The following is provided as a simple explanation of common leasing arrangements within a small business transaction. It is not intended to provide legal advice. The New Lease A new lease is created generally when the prior lease has expired or is about to and when there are going to be substantial changes to the […]

The cliché is that the key to business success is: location – location – location. If you own a business in which the location is an important reason for the success of the business, and you are considering selling, then the lease is a very critical issue in the sale. The time to deal with […]

This is a story based on a true incident – only some of the details have been changed. The buyer and seller were ready to close on a business when the buyer asked to look at the list of fixtures and equipment that were to be included in the sale. After a few minutes reviewing […]

Depends on whom you are asking. If you’re the seller, you might say that the asking price is too low. The buyer would say, obviously, that the asking price is too high. How can they both be right? Who decides? Most sellers have an idea of what they want for their business. It can be […]

What are the odds of your business actually selling once you have made the decision to sell? Well, if the annual sales of your business are $750,000 or less, research indicates that the odds of your business selling are only 18 percent. If your annual sales are $750,000 to $2 million, your odds increase to […]

There was a study done, years ago, that showed that the reason businesses were for sale had a direct relationship to its probability of sale. Reason for Sale %Reason for Sale %Probability of Sale Retirement 10-15% 30-35% Health Problems/Death 15-20% 25-30% Partnership & Family Problems/ Divorce 5-10% 15-20% Burnout/Other Business Investments 15-20% 15-20% Under-capitalization 20-25% […]

Many people who are selling their business think that once they find a buyer, the business is sold. Unfortunately, the real work is just beginning. Once a buyer is interested, there are the inevitable questions that must be answered. After the questions are answered and the buyer has satisfied himself or herself that the financial […]

Prepare for new management. As soon as you make the decision to sell, begin doing what you can to help the business run “on its own.” The business should not, especially now, be just you! Accept the financing facts. You’ll likely be financing the sale of your business, since banks are traditionally unenthusiastic about loans […]

If you’re considering selling your business, and you are employing a professional business broker or intermediary, it’s imperative to be absolutely open with him or her. This is not the time for secrecy — or even for subtlety, especially when it comes to problems. If you’ve been having trouble with your lease, one of your […]

Buyers Want Cash Flow The first thing to keep in mind is that the vast majority of buyers want to buy cash flow. Sit down with your accountant or bookkeeper and begin to get your financial statements in order with cash flow the order of business. Cash flow is not the same thing as profit. […]