Should You Sell Your Construction Business? Yes, and Here’s Why
You’ve worked extremely hard to build a successful construction business, and you’re reaping the rewards of that work. However, you’re ready to move on to something else, such as retirement or another business.
Before you close your company, think about selling it. Then, you can keep the business going without having to run it yourself.
Read on to learn more.
Prepare for Retirement
One of the best reasons to sell your construction business is to help prepare for your retirement. As you get close to retirement age, you may want to stop working, but your business might be doing too well to close.
You can sell your business to get some extra cash, which can help top off your retirement savings. Then, you may have enough money to retire comfortably, so you can maintain your lifestyle.
Retirement is a big decision, and it takes a lot of planning, especially when you own a business. Selling your construction company can give you a smooth path from full-time business owner to retiree.
Cut Back on Work
Maybe you aren’t quite ready to retire, but you don’t want to work as much. Running a small business takes a lot of time, and you may want to slowly cut back on your working hours.
Selling your business can be a good way to help you reduce your schedule. You can move to an employee role either for the new owner or for another company.
That way, you’ll be able to show up to work and do your work for those eight hours. When your shift is over, you can go home and not worry about marketing a business or getting new clients.
Mitigate Your Risk
Owning a construction business or any other company can be risky. If you’re ready to stop dealing with a ton of risk, you may decide to sell your company to someone who can take on the risks.
You can sell the business for a set price, and you’ll be able to get that money in your pocket now. While your total gains may be less than if you kept the business, you won’t have to worry about losing money.
Whether you’re looking to retire, buy a house, or do something else, it helps to have financial stability. Even the most successful small business can have ups and downs, so you may not always make money.
You’ve Made Money
Perhaps your goal for starting a construction business was to make some money and get out. If you’ve made as much money as you wanted, it’s a good time to sell.
This is especially true if your business is especially profitable right now. You may not want to wait and risk losing money and then trying to sell the business when buying it wouldn’t be as desirable.
If you sell your business when it’s doing well, you may get more interest from buyers. The buyers may also be more serious about taking over your business so that it can continue to thrive past your involvement.
Losing Interest
If you’ve run your construction business for a while, there’s a good chance you may not be as passionate about it anymore. Interests can change over your life, and that’s okay.
You may find it harder to run a business that you don’t care about. Selling the business can be a good way to give it to someone who does want to run it and make it a success.
Plus, you can use the money you receive to start a different business that interests you more. Then, you’ll look forward to starting and growing a business, and you may be able to make that new business successful.
Desire to Relocate
Another good reason to sell your small business is if you want to move. You can run a business from afar, but it may not be as easy as being in town where you can meet clients in person.
Even if you want to stay in the area, maybe you want to move to the other side of town. That move may then require a longer commute, and you might not want to deal with that.
If you don’t want to move your main office with you, it can be a good idea to sell the business. Then, someone else can keep up with the current operations and projects.
Problems Between Owners
When you have co-owners, you may have to make compromises regarding how to run the business. But if you and the other owners disagree on matters that can significantly affect the business, it may be better for everyone to get out.
Then, you can sell the business to one person or to a team of people who have the same vision. That way, the owners will be able to focus on growing the business instead of fighting over how to do that.
Of course, you can also choose to sell your portion of the business if another owner wants to keep it. Then, you can avoid the stress of running a business with someone else.
Help Employees Keep Their Jobs
Before you simply close a business, consider your employees. Selling the business can be a good way to let those employees keep their jobs as long as you include an employment clause in the sale contract.
You can make sure any potential buyer is comfortable working with the current employees. Then, you won’t have to leave people in the dust looking for new jobs.
Instead, they can keep the business running during and after the sale. That way, you and your successor can enjoy a bit less stress as you transfer ownership.
Will You Sell Your Construction Business?
Selling a construction business is a big deal, so you shouldn’t take the decision lightly. However, consider how selling can benefit you, your employees, and the community.
You can use the money to prepare for retirement or open a new business. Then, you’ll be able to enjoy your life and get rid of any potential stress of running a construction company.
Are you ready to sell your business? Register as a seller to work with business brokers today.
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What Should You Expect from Term Sheets?
If you’re selling your business, at some point you’ll likely be presented with a term sheet. As the name suggests, this document will include the “terms” of the deal including the basic economic terms and conditions of a prospective acquisition. It is a list of conditions to be met if the sale successfully takes place, yet it is not legally binding.
What is the Difference Between a Term Sheet and the LOI?
Both a term sheet and letter of intent (LOI) will include stipulations and lists for a buyer and seller to agree upon. The major difference is that the term sheet doesn’t require a signature, while the letter of intent does. In many cases, buyers are hesitant to sign before the due diligence stage. In this situation, you may find that the term sheet will precede the LOI.
