Announcing the sale of your business to employees can be a delicate matter that requires good communication and keeping the news confidential until the sale is definite. Mishandling communication can lead to a host of unwanted problems that can easily be avoided with some preparation. Before you
READ MORE »The journey of business ownership is an adventure filled with ups and downs. To navigate this path with more ease and clarity, understanding the true value of your business is akin to having a reliable compass. This process isn't just about numbers; it's about making informed choices that shape your
READ MORE »Selling your business is a significant decision that requires careful planning and execution. Too often, a business owner waits until they are ready to sell their business to start planning their exit. While it can be done on the fly, a lack of planning often leads to an unnecessary decrease in
READ MORE »Most people know what a business valuation is (the process of figuring out what your company is worth), but not everyone knows the different reasons valuations are performed. Aside from the obvious need for a valuation when you’re ready to sell the business, valuations are preformed for many d
READ MORE »You’ve decided you are ready to talk with a business broker about buying or selling your business. It wasn’t an easy decision; there is a lot to consider! You’re a little nervous about making the call and starting the process, but you’re even MORE nervous about making sure you select the rig
READ MORE »How do you know when it’s time to sell your business? To some it might seem like a silly question, but for a business owner (and particularly for a family-owned business), the decision can cause some sleepless nights. Since we work with a lot of sellers, here is a list of some of the tell-tale sig
READ MORE »One of our favorite things to talk about is how to increase the value of small and mid-sized businesses. Most business owners know how to impact line items on their financial statements (i.e. revenue, salaries, bank balances, etc.), but we find that driving the actual value of the business
READ MORE »It’s a new year! And while it may not feel that much different than the challenging one we left behind, it’s still traditionally a time to assess our current situation and make a resolution to change things that need to be changed. Often, we try to look at ourselves objectively and determine if
READ MORE »“Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run…” Kenny Rogers may have been talking about gambling, but the lyrics work for business owners too. Over half of businesses in the US have been impacted by COVID this year to some degree and as we
READ MORE »If you’re a savvy business owner, you know that maintaining strict confidentiality is critical when selling your business. Only a handful of people should know you’re thinking of selling: your spouse, financial planner, accountant, and attorney. Often, this element alone will push a seller towar
READ MORE »[embed]https://youtu.be/VQFHdUgdgTc[/embed] Coronavirus. Yep, we’re jumping on the bandwagon. Why on earth are we, business brokers, talking about Coronavirus?! It has nothing to do with buying or selling business, right? Hang with us for a minute… On March 3rd, the Federal Reserve cut int
READ MORE »Think about the key employees in your business. The ones who understand how everything works: employee roles, client preferences, supply chain, cash flow, compliance, etc. When they take a well-deserved vacation, you FEEL it and so does everyone else. They might be in sales, support, administration,
READ MORE »2019 is in the books. In general, people are feeling pretty good right now. The S&P 500 was up 28.9% and the Nasdaq was up 35.2%. Unemployment is crazy low at 3.5%, optimism is high, and although there has been lots of turmoil nationally and globally, it has mostly impacted a few specific sector
READ MORE »How much is your business worth? How much is it actually worth to a buyer if you were to sell it right now? Even if you’re not ready to sell at this moment, knowing this number is very important for a few reasons: Planning: We know that most business owners work with financial planners and ac
READ MORE »Non-competes. You’ve probably been exposed to them at some point. Perhaps you have employees sign them or maybe you have signed one yourself at some point. Non-competes are also a very important component of a business transfer. Imagine this: You bought a high-end restaurant. Since you struck a
READ MORE »In addition to eating a ridiculous amount of candy corn, with Halloween around the corner, we’ve been thinking about all things scary. Here are some things that can make an entrepreneurial leap a little more comfortable. If you’re a business owner looking to sell, take note of these things too a
READ MORE »With all of the online options at our fingertips these days, it is easier than ever to sell things. You can buy everything from a couch, to a car, to a house just by listing them online. In these days of the FSBO (For Sale By Owner) posts, wouldn’t it just be easier to try to sell your business th
READ MORE »The short answer: no. We have sellers all the time who ask us this and our answer is always the same: it’s a bad idea. Even if your team is small in number and a very tight knit group, we still recommend that you don’t take them along with you on the ride of selling a business. There are a few l
READ MORE »You’ve probably received a few newsletters from us now that mention getting your business valued and why you should do that. Perhaps you’re wondering how we actually determine the value of your business. Below are the steps in our process. When we compare our valuations to actual sales prices, w
READ MORE »Selling a business shouldn’t be a mysterious process done behind a black curtain and only understood by a select few. The more you understand how your business is valued, how to make it more attractive, and how the selling process works, the better equipped you will be. That’
READ MORE »I recently attended the national Murphy Business conference in Palm Coast, Florida. The beach was nice (although it rained the whole time) and the opportunity to network with other business brokers across the country is a big draw, but the biggest benefit is staying up-to-date with all the lat
READ MORE »Change hurts. Changing our businesses with the times is difficult and we can be forgiven for wanting to avoid anything that’s both difficult and painful. Still, the ways in which businesses connect with their customers has changed and is continuing to do so because those customers&
READ MORE »After nearly two decades of real estate/fixer-upper/curb appeal/garage sale picker reality television, it’s easy to think that there’s a buyer for everything. That may be true – just not at every price and certainly not at any time. We’ve had business owners approach us intending to have
READ MORE »Last week I was honored to conduct two workshops at the Dale Carnegie Training International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme was “WOW!” – which accurately describes how I felt being there among such an impressive group of people. Dale Carnegie Training is a franchised or
READ MORE »The Business Brokerage Press just released the results of a nationwide survey that confirmed what seems to be a no-brainer: A lack of available financing was the biggest obstacle to someone buying a business in 2013. You may be thinking, “No kidding. If I could get a loan, I could buy an
READ MORE »Business owners usually contact a business broker when they’re tired of running their company. Whatever their reason, they’re done. The end is in sight and they may have had one foot out the door for a while. They react poorly when we advise them to operate their business at peak perfo
READ MORE »We’re emerging from a recession and earnings have been slightly (or more than slightly) down over the past few years. Sellers know they have a great business and that it will rebound in the coming years. Buyers get that vision, but aren’t willing to pay for it up front. Therein lays th
READ MORE »Sometimes it’s appropriate (perhaps even necessary) to compete with others: sports and elections come to mind this time of year. Other times, we can choose to collaborate with one another so that everyone comes out a winner. Roger Murphy, founder of Murphy Business, understands the pow
READ MORE »You know that feeling you get when you come back from a great conference? When you gain new knowledge and network with outstanding people? I attended our Annual Murphy Business Conference in Clearwater, Florida, last month and I brought home some great information. I'll share a few of thos
READ MORE »Did you know that your small business is subject to the same regulations as a giant commercial entity? If you find this startling news, you’re not alone; most entrepreneurs in the United States assume that laws apply only to much larger corporations. All companies – small, medium, l
READ MORE »How often do you find yourself looking for that important – yet somehow misplaced – piece of paper? Do you promise yourself that you’re going to become better organized, but find the days, weeks and months slipping by with too much work to do and not enough time to start that new fil
READ MORE »Natural disasters may hit at any time of the year, but the recent wildfires in Colorado and derecho (line of violent thunderstorms) that cut a path across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic have made Americans aware that the atmosphere is often very unstable during the summer months. Have you
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