Are you prepared to sell? Whether you are thinking about selling your business or have already been approached by someone about a potential sale, this is an important question to ask yourself. Something you may want to consider if you are wanting to maximize both your net proceeds from a sale as well as preserving the legacy you have worked hard to achieve is having an intermediary represent you; someone who is on your side of the table and has your best interests in mind. We don’t just say this because we are intermediaries… we know from experience the value that experienced and qualified intermediaries bring to the table during the process of a sale. It’s more important for you, as the business owner, to keep your business operating at a high level than it is to pay attention to the many, many details that come with the sales process. You’re able to do this by limiting distractions and allowing your representative to handle this once in a lifetime transaction. This is where an intermediary is so valuable. You stay focused on your business and an intermediary will market your company and make sure that the appropriate information is provided to a potential buyer in order to obtain a formal offer.
You may be wondering, what information does an intermediary need? To begin, we typically ask for 2 years of tax returns, 2 years of financial statements, and your top 20 sales by customer. All of this will be kept confidential as outlined in the NDA (non-disclosure agreement). This information allows us to begin a deep dive into the business and see how we might be able to structure the deal in order to meet your goals. Once we go through a formal presentation to share with you what we believe we can do for you and you engage us, we will request additional information depending on what industry your company serves. This is where the real work begins of producing marketing materials, identifying potential buyers and doing what we do best…walking alongside you to fulfill your dream of a healthy and profitable exit as you pass along your awesome company to the next proud owner.
I hope that this information is helpful and puts your mind at ease about the next steps in a potential sale of your business. Why not take the next step and pick up the phone or send us an email and come sit down with us for a free consultation around our table. We would love to talk with you.