Most of us want to control our own fate, and this is especially true for entrepreneurs and business owners. However, the truth of the matter is that for most business owners, their fate isn’t completely in their own hands. For example, a variety of forces can prevent businesses from establishing their own prices. Knowing whether or not your company has pricing power is essential and can influence a range of decisions that you may make. Let’s take a closer look at what steps you can take to control your own pricing. What is Pricing Power? This economic term describes the effect of a change in a product price on the demanded quantity of said product. Your company’s pricing power is linked to the demand for your products or services. If you have a high level of pricing power, you can raise your prices over time and maintain your customers. Who Has the Greatest Pricing Power? It is no great secret that the Amazons, Apples, Wal-Marts and auto manufacturers of the … [Read more...]
The Art of Selling Your Business
The Art of Selling Your Business: Winning Strategies and Secret Hacks for Exiting on Top by John Warrilow was released on January 12th, 2021 is a valuable resource for business owners. John is the founder of The Value Builder System and accomplished author. While not a business broker himself, Warrilow has gathered considerable knowledge and expertise on the industry. His previous book Built to Sell was listed as one of the best business books of 2011. In this article, we explore some of the key points in Warrilow’s latest book. Selling When the Time is Right One key focal point of the book is that business owners should skip trying to find the perfect “magical time” to sell their business. Additionally, Warrilow notes, “I make the strong recommendation in the book that the best time to sell your company is not during some mysterious macroeconomic environment. It is when someone is willing to buy it and you get an offer. And that is because at that point, you’re in the … [Read more...]
Why Businesses Get Into Trouble
While no two companies are exactly alike, with endless variables and many factors causing companies to fall into trouble, there are just a handful of primary reasons why companies can fall on hard times. Let’s take a closer look. Lack of Focus Companies that lack focus can often run into considerable trouble. Not understanding their customers and what they need or want can lead to endless problems. It is vital that companies frequently stop and assess who their customers are and whether or not they are properly servicing their needs. Management Problems Not too surprisingly, many companies can run into trouble because of poor management. Management problems are not one-dimensional, but instead take a variety of shapes. Management that isn’t focused, is incompetent, or simply doesn’t care about the business can translate into a business’s premature death. Under the umbrella of “management problems” also falls such missteps as poor financial controls, quality … [Read more...]
Maximizing Your Time by Rating Buyer Seriousness
Your time is your most valuable commodity. Regrettably, many “buyers” are not truly buyers but are window shopping or acting out a fantasy of buying a business. Others plan to buy only if they find the “deal of the century.” The last thing you want to do is waste your time trying to work out deals with people who aren’t serious or qualified buyers. The Plus and Minus System One approach to weeding out window-shoppers from serious buyers that are truly worth your time is to use a “plus and minus” system. First, let’s evaluate factors for which you’ll want to deduct points. If a buyer needed outside financing, then subtract 4 points. Likewise, if a buyer has been looking for 6 months or more, you’ll want to also subtract 4 points. If a buyer has no cash available, you should subtract 3 points. Additionally, if a buyer is currently working in the corporate world, you should also subtract 3 points. These are the 4 largest reasons to subtract points, but they are not … [Read more...]
Ownership Transition Survey Results
The ownership transition survey by Mass Mutual Life Insurance, though done about a decade ago, is worth examining even today. These interesting survey results were based on feedback and answers from family-owned businesses. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the numbers and what they can tell us for 2021 and beyond. The one important point that leaps right off the page is the fact that a whopping 80% of family-owned businesses are still controlled by their founders. A large percentage of those founders are Baby Boomers who will have little choice but to retire in the next few years. The survey indicated that 55% of CEOs over the age of 61 or older have yet to choose a successor. This fact serves to emphasize the fact that a “retirement wave” will hit family-owned businesses, and will lead to some interesting shifts and opportunities. While the survey indicated that 13% of CEOs state they will never retire, the reality of the situation is that ownership will eventually … [Read more...]
