Entrepreneurs Really Do Think Of Business As Their Baby
Many business owners say selling their business feels like giving a child up for adoption. As it turns out, that’s not just a metaphor. Research shows entrepreneurs really do think of their business as a kid. Researchers found parallel brain activity between owners thinking about their business and parents thinking about their kids. In either case, similar areas of […]
Buyer’s Top Focus Is Employee Team
Employees. Finding them. Keeping them. It’s on everyone’s mind right now. And for the company or person who buys your business, it just may be their number one concern. In the latest IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Report, a quarterly survey of M&A advisors, respondents indicated that employees were buyers’ number one due diligence […]
Retention Raises Business Value, Especially Now
“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” Those words of Doug Conant, business leader and former CEO of Campbell Soup Company, ring particularly true today. The talent market was tight before the pandemic, but now we’re in a critical state. Finding employees, and keeping them, is a challenge for everyone. […]
The Happiest Business Owners Know What’s Next
I recently came across Bo Burlingham, the former executive editor for Inc. magazine and author of several books, including Finish Big: How Great Entrepreneurs Exit Their Companies on Top. What I learned from his book is many business owners are unhappy after selling their companies. It doesn’t really matter how much someone got for their business – some sellers are delighted while others […]
What Happens to Employees After I sell?
Business owners often come to us concerned about employee jobs and retention issues after a sale. They worry that selling their business will lead to job losses if certain positions become redundant. However, buyers today are often just as focused on retention issues. Your experienced talent can be a key value driver, and buyers want to make sure these people stick around. Your […]
Know the 3 Types of Business Buyers and What Motivates Them
When selling your business, you may receive offers from three kinds of buyers: strategic, financial, and individual. Here’s a look at the most common buyers and where their motivations lie. Strategic buyer: The strategic buyer is a company that is looking to grow by acquiring another business that has synergies with its own. The idea is […]
How COVID Slumps and Bumps are Affecting Business Values
I don’t know of anyone whose business wasn’t affected, at some level, in 2020. Businesses were either on the COVID slump or the COVID bump. Some businesses, like gyms, may have lost customers permanently as people brought those experiences into the home. For restaurants and stores near big commercial office centers, it could be years […]
What is the Most Significant Characteristic that Defines Future Success?
During a business conference I attended a couple of years ago, the facilitator asked, “What is the biggest characteristic that contributes to future success?” Think for a moment about how you would answer that question. Would you say intelligence? Strategic thinking? Vision or subject matter expertise? Why do you think you’ve gotten where you are? […]
Put Time Into Planning Sale Of Business
Over my career, I have witnessed business owners who spent more time planning for their children’s wedding, their 50th wedding anniversary, or even their fantasy football draft, than they put into planning for the sale of their business. According to the quarterly Market Pulse Report, we know that when it comes time to sell their […]
Spring Cleaning is Good For Business
We’re just a few weeks into spring and that means it’s time for spring cleaning – both at home and at work. Putting in this effort on a yearly basis makes due diligence and the whole business sale process a lot smoother. Here’s what I mean: Clean financials: I harp on this a lot. Messy numbers and casual […]
