Resources
Guides, articles, and tools from DealCoach's M&A advisors.
The DealCoach Valuation Process: What to Expect From EOV & BAMA
Never been through a valuation before? This step-by-step guide explains what happens when you request an EOV or BAMA, what information you’ll provide, how we analyze your business, and what you’ll walk away with.
Estimate the Value of Your Business: EOV vs. BAMA Guide
Most owners track revenue and profit, but still guess what their business is worth. This guide explains how market value is actually determined, what drives multiples, and when an EOV (business valuation) or BAMA (valuation + benchmarking + action steps) is the smartest next move.
What Makes DealCoach Different: Business Valuation You Can Use
Owners typically choose between cheap automated valuation tools and expensive certified appraisals. This article explains where DealCoach fits, how our EOV and BAMA approach valuation differently, and why clarity beats guesswork when your business is your largest asset.
Don’t Guess What Your Business Is Worth: Get an EOV or a BAMA
Most business owners carry a number in their head about what their company is worth, but many have never tested it against the market. That’s risky, especially when an unsolicited offer shows up and you’re negotiating off the buyer’s number. This article explains why an independent Estimate of Value (EOV) gives you a clear value anchor today, and how a Business and Market Analysis (BAMA) helps you build a roadmap to increase value before you sell.
The Hidden Cost of "Yes": Why Every Unsolicited Offer Needs an Independent Valuation
Learn why accepting an unsolicited offer without an independent valuation could cost you millions. Discover how DealCoach's valuation services and Cornerstone's POMO™ process helped one company achieve a 97% premium over their initial offer.
When to Use SDE vs. EBITDA: A Guide for Business Owners
If you're thinking about selling your business, understanding how buyers will value it is critical. For businesses under $2M, buyers typically focus on Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE). For larger businesses, EBITDA takes center stage. This guide breaks down the data from Q2 2025 to show you exactly when each metric is used and what it means for your sale price.
Determining the Value of a Business
Valuing a business is a crucial aspect of understanding its worth in the market. There are various methods employed by analysts and investors to determine the value of a business, each with its own advantages and limitations. Below are a few commonly used methods:
Don’t Let Old Valuations Hurt Your Heirs
For business owners, buy-sell agreements are important tools for ensuring a smooth transition of ownership in cases such as death, disability, or retirement. These agreements set the terms for how an owner’s shares or interest in the company will be bought or sold—i.e., who has the right to buy and at what price.
Give Yourself the Gift of a Valuation This Holiday Season
As the year winds down, there’s a gift every business owner should consider—a current valuation of your business. While holiday lists often include items like client gifts or end-of-year celebrations, knowing the true value of your business is a gift that keeps on giving. Here’s why it matters now more than ever.
How to avoid being surprised by your business valuation
A significant number of business owners do not know how much their business is worth. That can be a source of conflict in the face of unfortunate events such as a divorce or a partnership separation. But it can be even more painful when the business owner plans to retire, only to find out the business isn’t worth as much as they expected.
Supply Chain Issues Complicating M&A
Supply chain issues are a big concern for businesses right now. Forced shutdowns, crisis forecasting, labor issues, and logistics all played (or are still playing) a part in the current shortages. Business has not snapped back to normal.
Before Selling Your Business, Finish Strong
Most buyers focus on the TTM (trailing twelve months) to evaluate what they will pay for your business, not what your EBITDA was five years ago in your peak, before you got tired, before you lost your mojo.
Stay Bonuses Add Value When Selling a Business
A stay bonus provides an incentive for an employee to stay with the company during and after a sale. They’re designed to protect the company in times of change.
Deal Killers: Undisclosed Liabilities
When you’re selling a business, put issues on the table right away. Whether you have ineligible employees on your payroll, you just lost a client, or litigation is pending—be up front.
3 Ways to Avoid Costly M&A Delays and Deal Failure
Delays are one of the biggest problems contributing to deal failure. The longer the process drags on, the more likely it is that a) someone gets fed up and moves on or b) something big will happen, economically or geopolitically, that disrupts the deal.
Top Reasons Why Business Owners Should Get a Business Valuation
A business valuation is a crucial tool for any business owner or manager, as it can provide valuable insights and information that can help inform important business decisions. There are several reasons why it is essential to know the value of your business and how often you should get a business valuation.
‘Operation clean sweep’: Preparing your business for sale
You’ve decided to sell. Now how can you get the most for your business? You need to “clean up your act,” so to speak, and address some operational issues that may not have been a priority for you over the years.
How to sell your business to a competitor
When you’re ready to retire, or exit your business, you may think selling to a competitor is your only option. But competitors are seldom your best buyer. They’re rarely willing to pay top value because they’re already established in the market.
What are the myths of selling a company?
There are several myths about selling a company that can be misleading or simply not true. Here are a few common myths about selling a company:
Address Employee Issues Before Selling
Labor issues are affecting the M&A market. For some business owners, it means decreased value because they can’t find people to maintain operations or replace the owner after a sale. But labor shortages are also sending buyers to market. When they can’t hire the talent they need to grow organically, they look to expand through acquisition instead – buying companies with fully staffed teams.
