One of the biggest misconceptions about buying a business is that you need to have enough cash to pay the entire purchase price upfront. In reality, how you structure the deal can be just as important as the price you pay. As a business broker, I often see opportunities where a buyer and seller agr
READ MORE »Would You Buy a $5 Million Business With One Big Risk? As a business broker, I often remind buyers that there is no perfect business—but there is a right business for you. Imagine a company generating $5 million in revenue and $500,000 in owner profit. Sounds attractive, right? But there's a c
READ MORE »By William Ilgenfritz Many Pittsburgh business owners assume that if a company is profitable, buyers will naturally compete for it. Sometimes that happens. But strong businesses still fail to sell every year. Not because the business is weak. Because buyers evaluate far more than perf
READ MORE »By William Ilgenfritz Many Pittsburgh business owners only begin thinking seriously about selling when the timeline starts feeling close. But some of the strongest exits begin years earlier. Three years can be enough time to improve value, reduce risk, strengthen operations, and create more
READ MORE »By William Ilgenfritz Many Pittsburgh business owners believe the selling process starts once the business officially goes to market. In reality, strong exits are usually built long before that happens. Some of the smoothest and most successful transactions are the result of preparation done
READ MORE »By William Ilgenfritz Many Pittsburgh business owners assume that once a serious buyer enters the process, closing is only a matter of time. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Buyers walk away from opportunities every year — including businesses they were initially excited about. Of
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