Prospective business buyers often make the terrible mistake of being overzealous when talking with a seller for the first time. I get it; you’re excited. Perhaps you have spent a ton of time looking at listings and do not want to waste any time on potential businesses that fail to meet your cr
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source have recently published their second quarter market research for 2017. The report is a statistical analysis of 293 respondents who answered a 25-question survey. This is the final part of a three-part series
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source have recently published their second quarter market research for 2017. The report is a statistical analysis of 293 respondents who answered a 25-question survey. This is the second of a three-part series wher
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source has recently published their second quarter market research for 2017. The report is a statistical analysis of 293 respondents who answered a 25-question survey. This is the first of a three-part series where
READ MORE »North Carolina was just named the best state to start a business by FitSmallBusiness! Check out the article here: NC Best State to Start a Business
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source just published their first quarter market research for 2017. The report is a statistical analysis of 315 respondents who answered a 25-question survey. In a three-part series, I will examine the IBBA and M&am
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source recently published their first quarter market research for 2017. The report is a statistical analysis of 315 respondents who answered a 25 question survey. In a three-part series, I will examine the IBBA and
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source just published their first quarter market research for 2017. The report is a statistical analysis of 315 respondents who answered a 25-question survey. In a three-part series, I will examine the IBBA’s and
READ MORE »Nice Forbes article by @Richard Parker on preparing for and conducting negotiations when buying and selling a business. And he gave me a little shout out, so that's a bonus... Click here for Forbes Article
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association recently updated their survey results for the third quarter of 2016; the report included 278 respondents. For the final part, I will be breaking up the businesses by size and comparing the numbers to last quarte
READ MORE »Just closed the sale of a very nice clinical trials company. This is what the document stack for a business acquisition and real estate purchase, funded with an SBA 7a acquisition loan, SBA Express Line of Credit, and 401k Rollover, asset purchase turned stock purchase turned 338(h)(10) transact
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source recently published their third quarter market research for 2016. The report is a statistical analysis of 278 respondents. In this second of a three part series, I will examine the IBBA and M&A Source’
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source just published their third quarter market research for 2016. The report is a statistical analysis of 278 respondents. In a three part series, I will examine the International Business Brokers Association (IBB
READ MORE »https://www.axial.net/forum/2-ways-investment-bankers-add-value-ma/
READ MORE »By Ron Buck If you are considering selling your company in 2017, here are three things you should be doing (or not doing as the case may be) between now and year end. First, plan now with your accountant to be first on their list of tax returns to be completed in 2017. Buyers and bankers pre
READ MORE »Your First Conversation with the Seller: Making the Most of It By Richard Parker - Diomo Corporation Prospective business buyers often make the terrible mistake of being overzealous when talking with a seller for the first time. I get it; you're excited. Perhaps you have spent a ton o
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association recently updated their survey results for the second quarter of 2016; the report included 378 respondents. In the last part of this series, we will analyze how the types of businesses that make up the market ha
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack Recently, the M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association updated their survey results for the second quarter of 2016; the report included 378 respondents. This is the second part of a three part series where we will examine how the market is changing in term
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack Recently, the M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association updated their survey results for the second quarter of 2016; the report included 378 respondents. This is the first part of a three part series where we will examine how the market is changing. Curr
READ MORE »6 Overlooked Benefits of a Company Valuation By Meghan Daniels, Axial | July 26, 2016 Most business owners seek a valuation for their company when there’s an immediate need — they’re ready to sell or raise capital now, or they have a shareholder that is being bought out or gifting
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) recently published the results of their first quarter 2016 Market Pulse Report based on 370 survey respondents. Part 1 we examined three questions: Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market, how long does
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) recently published the results of their first quarter 2016 Market Pulse Report based on 370 survey respondents. In this second part of a three part series, we will examine the reasons why a business is
READ MORE »By Brandon Mack The M&A Source and the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) recently published the results of their first quarter 2016 Market Pulse Report based on 370 survey respondents. In this first part of a three part series, we will examine three questions: Is it a buy
READ MORE »Research conducted by the Kauffman Foundation shows that entrepreneurship is on the rise among the ages of 55 – 64, where age and experience can be more beneficial than in the job market. Here's a nice article by George Meszaros, Co-founder of Success Harbor on the advantages of starting a busine