Exit Planning Podcast October 2022
Scott Bushkie sat down with friend and peer, John Brown from Business Enterprise Institute (BEI) to talk about exit planning!
How Will M&A Respond to the Next Recession?
The M&A world isn’t quite sure what to expect in the next recession. Private equity players weren’t nearly as dominant through the last market downturns. But today those firms have $1.8 trillion in uncommitted capital they need to put to work. With money to spend, and a timeline to do it, private equity may help keep valuations high.
Why 75% of Businesses Won’t Sell
Tom West is considered by many to be the founder of modern day business brokerage. A few years ago, he calculated what percent of businesses on the market actually sell. For most small businesses, those with sales of $10 million or less, he figured fewer than 25% actually transition to a new owner. There are a lot of factors driving down success rates, but here are the five I hear about most often:
Employee Retention Matters Before Selling a Business
From 9/11 to the Great Recession to COVID-19 – after every hiccup in the world, buyers want to know how your business stood up against adversity. In 2015, buyers were still asking, “But how’d they do in 2009?” Today, buyers want to know how you’re getting through the global talent shortage.
Boomer Business Owners Should Watch M&A Cycles
Right now we’re in a strong seller’s market. Despite the economic uncertainty and turmoil in the world, mergers and acquisitions has not cooled down. It’s economics 101, supply and demand, and there are just more buyers than sellers on the market.
Beware the Benchmark Valuation
You can practice some back of the napkin math to value a company, but it’s not always reliable. A company with $3 million in EBITDA, may, as a general rule of thumb, sell at a 4x to 6x multiple. In other words, it might sell for $12 million to $18 million in an average market.
Double Benefit or Double Whammy
When you sell in good economic times, most times your cash flow is growing, so you get more value out of your business. But multiples are also going up, so you get the benefit of rising cash flow plus rising multiples. Unfortunately, the reverse can happen in a down economy.
How will rising interest rates affect M&A?
There’s zero doubt that interest rates are going up this year. The Fed issued a 0.25 percentage point rate hike in March, the first increase we’ve seen since late 2018. But more increases are coming, perhaps even monthly, in the year ahead.
Revealing the Reasons Four Offers Varied by $16M
During the Cornerstone annual State of M&A Conference held in Green Bay, we organized our own local “shark tank” event. Four private equity (PE) firms were invited to review and submit an offer on a hypothetical company. One by one, they revealed their offers at the event and talked about how they arrived at that value.
Economist Predicts Recession in 2024
Steven Chiavarone, CFA and economist with Federated Hermes, presented at our annual State of M&A conference held in Green Bay. Chiavarone spoke to the conflict and other economic indicators likely to affect mergers and acquisitions in the years ahead. Specifically, he addressed inflation and the risk of recession.
Employee Retention Adds Business Value
The talent market was tight before the pandemic, but now we’re in a critical state. Finding employees is a challenge for everyone. And if you’re selling your business, it might be the buyer’s top concern.
Dealmaking should be strong in 2022
Inflation, employee shortages, international tension, this little thing called COVID-19… In many years, any one or two of these dynamics could have put a damper on M&A activity and business values.
Small business values up in 2021
Business values increased in 2021, despite ongoing challenges from the pandemic, talent shortages, and supply chain disruption. Deal activity continued at an intense pace, with advisors across the country reporting increases in both incoming deal flow and completed engagements.
How to buy a business in a seller’s market
If you want to buy a business in today’s market, this might be just the strategy you want to take. Identify your ideal targets, reach out, and plant a seed. It might pay off now, it might take years, but it’s a way to build opportunity for your business going forward.
M&A outlook for 2022: Fast and furious
Business valuations have hit record highs and deal teams are bracing for what is expected to be the largest M&A run most advisors have seen in their careers. Business confidence, buyer capital, seller burnout – it’s all combining to create a perfect storm of deal activity.
M&A in 2022: Is this the year to sell?
If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably had a rough couple of years – and the challenges aren’t over. While COVID-19 may be weakening its grip, talent shortages, supply chain issues, and inflation are still very much at play.
Tracking your business perks
Business owners take any number of perks from their business, from the standards like auto expenses, memberships, and insurance plans to extras like entertainment, vacations, or an additional family member on the books.
Supply chain issues complicating M&A
Supply chain issues are a big concern for businesses right now. Forced shutdowns, crisis forecasting, labor issues, and logistics all played (or are still playing) a part in the current shortages. Business has not snapped back to normal.
Buyers like big fish in small ponds
Some business owners worry that a niche will limit their opportunities and they’ll miss sales. But a niche can often be the key to growth. What’s more, it can increase your overall business value.
When selling your business is your succession plan
How old are your key employees? This is becoming one of the key issues buyers care about when acquiring a business. It’s not a case of agism – buyers would love for your senior employees to stay. It’s about risk and how soon the business’s pivotal people are going to retire.
