Why Now Is The Riskiest Time To Own Your Business
Most people think of starting a business as risky, but unless you invest a significant amount of start-up cash in your venture, you’re not really risking much other than your time. That changes if you’re lucky enough to get your business off the ground. As your company grows, you start to risk more and more…
Read More5 Lessons From Home Depot’s Acquisition of Blinds.com
Jay Steinfeld built Blinds.com into a $100 million e-tailer before selling out to Home Depot. Here are five things that made it a spectacular exit. Win The Make vs. Buy Battle Companies like Home Depot have a “make or buy” decision when they see a competitor winning market share. They can opt to buy the…
Read MoreHave You Discovered Your Recurring Revenue Model?
When it comes to the value of your business, what happened in the past is much less important than what is likely to happen in the future. One of the most important ways you can shape the future of your business is to create some recurring revenue. Recurring revenue comes from those magical sales you…
Read MoreAround the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted on PR Newswire entitled “Business owners’ love of work may hinder succession planning” explains the parallels between the number of business owners with no plans to retire and the lack of succession planning. In a recent poll, over 70% of business owners said they are not planning to retire, don’t know…
Read MoreWhen Selling Your Business, Play to Win
If you are an independent business owner, you are most likely also an independent business seller–if not now, you will be somewhere down the road. The Small Business Administration reports that three to five years is a long enough stretch for many business owners and that one in every three plans to sell, many of…
Read MoreSimilar Companies Can Have Huge Value Differences
Can two companies in the same industry have very different valuations? In short, the answer is a resounding, yes. Let’s take an example of two companies that both have an EBITDA of $6 million but with two very different values. In fact, Business One is valued at five times EBITDA, which prices it at $30…
Read MoreThere’s No Business Quite Like a Family Business
The simple fact is that family businesses are different. After all, a family business means working with family and all the good and bad that comes with it. While an estimated 80% to 90% of all businesses are family owned, relatively few are properly planning for what happens when it comes time to sell. According…
Read MoreAround the Web: A Month in Summary
A recent article posted by The National Law Review entitled “Thinking of Selling? Start Early, Build Your Team” explains the importance of putting together a good team of trusted advisors well in advance of selling your business. Your team should include an attorney, accountant, investment banker, and wealth manager. This team will help you with…
Read MoreThe Difficult Issues Often Attached to Valuing a Business
There is little doubt that valuing a business is often complex. In part, this complexity is due to the fact that business evaluation is subjective. The simple fact is that the value of a business is often left to the mercy of the person conducting the evaluation. Adding yet another level of complexity is the…
Read MoreWhat Do Buyers Want in a Company?
Selling your business doesn’t have to feel like online dating, but for many sellers this is exactly what it can feel like. Many sellers are left wondering, “What exactly do buyers want to see in order to buy my company?” Working with a business broker is an excellent way to take some of the mystery…
Read More