How Lengthy are Term Sheets?
There is no standard model or form to a term sheet. Therefore, it may be as short as one page, or it could even be five or more pages. But no matter how many pages it may be, it should explain what is being purchased and a stated price. In some cases, the information in a basic term sheet will lead to a formal letter of intent.
What Components Should be Included?
In addition to the price and terms, a term sheet can include other considerations relating to the purchase of the business. For example, it can include employment agreements or non-compete clauses. They can also include conditions to be met upon closing. Often the term sheet will detail plans for the buyer to conduct due diligence and gain additional information. You can expect to find everything from warranties and lists of what is included in the sale to exclusivity clauses within term sheets.
One aspect of the term sheet that should not be overlooked is the method of payment. Typically, the payment sections are far more complex than just “cash at close.” Instead, they will describe a combination of elements including cash at closing, but also other forms of payments. In some situations, they will include details regarding a loan from the seller.
The term sheet is quite beneficial as it can expedite the sales process and prevent serious misunderstandings. As a result, this non-legally binding document can initiate a smooth beginning to a successful deal.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
The post What Should You Expect from Term Sheets? appeared first on Deal Studio – Automate, accelerate and elevate your deal making.
Is Your Deal Really Done?
Once you get to the stage of your deal where you have a signed letter of intent, you may already be feeling a sense of relief that your deal is near finalization. But remember that the due diligence stage is typically yet to come. This stage includes everything from financial and legal investigations to a review of specific information regarding how a business is run.
The due diligence process can be quite comprehensive and it often reveals some surprises. Because it is important for sellers to know what to prepare and for buyers to know what to look for, let’s examine some of the categories that are reviewed during this process.
Trademarks and Copyrights
Will assets like trademarks, patents and copyrights be transferred? This is a point that has certainly interfered with some deals being successful. Due to the fact that trademarks, patents, and copyrights are often essential parts of a business, they cannot be overlooked.
Products and Industry
Due diligence will likely include analysis of product lines and the respective percentage of sales that they make up. If the business in question is a manufacturing business, then all aspects of the process will be examined. For example, buyers will be looking for age and value of the equipment, information about suppliers, etc.
Financial Statements
It goes without saying that financial statements should be poured over during due diligence. Current statements and incoming sales should be carefully reviewed. Review of financial information will also include balance sheets. Is there bad debt? Is there work in progress? These kinds of issues will be evaluated.
Customer Lists
If you are selling a business, you should be prepared to share lists of major customers. Buyers may also want to compare your market share to that of your competitors.
Key Employees
Buyers should be looking for information on key personnel, as well as data on any potential employee turnover. If you are selling a business, it’s important to try to fix any staffing problems that might interfere with a buyer’s ability to properly run the business.
A key goal of the due diligence process is to find potential problems, such as liabilities and contractual issues. But on the upside, due diligence also includes investigation into assets and benefits. The end result should be that the selling price of the business is justified and both parties walk away satisfied. As stated above, it is very common for problems and issues to pop up during due diligence, so it’s important to stay proactive and be open to negotiation until the deal is finalized.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
The post Is Your Deal Really Done? appeared first on Deal Studio – Automate, accelerate and elevate your deal making.
How Should I Sell My Pizza Parlor? A Closer Look
You’ve worked for years or decades to build your pizza parlor into what it is now. However, you’re ready to move on, either to build a new business or retire.
Either way, you need to know how you should sell your pizza shop. Then, you’ll be able to make the transition easy for you, the buyer, and any employees who will keep working there.
Keep reading to learn more.
Start Early
One of the best ways to sell your pizza parlor when you want to sell is to start preparing for the sale early. As soon as you know you want to sell, such as to retire, start planning your exit strategy.
You can decide if you want to mentor whoever buys your pizza business. This can be important if you want to make sure the recipe and menu items stay the same.
Another thing to consider is if you want the buyer to pay for the entire business upfront or if you’re okay with a financing agreement. Both can work, but each option can affect how much involvement you may need to have after you sell.
Starting your exit strategy early can also help you prepare current employees for the change. You can decide if you want the buyer to maintain your staff or if you may need to help people find new jobs.
Determine the Value
Of course, before you sell a business, you need to figure out how much it’s worth. You can determine the value of your business in a few ways, so consider which works for you.
One easy method is to use the book value, which uses the value of stakeholders’ equity. Another option is market capitalization, and that multiplies the price of shares by the number of outstanding shares.
You can also use methods like times revenue, discounted cash flow, or earnings multiplier. Consider meeting with an accountant or another professional to compare the valuations you get with different methods.
Then, you can decide how you want to set the price of your business. And you can compare different methods to find a fair selling price.