Entrepreneurs really do think of business as their baby
What does it feel like to sell your company? Many business owners say it 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.
Buyers’ top focus is employee team
Management team ranked number five on the buyer due diligence list. A good succession plan and backup support is still incredibly important to the saleability and value of your business, but it seems that the strength of your overall employee team is – at this moment in time – an even bigger priority.
Retention raises business value, especially now
In the latest IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Report, a quarterly survey of M&A advisors, employee issues topped the list of buyer due diligence concerns. Employees, specifically longevity, loyalty and work ethic, ranked ahead of other priorities like operations, revenue and customer concentration.
The Happiest Business Owners Know What’s Next
For many entrepreneurs, the business becomes their identity. It gives them direction. Without that outlet, some former business owners become unmoored. Suddenly, their phone isn’t ringing as much. No one needs them to make hard decisions anymore, and that can be troubling for some folks.
M&A’s dirty playbook
If you work in M&A, you can take a class on how to take advantage of people. It’s true. Buyers can go through mergers and acquisitions training, at some of the most prestigious universities, learning how to pay has little as possible for a family-owned business or privately held company.
Keep Widening Your Moat - Barriers to Entry - Buying a Business
When buying a business, one of the qualities buyers look for is barriers to entry. The harder it is for someone to get started in your business or take away your customers, the bigger the barrier.
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.
How three private equity firms valued the same company
As part of our annual State of the Market M&A conference, held virtually this winter, we invited three private equity (PE) firms to review and submit an offer on a hypothetical company. They revealed their offers at the conference, and we held a panel discussion on why they valued the company the way they did.
Burnout drives business owners to sell their companies
Business owners are burned out, worn out, and getting out. More than 1 in 4 business owners who put their business on the market this spring did so because of burnout. That’s according to a first quarter survey of business brokers and M&A advisors conducted by IBBA and M&A Source.
Record Setting Pace for Global Mergers and Acquisitions Deals
As we predicted, many companies and Private Equity firms are on the hunt for new opportunities and are spending the “dry powder” (cash reserves) they amassed while waiting out the uncertainty with the pandemic in 2020.
Gritty kids, organizations have the will to persevere
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?
Financial Planning – Business Valuation
Financial planning begins with knowing what your business is worth. For business owners, how can any decisions be made about securing the future of your family, employees, and business without knowing the value of your largest asset? Get started with an estimate of value from DealCoach today!
Know the 3 types of business buyers and what motivates them
When selling your business, you may receive offers from three kinds of buyers: Individual, financial, and strategic. Here’s a look at the most common buyers and where their motivations lie.
Business owners put more planning into parties than sale of business
According to the quarterly Market Pulse Report, we know that when it comes time to sell their business, less than half of all business owners plan ahead. What that means is that most business owners wait for some kind of trigger before they go to market. Those triggers are reactive and often negative in nature, stemming from a family health issue, conflict, or (most commonly) burnout.
Specialist, connection saves $300K
The closing day was set, and we just needed to finalize what should have been a few minor details. Then, at the eleventh hour, the buyer’s accountant asked for a particular point of negotiation that would have cost my client $300,000 in tax implications—or roughly 10% of his takeaway.
Advantages of Buying an Existing Business vs Starting a New Business
Top reasons to consider buying an existing business: Existing cash flow Established customer base and market share Proven business model Brand identity Functioning infrastructure Trained employees and established vendors
6 Rules of Thumb for Business Valuation
Calculate the value of your business using these tips. There are many methods for business valuation but the goal is always to sell at the right price.
Spring Cleaning is Good Business
We’re just a few weeks into spring and that means it’s time for spring cleaning, at home and at work. I only wish my clients did a regular housekeeping. It would make due diligence and the whole business sale process a lot smoother. Here’s what I mean:
Economist suggests business owners sell by 2024
Economically speaking, COVID-19 was a “natural disaster.” That’s according to Brian Beaulieu, CEO and chief economist of ITR economics. Beaulieu spoke at the virtual State of M&A conference hosted by Cornerstone Business Services in February, helping business owners and advisors understand the market ahead.
Evaluating a Business for Sale - What to Ask the Owner
Learn the types of questions to ask when considering buying a business. They should be specific and give you a clear picture of what the business has to offer.
Selling business to your kids? Consider a private equity partnership
Years ago, when we were marketing a business for sale, we used to include a short note about why the business wasn’t transitioning to the owner’s kids. After all, if it’s such a great opportunity, why don’t the kids want it, right?
Biden tax plans could accelerate M&A
Any business owner contemplating an exit in the next few years should consider how potential tax changes could reduce their net proceeds from a sale. If Biden’s tax plans come to fruition, the capital gains tax rate could effectively double, from 20% to 39.6% for income exceeding $1 million
Valuing a Small Business – Determining Its Earning Potential
Learn more about what to look for in the financial documents when valuing a small business in order to determine its earning potential for you in the future!
SBA to Cover Six Months Payments on New Loans
As part of the Economic Aid Act that passed in December, the Small Business Administration will make borrowers’ payments for six months on new SBA 7(a) and 504 real estate and micro-loan programs.