READ MORE »by Ron Buck Your existing accountant is your first choice if they are experienced in transactions of this nature. If not, ask them for recommendations as they will still be an integral part of the transaction going forward (particularly in providing historical financials and updates). There
READ MORE »Latest USA Today poll addresses issues small business owners care about: economy, technology improvements, access to credit, and barriers to growth. Click Here for Article
READ MORE »By Mike Metzger Feb 17, 2016 It probably goes without saying that selling a business can be an emotional experience. Very few owners can completely distance themselves from their business . . . after all, this is their baby. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to irrational decisions that can
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC If I sell the business now, will I get enough money to satisfy my needs? Will I really improve my personal financial position, or should I wait a little bit longer? Define priorities: Do I want an all-cash deal, so that I can wash
READ MORE »Good article on other factors to consider in addition to EBITDA when valuing, buying, or selling a business. Click here for a definition of EBITDA. https://www.axial.net/forum/when-ebitda-is-just-a-number-the-limitations-of-ebitda/?utm_campaign=2015+Forum%3A+CEO&utm_source=hs_email&utm
READ MORE »By Murphy Business Broker – Shelly Stansfield Two recent discussions are worth considering when thinking of about selling your business. One gentleman wants to sell his business to a couple employees in a couple of years and the other wants to sell in 10 years. TWO YEAR GOAL: A moderately
READ MORE »Here’s a valuable info graphic from insidesales.com depicting the best and worst times for cold (and warm) calling. For example, is it better to make your prospecting calls Tuesday at 10 am or Thursday at 4? The difference results in a 3.1x hit rate differential. On the flip side, if you real
READ MORE »By Business Broker Russell Cohen | Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC Anyone selling a business should be considering the elements of the sales process. Business brokers are invaluable in each of these considerations: Think It Through – Know What You Want Do you want t
READ MORE »Nice infographic characterizing what can go wrong in a transaction. I would add to this list: unrealistic structure/terms expectations, inadequate preparation for due diligence, and not working closely enough with the lenders throughout the transaction. [caption id="attachment_696" align="align
READ MORE »If you are considering selling your business in 2016 or 2017, now is not the time to aggressively manage your year-end taxes – particularly if you are simply accelerating expenses and deferring revenue recognition. This is more detrimental to your overall financial gain than Giving Up $2 to Save
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC An established business has much to offer a prospective buyer. A proven product or service exists, as well as a customer base. Typically, there are experienced employees and managers in place (and many choose to remain with the company after the
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC Today we are offering a wish list for a typical seller of a small business. Entrepreneurs who are selling their companies, as well as those looking to purchase, generally agree on what would make the process more seamless overall. What the sel
READ MORE »In depth report from BizBuySell on how businesses for sale transaction and valuation metrics for third quarter and 2015 year-to-date stack up against 2014. Breakdowns include geography (Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro-High Point, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem are each tallied) and industry sector. On
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC We recently presented a wish list for a typical seller of a small business. Now, it’s the buyer’s turn. Entrepreneurs – whether they are buyers or sellers – generally agree on several factors that make the business transfer p
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC When you begin to negotiate the sale of the business, you will be much better off if you have developed a personal plan and have prioritized which items in the deal are the most important to you and which items you can compromise on and still acc
READ MORE »I’ve noticed a recurring theme across many business owners that is seriously dampening the value of their companies – that is, running personal expenses through the company. Perhaps unknowingly, they are doing just that – giving up $2 to save 30 cents. Certain types of personal expenses
READ MORE »When selling your company, a good attorney can help make your transaction go smoothly while protecting you from unnecessary legal risks. When looking for an attorney, start with one that you are comfortable with and have used before. The first question to ask your existing attorney is if they exp
READ MORE »By Dick Halterman Murphy Business – Shenandoah Valley, Virginia From time to time, I am in the unfortunate position of telling some 50-year old business owner that they “just don’t have any goodwill”. “But we have been around forever, or our name is like a household word in the commun
READ MORE »by Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC (edited by Murphy Business Broker Ron Buck) Here are some of the obvious, and not so obvious, steps you can take as you get ready to sell your business: Clean the premises Organize the books and records Deal with any customer/vendor/emp
READ MORE »Here are some of the obvious, and not so obvious, steps you can take as you get ready to sell your business: Clean the premises Organize the books and records Deal with any customer/vendor/employee issues prior to the sale Try to increase revenues without sacrificing margin (increasing revenue
READ MORE »You've spent a lifetime building up your business. Whether you have always planned to move on or are selling your business due to the continuing pressures exerted by the many recent economic downturns, you will be looking to achieve the greatest profit attainable for your efforts. That is why i