The Importance of Owner Flexibility
Don’t expect to sell your company overnight. For every company that sells quickly, there are a hundred that take many months or even years to sell. Having the correct mindset and understanding of what you must do ahead of time to prepare for the sale of your company will help you avoid a range of headaches and dramatically increase your overall chances of success. Perhaps most importantly, you must have the right attidude. Flexibility is a key attribute for any business owner looking to sell his or her business. There are many variables involved in selling a business, and that means much can go wrong. An inflexible owner can even irritate prospective buyers and inadvertently sabotage what could have otherwise been a workable deal. Be Flexible on Price A key part of being flexible is to be ready and willing to accept a lower price. There are many reasons why business owners may fail to achieve the price they want for their business. These factors range from lack of … [Read more...]
Getting the Most Out of Confidentiality Agreements
When it comes to buying or selling a business, there is no replacement for a solid confidentiality agreement. One key way that business brokers and M&A advisors are able to help buyers and sellers alike is through their extensive knowledge of confidentiality agreements and how best to implement them. In this article, we provide you with an overview of what you should expect out of your confidentiality agreements. A confidentiality agreement is a legal agreement that essentially forbids both buyers and sellers, as well as related parties such as agents, from disclosing information regarding the transition. It is a best practice to have a confidentiality agreement in place before discussing the business in any way and especially before divulging key information on the operation of the business or trade secrets. While a confidentiality agreement can be used to keep the fact that a business is for sale private, that is only a small aspect of what modern confidentiality … [Read more...]
How to Optimize Your Chances of Selling Your Business
Selling your business is likely to be one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make - financially and personally. With this important fact in mind, it is essential that you prepare far in advance. Let’s look at some of the key items you’ll want to check off your list before placing your business on the market. Think About Legalities When it comes to selling a business, legal issues should be at the forefront of your thoughts; after all, selling your business involves the creation and execution of a complex and detailed legal agreement. There are many times in life where it is possible to cut corners, but hiring a good lawyer or law firm is not one of those times. Moreover, you’ll want to settle all litigation, environmental issues or other issues that could potentially derail a sale. Deal with Serious Buyers Working with a good business broker or M&A advisor is an essential part of the selling process, as these professionals will help you to weed out “window … [Read more...]
Insights from BizBuySell’s 3rd Quarter Insight Report
Wondering what 2021 and beyond will bring? Insights from BizBuySell’s 3rd Quarter Insight Report and a survey of over 2,300 business owners can help. First, the pandemic. The simple fact is that it has, unavoidably, had a major impact on the buying and selling of businesses. Diving deeper than this obvious observation, there are a range of insights to be gleaned from the report. First, owners naturally understand that COVID is a massive force in business right now. 68% of owners surveyed feel that they would have received a better price for their business in 2019 than in 2020. Only 37% of respondents felt that they would receive a better price this year. Of owners who felt that they would receive a lower price in 2020 than in 2019, 71% of these owners said that their assessment was directly tied to the pandemic and its accompanying economic impact. Second is the impact of the pandemic on exit plans. 55% of owners responded that the pandemic had not changed their exit … [Read more...]
Zeroing in on Goodwill
Goodwill is a relatively straight-forward concept, although it may be a confusing term for some. It is generally viewed as a term to include everything from a business’s reputation to the goods, services and products it provides. The key idea is that there is goodwill if the business is viewed as a true and functioning business that has longevity in the marketplace. The Importance of Reputation It is important to know that many of the aspects of goodwill are not easily noted on a balance sheet. One of those elements is reputation. A good reputation is an intangible asset that is hard to put an exact dollar amount on. Imagine that you had a choice between two businesses that were almost identical. However, one business enjoyed a strong reputation while the other had a reputation for poor customer service and goods and services. This decision is an easy one for most prospective buyers. Going Beyond the Numbers When a buyer pays more than the "recognized" value of a … [Read more...]