Common Mistakes Business Owners Make Ft. Scott Bushkie - Video
Do you have an EXIT STRATEGY? Among the most common mistakes business owners make, whether they been in business for years or are a new entrepreneur, is failing to have an exit strategy. Scott Bushkie was recently a featured guest on ExitReadiness Podcast to share his insights on this common mistake as well as other items that may kill a deal or prove costly. Listen and learn what you should be doing to prepare.
What to Look for In Small Business Financial Documents
If you’re considering selling your small business, review these documents and information. Preparing solid financials will help determine a fair asking price.
M&A buyers may need to move quickly in 2021
One year ago, buyers were looking for talent. Every company we talked to was up against the same problem – there was so much opportunity to be had, but none of the employees to make it happen. It’s amazing how much can change in year.
Documents and Information Required for Selling a Business
If you’re considering selling your small business, review these documents and information. Preparing solid financials will help determine a fair asking price.
Looming tax changes could accelerate M&A
President-elect Joe Biden has made it clear that corporate tax rates, and taxes on high net worth individuals, will increase under his administration. Just how many of those plans will come to fruition, and how quickly, is unknown.
Congress Agrees on $900 Billion Coronavirus Relief Bill – What’s In It for Small Business
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (HR 133) was signed into law by President Trump. This $2.3 trillion spending bill combines a $1.4 trillion Omnibus appropriations bill for the 2021 fiscal year and $900 billion for COVID-19 relief in the United States
When COVID is the “next buyer’s” problem
As we continue to take companies to market during COVID, we’re asking new questions about business response plans and resilience. It’s been interesting to see the different attitudes and approaches
What is Your Business Worth?
Many small business owners fixate on the day-by-day tasks of their organizations, an amazing number don't have an exact comprehension of their business worth. That is because conventional business valuation requires the small business owners to contribute a lot of time, exertion, and are expensive. With high-cost business valuations, small business owners are in a tough position: choosing to put resources into a valuation or utilizing those assets for their everyday tasks. Confronted with that choice, most small business owners pick "not knowing."
CARES Act 2021 Extension Gives Boost to Business Buyers and Sellers
The CARES Act Debt Relief Program, which allows business buyers to take advantage of an SBA loan, has been extended under the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 27, 2020. Keep reading to learn why this extension is great news for entrepreneurs looking to buy or sell a business.
PPP Loan Guidance to Lenders a Positive for Sellers, Buyers and Business Brokers. Effective Immediately.
New Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guidance should provide relief to business owners currently selling, business buyers, and business brokers with prospective clients with a PPP loan.
Businesses Thriving During COVID-19 and Positioned for Growth as New Markets Emerge
The COVID-19 pandemic has rippled through the U.S. economy, with many non-essential businesses shut down. Yet, some businesses, those we rely on most, are still going strong, and many are thriving. The market has been disrupted and many businesses are uniquely positioned. With stay-at-home lifestyles and heightened safety precautions, consumer behavior has changed, leading to new opportunities.
Three Questions to Ask for Growth
As you plan for the next year, make sure you are honestly assessing what is possible in 2021. Ask trusted advisors, co-workers, and even friends these three questions: 1. What two things should I continue to do? 2. What two things should I start to do? 3. What two things should I stop doing?
The irony of rising business values
The M&A market does not usually respond well to times of uncertainty, such as election years. But in Q3 2020, in a time of uncertainty on top of uncertainty, we’re seeing record buyer interest.
M&A market marked by irony, paradox
The M&A market does not usually respond well to times of uncertainty. Buyers shows signs of hesitation during an election year, uncertain about the future of the economy or taxes. But in Q3 2020, in a time of uncertainty on top of uncertainty, we’re seeing record amounts of buyer interest.
Don't go in the Basement! Escaping M&A “DEAL KILLERS”
Cue the scary Halloween music. When selling your business, you can expect to hit a couple of snags before the deal is complete. But proper planning can help you avoid the most common “deal killers” like these:
Plan a 2021 Comeback with Acquisition
We just conducted an acquisition search for a company looking to grow in a particular Wisconsin metro area. We identified 125 targets that met the buyer’s criteria and reached out to the business owners to assess their interest in selling.
Learn More about the DealCoach Team
The primary reason that business transitions are not successful is due to unrealistic expectations. The estimate of value is intended to remedy that. By providing business owners and their advisors with accurate information on the value of their business, they can approach a transition more educated and confident the numbers are on their side. Learn more about us!
Lopsided Market Drives M&A Values in Pandemic
With all the upheaval in the world right now, you’d expect M&A deal value to take a dip. But recent market analysis shows that’s anything but the case.
Pros and Cons of Selling to a Strategic Buyer
When it’s time to sell your business, you may have multiple buyers to choose from. You could receive offers from strategic, financial, and individual buyers.
Private Equity “OPEN FOR BUSINESS”
We’ve been talking to private equity groups around the country to keep a pulse on where the M&A market is at right now. And the message we keep hearing is that these firms are “open for business.”