READ MORE »The most important and fundamental thing you can do to increase the purchase price of your company is to increase the sustainable cash flow or Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (click here). After that there a number of things that you can do: the self-serving answer is to make sure you hire a profe
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC The biggest financial transaction in a private business owner’s life is likely the sale of his or her business. Although many transfers are predetermined, others result from unplanned events, which is why it is essential for business owners to
READ MORE »There are many ways to increase the value of your company. As we discussed before, for the most part “buyers buy cash flow.” Therefore, the best way to increase the value of your company is to increase the quality and amount of your sustainable cash flow (one-time gimmicks or accounting tric
READ MORE »Great Forbes article highlighting the alignment of three key factors making it advantageous to sell now: low interest rates, $1.2 trillion in private equity dry powder, and the coming boomer retirement wave. Forbes Article
READ MORE »Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (“SDE”) is a common, and highly correlated, metric used in valuations of companies with enterprise values less than $3 million +/-. For companies with values above $3 million, adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, income Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortizat
READ MORE »By Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC Ho-hum, you may be thinking. Or, boring. Maybe even, when can I possibly fit this into my hectic week? As an entrepreneur, you are an extremely busy individual who probably shoots from the hip more often than not. So, do you really n
READ MORE »The true answer is a company’s value is what a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept in an arm’s length transaction. In determining the starting point, or asking price, a valuation will be performed on the company that takes into account the financial trends and opportuniti
READ MORE »Question of the Week: What is the process to sell a company? The process is different for every company depending on the structure and type of buyer, but all transactions follow the same general outline: planning, marketing, deal making, and closing. At Murphy, we further break down the pro
READ MORE »By Murphy Business Broker – Shelly Stansfield The growth or lack of growth in the economy is a current debate. So, if you are one of the Baby Boomers who weathered the 2008 economic crisis and still in business, let's consider your situation. You are labeled a "Baby Boomer" because you are n
READ MORE »Question of the Week: How can I speed up the process of selling my company? A: Much of the timing of the sales process is out of the Seller’s hands, but there are a number of things that you can do as a Seller to minimize the overall time to sell your company and the time the ball is in yo
READ MORE »Question of the Week: How long will it take to sell my business? A: While every business and situation is different, plan on at least a month for us to work together to prepare the marketing material on your company (including an opinion of value and a detailed confidential business review).
READ MORE »Forsyth County's population grew at 1.04% in 2014 and Guildford County grew at 1.02%, both ahead of the North Carolina overall rate of 0.97%. More than doubling the state rate were Mecklenburg County (2.02%) and Wake County (2.43%), making it one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.
READ MORE »By Business Broker Russell Cohen Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC When you’re hoping to sell your business there are a number of things to be concerned about. There are a few ways you can get a step-up on your buyer and anticipate their moves before they have thought them up th
READ MORE »Unique aerial view of Winston-Salem, NC. Photo credits to Sky Pro Aerial, music credits to Mr. RJ Crohn, aka RJD2. The song is called "A Spaceship for Now." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTlhO_UFhW4&feature=share
READ MORE »By Business Broker Russell Cohen Murphy Business & Financial Corporation LLC Selling a business is a complicated and an intricate procedure. However, business brokers play a fundamental role in getting along the process to make it a successful deal. There are several factors and cautions inv
READ MORE »As the Triad’s jobless rate approaches the traditional “full employment” level of 5%, the meaning of that data is still in dispute. Either way, it's definitely better for business owners than a rising unemployment level. https://goo.gl/aizVpJ
READ MORE »Raleigh recently ranked as the #3 US city for growth and 41st worldwide. Only four US cities made the list. This is good news for both potential business buyers looking to relocate to North Carolina as well as business owners preparing to sell their companies in the Raleigh/Triangle area
READ MORE »Nice summary of a University of Alabama study on the value that an M&A adviser coupled with a competitive sales process brings to the business owner selling their company. https://goo.gl/BlxeeJ
READ MORE »Good news for business owners looking to sell their companies. Jobless rate in the Triad continues to fall as the economy improves as reported in this Winston-Salem Journal article: https://goo.gl/XtD9zz
READ MORE »By Murphy Business Broker – Shelly Stansfield The buzz is that if you are a Baby Boomer and you want to sell your business in the next few years, then you are in the majority. You are not the only Baby Boomer and will possibly have your business compete against many more similar busin
READ MORE »By Laura Barbara, Murphy Business Broker I have very fond memories of my first “real” job. After all, this was my initial step into the real world: no longer did I receive cash for a few hours of watching someone’s children; I now had my hands on an official paycheck – complete
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, large and m
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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