent changes required by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of their updated environmental program.
Just as there are different sellers with different motivations, there are also buyers with different types of needs and personalities. If you’re the seller of a business or looking to buy, understanding these different personality types may help you be more successful.
Owning and operating a business always comes with many challenges. For different reasons the current recession seems “the worst we’ve ever experienced.”
We’re all familiar with the story about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; the person with two completely different personalities. Just as there are different types of buyers with different motivations, there are also buyers with different types of personalities. If you’re planning on buying a business or if you own a business that you want to sell, here are some Dr. Jekyll “traits” that would discourage a seller revealing too much information about their business.
Everyone hates to fail. Everyone hates to fail at anything. Sometimes it is difficult to find out if and when you are failing. It’s like falling over when you trip. Often you don’t even know you have tripped and fallen until you hit the ground. Owning and running a failing business can be the same.
If you brought ten entrepreneurs together to ask them to make a list of the five most important traits of a successful entrepreneur they would probably finish up with eleven lists. Entrepreneurs don’t like predictability and arriving at simplistic answers. However, if you read each of those eleven lists, I think you would find the following traits on a lot of those lists.
Selling a business is rarely a simple and straight forward process. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve found is that the seller doesn’t put themselves in the shoes of the other parties be it the buyer, lender, landlord, employees, franchisor or whoever.
Can I sell a business in tough times? Should I buy a business in tough times? With negative economic news grabbing the headlines in the United States
If you are considering the sale of your business there are a growing number of brokers and mergers and acquisition specialists available to offer professional assistance to help you determine the value of your business and how the market might respond.
The current economic climate continues to hinder some business sales, but even with a challenging environment, businesses are changing hands. Regardless of the economy many aging boomers are looking to retire, while younger boomers are interested in buying and becoming their own bosses.
Can the seller can stay after selling the business? Selling a business and walking away can be very difficult. But in many cases, there’s a transition
Is business ownership right for you? The reality of the current downturn in the economy is that many companies will need to restructure to create the private sector jobs President Obama is talking about.
Due diligence is a critical window of time in the process of buying and selling a business as the buyer gets the opportunity to bring their experts and prove all the claims made by the seller during the negotiations.
According to SCORE, the lack of a comprehensive Business Plan is one of the top three reasons a busines fails. Let’s look at that in more detail.
If you plan on selling your business, it will help you to understand the different types of buyer. Each buyer who inquires will have their own unique reason to want to buy.
Do thoughts of selling your business ever cross your mind? As a business owner you certainly know that the day will come when you will walk away from your company’s operations.
The Baby Boomer generation is planning their retirement and for many, this means selling the business they built over many years.
The baby boomer generation spans many years creating a unique situation in the business world. Aging boomers are looking toward retirement, while many younger boomers find they’re ready to be their own boss. But what does it all mean?
Selling and buying a business is rarely a simple and straightforward process.
Money tends to rate high up on the list of needs for people planning on starting or moving into business ownership. Here’s 7 tips if you need financing for your business.
This is an article for business buyers. But it also helps the seller of a business understand what a buyer should look for when acquiring a business.
Many economists are predicting that with GM filing for bankruptcy on June 01, 2009 that the economy has hit bottom and will start to improve. With this being the longest recession since the Great Depression and many “green shoots” in the economy starting to appear
If you’re looking to sell a business, it’s critical to look at the value of the business. But a typical business really has two values.
Need a small loan to keep your business going? The economic stimulus package includes a $35,000 life preserver for small businesses drowning in red ink. Under the law, the Small Business Administration temporarily will guarantee 100 percent of loans of up to $35,000 issued by banks to small businesses that are struggling to make payments […]
What is the process of buying a business? Buying a business is a process that takes time. It can sometimes take years to find the
Are you considering starting a business? Here are seven growth industries to consider if you are starting a business.
For a business owner approaching retirement age, a buyout by the core management team in certainly an option. But with any business sale it’s important to proceed with caution.
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.
The economy’s tough, unemployment is at a record high and growing and you’ve decided your best option is to start your own business, be your own boss and put yourself in control.
Many business owners that run as a C Corporation consider converting to an S Corporation so they can avoid the double taxation that a C Corp brings. While this sounds good in theory, there are tax consequences that need to be considered and understood before making that final decision. Below are some questions and answers to help with the decision.
There are many attributes that make successful and strong entrepreneurs. Here’s a look at some of them.
Selling a business comes with many challenges. The number one reason most transactions don’t close after a buyer and seller have “negotiated” a deal is that the landlord cannot come to terms with the seller and/or buyer.
Selling a business is rarely a simple and straight forward process. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve found is that the seller doesn’t put themselves in the shoes of the other parties be it the buyer, lender, landlord, employees, franchisor or whoever. This article outlines 5 suggestions for a seller to use when approaching the way to sell their business.
What are the benefits of a good Business Broker? Many buyers and sellers of businesses will use a business broker to assist with the business-for-sale transaction. In simple terms, business brokers act as middlemen between business buyers and sellers and handle most if not all the details to see a successful transaction. One means by […]
If you are looking to sell your business, this is the perfect business that a buyer is trying to find.
Here is another guaranteed 5 ways you will NOT sell your business. Selling a business comes with complexities so keeping it simple always helps.
Selling a business is not easy. Here’s a look at 5 guaranteed ways you will NOT be successful.
Here are five more services to expect when hiring a Business Broker or third party to represent you in selling your business
There are many options to considering when hiring a Business Broker or Sales Agent or third party to represent you in a transaction, whether you are buying or selling a business.
Selling a business is a complex and often contradictory process. For example, sellers normally don’t want customers, employees, landlords, suppliers, sometimes immediate family and others from finding out their business is for sale
As a Certified Business Broker and owner of a Sacramento, California office of Murphy Business and Financial, I am committed to excellence and an unwavering personal code of ethics.