Leading in the time of COVID-19
Leaders who can keep people engaged and motivated in times of crisis are those who will inspire greatness under any conditions.
Pros & Cons of Recapitalization
When we talk about recapitalization, we’re talking about a partial sale of a company that allows the owner to liquidate some of the value they have in their business. Typically, this involves selling a part of your equity (usually 70-80%) to a third-party, however some business owners do sell just a minority stake.
Some M&A Buyers Ramping up the Pace
Talk to anyone trying to buy a house right now and they’ll tell you competition is tight. In certain price ranges, buyers need to put an offer in fast (like the day it’s listed fast) and should expect stiff competition. According to data from Zillow, new for-sale listings are down about 25% over a year ago but house values are up 4.3% year-over-year.
Buyers, Already Motivated, Fueled by SBA Incentives
SBA relief efforts are incentivizing buyers to move ahead with business acquisitions. Per the SBA website, “the SBA will pay six months of principal, interest, and any associated fees that borrowers owe for all current … as well as new 7(a), 504, and microloans disbursed prior to September 27, 2020.”
Competitor Down the Road Not Your Only Option
Many business owners have preconceived notions about who will buy their business or whether it’s even salable at all. A lot of owners think their most likely buyer option is the competitor down the street. Maybe that was true, once upon a time. But the M&A world has changed dramatically—and continues to evolve.
Business Values May Not Decline
According to the Q1 2020 Market Pulse Report published by the International Business Brokers Association, M&A Source, and the Pepperdine Private Capital Market Project, advisors reported that of the small and medium businesses currently for sale, about 35% had closed, 40% were operating at partial capacity, 4% had benefited, and 21% remained unaffected by COVID-19.
No Set Asking Price
You want to know you’re getting fair market value for your business. The best way to do that is to create a structured transaction process.
COVID-19 Is Now A Good Time To Sell Or Buy A Business?
Recently we have been getting a lot of questions asking if now is a good time to sell or buy a business and how would the business value be affected due to the coronavirus. A lot of businesses are Thriving during the COVID-19. Buyers will take advantage of the incentives offered by the SBA in addition to the already low-interest rates. We are seeing growth in business in the following industries. Click the Link to Find out more:
A roadmap to re-growing your restoration company's value - Webinar
KnowHow held a panel on how COVID-19 has affected the acquisition of restoration businesses. We sat down with industry experts Gokul Padamanabhan of Restoration Brokers of America and Scott Bushkie of Cornerstone Business Services who unpacked the common mistakes they see among businesses who sell, and the impact COVID-19 is having.
Cornerstone State of M&A Market 2020 - Video
Highlights from the Cornerstone State of M&A Market 2020
COVID-19 M&A: Buying a Business in Uncertain Times
The market doesn’t like uncertainty. Certain buyers are retreating into wait and see mode, waiting to see how long the lockdowns will stay in place, how supply-demand issues will shake out, and whether we’ll hit a full-blown recession. But opportunities happen when others retreat. That’s why the coronavirus pandemic could be the best opportunity we’ve seen to buy a business in the last five years.
Using Downtime During COVID-19 to Add Value to Your Business
As business owners are working to process the impact of COVID-19, we’re looking at how it will affect M&A. In the short term, some companies will slow the pace of acquisitions. That’s natural in uncertain times.
6 Common Mistakes a Business Owner Makes When Selling Their Business - Scott Bushkie, State of M&A - Webinar
6 Common Mistakes a Business Owner Makes When Selling Their Business - Scott Bushkie, State of M&A
The 7 Stages of Selling Your Business
Ideally, you’ll start preparing for sale early in your business lifecycle. The more you know about what buyers want, and what you can expect from the market, the more options you’ll have to exit your business.
Selling Your Business to A Family Office
Business owners looking to sell their business, or attract an investment partner, may want to add family offices to their outreach strategy. These private family firms, established by high net worth families to manage their wealth, can offer unique advantages.
The Four P's of Selling A Business
Marketers will sometimes talk about the four p’s (product, placement, price, promotion) of selling. Known as the “marketing mix,” the emphasis a company puts in each area can have a direct impact on sales and profits.
Building Value Means Building Leaders
It’s the New Year, that time when many business owners make a fresh resolve to develop their business. For some, that means updating equipment and driving sales. But others will focus on something more personal and possibly more pivotal: developing their leaders.
What Does it Feel Like When You Sell
“Immense satisfaction tinged with loss.” That’s how one business owner described selling his business.
‘NO SHOP’ Protects Buyers Investment in M&A
A no shop provision is an important part of M&A transactions. Also known as an exclusivity clause, a no shop clause prohibits the seller from sharing information or negotiating with other would-be buyers for a specified timeframe.
EARNOUTS: Breaking The M&A Deadlock
Earnouts are used to bridge a valuation gap between a buyer and a seller. It’s a compromise, of sorts, to break a purchase-price deadlock when the seller wants more than the buyer is willing (or able) to pay.
