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8 Ways to Make Buying a Business Less Scary

Business Business For Sale Business Information Buy a Business Buying a business For Buyers

Posted by Jennifer Smith Hendrickson on

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 ...
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Business FSBO

Business Business For Sale Business Information For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business

Posted by Jennifer Smith Hendrickson on

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 ...
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Should I Tell My Employees I’m Selling?

Business Business For Sale For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business

Posted by Jennifer Smith Hendrickson on

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 ...
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Part Angel, Part Pit Bull

Business Business Information For Buyers For Sellers General Business

Posted by Jennifer Smith Hendrickson on

Obviously we think that having a business broker when buying or selling a business is important; that’s why we do what we do. But why do our clients love us? Our broker, Jennifer, and our team are great at getting results. Just read this testimonial from a client whose deal we closed last month: ...
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How We Value Businesses

Business Business For Sale Business Information For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business Valuation Valuing

Posted by Jennifer Smith Hendrickson on

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 ...
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Growth Through Acquisition

Business Information Buy a Business Buying a business For Buyers

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

Businesses grow in one of two ways: organically or by acquisition. Growing organically means that you grow slowly but surely over time as the demand and money allows. When you grow by acquisition, you buy another company and absorb them into your organization. Growing by acquisition can be a great b ...
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Discounted Cash Flow

For Sellers Valuation Valuing

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

In an academic setting, a discounted cash flow model sounds like a completely reasonable form of valuing a business.  You project out the anticipated cash flows for 5-10 years, use a discount rate and look at what those future cash flows are in present day dollars.  The formula for this i ...
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Knowledge is Power

Business For Sale

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

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’ ...
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Valuation Reasons

Business Information For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business Valuation Valuing

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

Do you know what your business is worth?  I mean, really know?  Most business owners think they have a good idea what their business is worth, but often it is only an unrealistic expectation.  Sometimes they shortchange themselves, other times they tend to think it’s worth more ...
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It’s a Small World

Business Information

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

I was at an international convention a few weeks ago and was asked if we can do business valuations in other parts of the world like Europe and Asia.  YES!  While we primarily work with companies in North America, the Murphy Business team is able to work with other currencies and pull comp ...
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Close the Gap

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Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

Let’s say that the last few years haven’t been kind to the earnings of your business.  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 the “v ...
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Invest in a Franchise

Buy a Business Buying a business For Buyers

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

As we talk to clients who are considering going into business for themselves, many have never thought about buying a franchise.  Some are so convinced that franchises are out of their league that they don’t even want to talk about the possibilities.  When one thinks of franchising, t ...
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Never Stop Learning

Business Business For Sale Business Information Buy a Business Buying a business For Buyers For Sellers General Business Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business Small Business Valuation Valuing

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

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 ...
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Partnership Pitfalls

Business Information

Posted by Jennifer Smith on

You, like many Americans, just might be entrepreneurial.  The idea of being your own boss, selling a product or craft that you make yourself, or providing a service to other people or businesses, is tantalizing.  You also know that starting a business is easy and so is failure.  We have to balanc ...
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What’s This Stuff Actually Worth?

Valuation Valuing

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

By now, you probably know that Murphy Business of Cape Girardeau helps people value, buy, and sell businesses.  You should also know that we assist business owners with the valuation of their business’s machinery and equipment (M&E).  So you’re probably thinking, “Why ...
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Walk a mile…

Business Information Buy a Business Buying a business For Buyers For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

My husband is, among many things, a trained classical musician and he’s often asked to explain the difference between a violin and a fiddle.  “It depends on whether you’re buying it or selling it,” he says - and he’s not wrong.  A buyer wants to depress the fi ...
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Selling a Business in 2018

For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

One of questions I’m asked most often is:  How does one go about selling a business?  The short answer is this:  Carefully, and with help from several places.  The starting point for selling any business is to engage a trained business broker who will examine and value your ...
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FixerUpper

Business For Sale For Sellers Sell Sell a Business Selling Selling a business

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

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& ...
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Value Your Business

Valuation Valuing

Posted by Jennifer Hendrickson on

While your accountant is working feverishly to get your 1099s and W2s out, it’s a good time to think about using your up-to-date year end financials to have a business valuation done. Some businesses have performed extremely well in the past few years.  A few have not.  Keep in mind ...
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Seasonal Businesses

Posted by Jennifer Smith on

Seasonal businesses come in all shapes and sizes.  A snow cone truck will thrive when the weather’s hot and won’t generate a profit when it’s cold out – there’s just not enough demand for snow cones when there’s snow everywhere.  A hotel or go-cart track at the lake might generate all ...
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