Consider Making Improvements
If your business valuation is lower than your ideal selling price, you may want to make improvements and updates. You might choose to buy some new equipment so that you can make more pizzas in the same time.
Or perhaps you decide to repaint the restaurant so that it looks better to customers and potential buyers. You don’t have to do anything to your business before you sell it, but improvements may help you get more interest.
Some buyers may not want to purchase a business that will require work before they can make a profit. If you can update old equipment or replace chairs and tables, you may convince more people to make offers.
This can be an excellent option if you don’t want your business to sit on the market for long.
Organize Your Documents
As you get close to selling your pizza parlor, you should organize essential business documents. Make sure you have recent tax returns, profit and loss statements, lease documents, and a list of your equipment.
You may have already gone through these when determining the valuation. However, it helps to go over everything and make copies of the documents that you can present to a broker or potential buyers.
Put a copy of all of these documents into a folder so that they’re easy to find and review. You can keep a copy for yourself, which can help you as you go through the process of selling your pizza parlor.
Find a Business Broker
You can sell your restaurant business without bringing in any help. However, working with a business broker offers a few benefits that you won’t get on your own.
For one, the broker can help you list your business in multiple places so that more buyers can find it. When you get offers, the broker may also help you weed out buyers who aren’t serious.
If you don’t want the public to know your business is for sale, a broker can also help. They can tell serious buyers about your business, so you can keep customers from learning about the sale.
A business broker may also help you negotiate for a better selling price. They usually charge a percentage of the final sale, so they can work to get the best price for both of you.
Advertise the Sale
If you don’t care who knows you’re looking to sell your pizza restaurant, you can advertise the sale. You can put up a sign in the window, or you can tell your employees or loyal customers.
Consider posting about it on your social media or sending an email to your subscribers. This can be a great way to attract buyers who have some sort of connection to the business.
For example, a manager may learn of the sale, and they may make an offer if they care about the restaurant. You may also have a customer who wants to buy the pizza place.
It may give you peace of mind to sell to someone who you know will take good care of the restaurant.
Pre-Qualify Potential Buyers
Whether you sell to someone who you know or not, you should pre-qualify buyers. You can ask buyers to provide proof of having the cash or that they can get a loan.
Pre-qualifying buyers allows you to verify that they intend to go through with the purchase. You won’t have to waste time meeting people who just want to know how much the business costs.
A business broker can help you go through potential buyers, so you don’t have to do the work yourself. Then, you can make sure you sell the pizza parlor to the best person possible.
How Will You Sell Your Pizza Parlor?
Selling a pizza parlor can be a tough decision, especially if you’ve owned it for years. Fortunately, you don’t have to drag out the process or worry about selling it to someone who will ruin the business.
Be sure you start planning for the sale early. That way, you can gather your documents, set a reasonable price, and you can compare different offers to choose the best one.
Are you ready to sell a pizza parlor? Register as a seller and get started today.
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Questions to Ask When Negotiating a Deal
Almost every sale of a business involves a high degree of negotiation between buyers and sellers. In this article, we share some of the questions you can ask yourself to prepare for this part of the process. After all, optimal outcomes are typically only achieved through proper negotiation strategies. Keep in mind that one of the key strengths possessed by Business Brokers and M&A Advisors is expertise and skills in negotiating deals.
Can Both Parties Split the Difference?
If the buyer and seller can’t agree on a number, one negotiating tactic is to have them split the difference. This is a tactic that is simple to understand, and it shows both parties that the other is willing to be flexible. This reveals a good degree of goodwill and can serve to not only keep both parties talking, but also lower any pre-existing tensions. When both parties are still at the table, there is still hope that a deal can be reached. This tactic serves to continue the discussions and can often be highly beneficial.
Can the Buyer and Seller Better Understand One Another?
When it comes to good negotiations, one of the goals is for both parties to seek to understand one another. Sometimes a buyer or seller’s needs don’t even involve the numbers on paper. Instead, they may be seeking to adjust terms to make them more conducive to their overall goals. If you can keep an open mind and seek to better understand what the other party is ultimately looking for, it can go a long way in making the deal happen.
Can You Bring in a Professional?
There is an old saying that says “Never negotiate your own deal.” One of the benefits of bringing in a brokerage professional is that this third party won’t have the same level of emotional investment. This means that he or she can keep a neutral perspective and be more apt to see things from both sides. Sometimes a new perspective can work wonders. Further, a brokerage professional will understand the myriad of complex factors that must be successfully resolved before the deal is finalized. A Business Broker or M&A Advisor will have tips and techniques that can only be gained from years of first hand exposure to making deals happen.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
The post Questions to Ask When Negotiating a Deal appeared first on Deal Studio – Automate, accelerate and elevate your deal making.