EBITDA and SDE and Multiple Explained
Often, clients sort of just find themselves in the M&A process and have trouble making sense of the overwhelming landscape of buying and selling a business. Today, we are going to attempt to clear up a set of commonly used acronyms you’ll see when valuing a business for sale. Those are EBITDA and SDE and Multiples.
Platform Businesses the Belle of the Ball
Business owners thinking about exiting their business may be hearing the terms “platform” and “add-on” acquisitions. Understanding these terms, and knowing which category you might belong to, can help you prepare your business for a competitive, higher value sale.
Why a Business Valuation Matters
Why get a Business Valuation? If you are a business owner, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to understand the value of your business. A valuation helps shape your exit strategy, informs your financial planning, and can be critical to creating a contingency plan that adequately protects your family.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
Your business is on the market and you’re looking forward to that glorious day when you can let go of the pressure and responsibilities of ownership. But don’t let those future plans distract you from what’s going on today.
Why DealCoach Is Different
As you look at your options for business valuations, I want to share where we fit in and why we think DealCoach is best. There are cheaper services out there, but like anything, you get what you pay for. Many of the low cost valuation services you find online are computer-generated models only.
Business Owners Have a Value-Expectation Disconnect
If you’re a business owner, you know that at some point you will have to transition out of your business. The question is, will the business transition to new ownership or will you have to shut your doors?
9 Warning Signs Your Buyer Can't Close The Deal
The proof is in the pudding. It’s not over ‘til it’s over. Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched. Pick your cliché. Just because someone makes an offer to buy your business doesn’t mean they have the resources to get it done. 9 warning signs your buyer can’t follow through:
You Are the Least Valuable Part of Your Business
You don’t want to hear this. You might even be a little offended. But when it comes time to sell your business, you are the least valuable part of the equation. Unless you’re sticking around with an ownership stake or long-term employment contract, your experience means very little to a buyer.
The Business of Selling Your Business
Twenty years ago, when I started out in M&A, I worked with small businesses. At that point, my biggest hurdle was convincing business owners they needed a business broker in the first place. I had to show people the value an outside advisor could bring to the table.
When Someone Asks. "Are You Selling?"
As you start the sale process, you may be holding more offsite meetings and fielding confidential phone calls. Even a subtle shift in activity can cause savvy employees to wonder what’s up. Be prepared to answer questions about who these advisors are that are touring your business and why you’re requesting additional information from your management team.
The DealCoach Process
The Estimate of Value (EOV) and Business and Market Analysis (BAMA) provides business owners with a realistic understanding of what the market would most likely bear for their company in today’s marketplace. Find out more about the Process!
Earnouts Don’t Deserve A Bad Reputation
Even if you stay on with the business, you don’t have complete control over how new ownership runs the company. If the business does well, you get paid. If business drops, you don’t.
No Haircuts
Imagine a buyer has offered you a six-multiple on EBITDA in their initial letter of intent. Unfortunately, you don’t have clean financials that have been tested and scrutinized by an outside party. Once the buyer vets your financials, they uncover some adjustments they don’t agree with and revenue that was accounted in the wrong period.
How to Build Your Company’s Value
As you build your company’s strategic plan, consider not only how to drive growth, but also how to reap long-term financial rewards. Most of your personal wealth is likely tied to your business. This means that maximizing your business’s value ensures an optimal return on your investment, helping you meet your financial goals.
Business Owners are Operating without a Report Card
Imagine your kids going to school, kindergarten through high school, without ever receiving a report card. As a parent, how would you know when they needed additional help? If they were ready for a new challenge? Whether you should help them prep for college or consider alternative training? At the end of the day, it would be hard to make well-informed decisions. Your kids would go to school and put in the time every day, and you’d have no idea if they were doing D or A-level work.
How three offers came in with a $10 million swing
Lower-to-mid-size businesses typically go to market without a preset asking price. You will set an internal benchmark with your M&A advisors, but we won’t publish or discuss your value expectations with potential buyers.
Adding Value Beyond Revenues
There’s a difference between generating cash and building business value that someone will be willing to pay for. Here are a few ways to boost your future purchase price and increase your business valuation:
When You Can’t Fix Concentration Issues
As you build your business, pay attention to what a future buyer will want. They’re looking for well-diversified customer groups where the loss of one account won’t have a devastating impact. Do the hard work of diversifying, and you’ll increase your future business value.
The case of the $5 million valuation discrepancy
Recently, we did an estimate of value (EOV) for a company, calculating that it would sell for around $8 million or $9 million in the current market. It’s a nice business and I think that number is achievable. We might even get a bit more with a strategic buyer.
DealCoach Helping You Estimate the Value of Your Business
DealCoach's Estimate of Value (EOV) provides owners with a realistic understanding of what the market would most likely bear for their company in today’s marketplace.
How Long Will It Take to Sell Your Business?
If you’re one of the several million baby boomers thinking about selling their company in the near future, you might be wondering how long the whole process will take and what to expect along the way. If you have a focused advisor who is working the deal, expect two months of initial prep, 30 to 120 days for marketing, one month for negotiations, and roughly 60-90 days to handle due diligence, financing, and legal. Here’s the process in more detail:
When Acquisition is the Better Way to Grow
We tend to gravitate toward what feels familiar. That’s why many business owners think about growth in terms of organic strategies like opening a satellite office or expanding capacity. M&A feels big and risky, like something only large companies do.
Top 5 Reasons Deals Go Wrong
Last year set new records for M&A activity. Big corporations drove the market, and that momentum was also reflected in the lower middle market and Main Street. But not everyone got a deal done last year. Let’s review why some business transitions go sour:
Will your business survive your death?
Most entrepreneurs are a rare breed, full of optimism and confidence. But that same optimism it takes to run a business is the same sense of faith and certainty that can make them feel invincible. Every economic downturn is the last, every prospect is the next big sale, and every good leader retires happily with their family. Unfortunately, none of us are invincible. And if you’re like many business owners, a significant portion of your wealth—and your family’s income after your death—is tied up in the business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions on DealCoach, The Estimate of Value (EOV), or Business and Market Analysis (BAMA)? Find your answers here!
Sell Your Business in 8 or 9 Months, Plus
If you’re one of the several million baby boomers thinking about selling their company in the near future, you might be wondering how long the whole process will take and what to expect along the way. In a nutshell, if you have a focused advisor who is actually working the deal, expect two months of initial prep, 30 to 90 days for marketing, one month for negotiations, and roughly 60 days to handle due diligence, financing and legal. Here’s the process in more detail.
When I’m 65
“Some business owners plan to sell when they reach a milestone age like 55 or 65. But planning to sell at a particular age means you aren’t planning to sell when your business is worth the most.
Valuations Near All-Time Highs
Timing is right to sell. If you’re thinking about selling in the next few years, get an estimate of value and talk to an advisor right now. Here’s why valuations are at all-time highs:
Investment Banker: What They Are & Why You Should Use One
Just like real estate brokers, investment bankers (IBs) bring buyers to sellers. IBs typically work on commission-based fee structure, incentivizing them to see the sale through to completion. They’re an invaluable tool to owners contemplating a sale. Here’s what you need to know about selecting the right investment banker for your needs.
Professionals Have Coaches
“Professionals have coaches; amateurs don’t.” I heard this at a conference recently, and the idea stuck with me.
Plan for Business Life After Death
A sudden death or disability is a tragedy we hope never to face. But planning for those tragedies is a necessary part of life. If we don’t, we leave behind a legacy of stress and confusion for those we care about most. If you own a business, a contingency plan is critical for the sake of your family and for everyone else who depends on your organization.
Love Your Business Again
In The E-Myth Revisited, author Michael Gerber suggests that each business owner has three personalities: entrepreneur, manager, and technician. For many, the technician is the dominant type. These owners are skilled tradespeople, scientists, and service professionals, and they excel at the hands-on work of their company.
Difficult Conversations
It’s not easy to have the tough conversations. But as business owners, we need the courage to confront problems, particularly when we see something that goes against our core values. Failing to address issue areas can lead to dysfunction, toxic work environments, and weakened business value.
Buyers Blinded By Love
Love is blind, so the saying goes. I’m certainly not going to suggest I’ve ever seen friends make questionable choices in their love life, but I have seen business buyers so enamored with an opportunity that they either ignored certain warning signs or willfully chose not to look.
Organic or Acquisition
In today’s marketplace, if you’re not growing, you’re going backwards. According to a new Ernst & Young report, a whopping 69 percent of U.S. CEOs plan to grow through acquisition this year. Driving the trend are increased confidence in economic growth and the availability of capital.
6 M&A Communication Strategies
Growing companies constantly seek growth opportunities, whether by entering new markets or unveiling new products and services. Each opportunity demands thoughtful communication that helps stakeholders see the value of the transaction and supports the deal to a satisfying conclusion. The right communication strategy gives you control over the narrative, and can even increase the value of the deal. Follow these six best practices.
Make a Plan, Stan
Paul Simon says, “There must be 50 ways to leave your lover.” There may not be quite that many ways to leave your business, but these are some of the more common:
Success comes from what you overcome
There’s a woman in my neighborhood, a busy mom, who had a stroke last year. The sudden, life-threatening illness came out of the blue for this young, healthy woman.
7 Due Diligence Fundamentals You Must Know
People buy, sell, and merge businesses for many reasons. No matter the motivation, due diligence is key to a successful sale. An M&A Advisor and DealCoach can help guide you through the process.
Accurate accounting doubled business value
You made it. You’ve paid back your business loans and can run your company with just a line of credit. You’re profitable. You’re comfortable. And you don’t have to pay such rigorous attention to things like accounts receivable turnover and your particular accounting methods.
The Importance of Family Time in the Value of Your Business
With the summer months coming up, DealCoach & Cornerstone Business Services’ Scott Bushkie wrote a timely article for the Green Bay Press-Gazette highlighting the importance of time away and how that enhances the value of your business. Whether it’s a family trip to a cabin or a long weekend for a child’s soccer tournament – that time away gives your management team a chance build trust and help you move the business forward. There will be a learning curve, no doubt. But take those bumps in the road to learn and coach your team, and in the long run – when you’re transitioning out and are ready to exit – there will be more interest in your business.
Wonderful Company at a Fair Price
Warren Buffet once said, “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price, than a fair company at a wonderful price.” I certainly think he’s right. Working with our buy-side division, of course we understand that everyone wants to get a great deal. They want to find that perfect company and get it at a four-multiple when the market is running closer to six. We’ve seen clients walk away from perfect deals that hit all of their requirements, only because they wanted to buy below market.
Address Culture Conflict Before a Sale
As an owner, one way to maximize value in your business is to demonstrate that you’re not the smartest person in the room. In an ideal state, you work yourself out of a job, moving on to an advisory role while your management team runs day-to-day operations. With that said, it’s equally important that your goals and values are in sync with your managers’. When selling a business, you want to show buyers a positive work culture in which team members work well together and make each other better.
Not All Contracts are Created Equal
What’s the value of a customer when it’s time to sell your business? The short answer: It depends.
5 Easy Strategies for Boosting the Value of Technology Prior to Sale
During mergers and acquisitions, apparently inconsequential technological issues can materially impact the ultimate value of the business. So how can you improve the value of your business by driving up the value of its technology? These five simple tips help you navigate the process, but they don’t address more complex issues, like technical debt, undiscovered software defects, or privacy and security risks. Those issues require a separate evaluation and strategy.
Hire a Specialist
I don’t just tell people to use a specialist and then go home and try to do things on my own. I just sold my house, and because of the licensing I need to sell a business, I had the proper credentials to sell it myself. I already have all the forms and a good relationship with an attorney who would advise me.
Market and competition impact sale price
These are all factors a business owner can typically control within a relatively short time frame, in as little as two to three years. That said, other key business elements such as industry and competition also impact the sale price, but business owners will need a much longer-term strategy in order to effect change in these areas.
Reduce working capital to maximize value
Working capital is a measurement of operating liquidity, most of the time it is calculated as AR, inventory and prepaids minus AP and accruals. Lines of credit are most often excluded as well as cash, long term debt and notes payable. Because working capital is required to run a business, buyers typically require a certain amount of net working capital be left in the business to meet standard operating needs. Working capital is not typically used in calculating the initial offer price, although it is certainly a critical point of negotiation. But basically, the higher your net working capital, the less money you put in your pocket after a sale.
Consider Seller’s Role in Business, Transition
When buying a company, one key factor in your success is the transition that happens immediately afterwards. You need time with the previous owner to understand how and why they operated the business the way they did. And you need their support to transition customer relationships. As you think about negotiating for the seller’s time after a sale, think about their role in the business. Do they have a strong, empowered management team? Or did the seller operate the business from a place of tight, centralized control?
Pro-business climate should spur M&A
It’s about that time when I like to make some forecasts for the year ahead. I am happy to report that last year’s predictions were pretty much on target and the M&A marketplace continued to run strong throughout the year. One thing I did not predict, however, was a Donald Trump presidency. We generally expect elections to create uncertainty, but the markets have responded in a positive manner. I believe the M&A marketplace will follow in kind with a productive and active year ahead. Here’s what else I see coming. By Scott Bushkie – CBI, M&A Advisor
What Buyers Want Under the Tree this Season
Here’s hoping all your holiday gifts were well chosen and gratefully received. If you’re anything like me, you bought all your presents on Christmas Eve morning. There’s something about that final shopping day that puts me in the spirit. Of course, that kind of last minute shopping might work for gifts, but not when it comes to buying a business. As you think about business growth, sit down with your team and figure out if acquisition could be the right strategy. Here’s why several of our active buyers are searching the market right now.
Don’t let the 5 dismal D’s hobble your business
No one likes to think about all the what-if scenarios in life. Most business owners have no plan for exiting their business at all, much less exiting in the face of conflict or tragedy. As you finalize your business goals for next year, make time to protect your business against the five dismal D’s.
Extraordinary multiples – fact or fiction?
Your business owner friend is boasting about how they got a 10 multiple on the sale of their company. Fact or fiction? For most companies, this would be fiction. (Or, to give your friend the benefit of the doubt, perhaps it’s a multiple of net income rather than the more standard EBITDA.)
Seller’s remorse – and how to avoid it
After selling businesses now for 18 years, there’s still one stumbling block that takes me by surprise and hits hard, and that’s seller’s remorse. On average, I see it every two or three years – a seller goes through the whole process and then ultimately can’t pull the trigger. The last time it happened was April of 2015.
Why most librarians aren’t rich
I recently came across a Warren Buffet quote that struck me: “If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.” Don’t I wish that were true. My mom was a teacher for 30 years, and she knew a lot about history. When it comes to buying a business, past performance is important. As a buyer, you’ll typically look at the last three years of financials, with a particular focus on the trailing twelve months. But you can’t get so tied up in historical numbers that you forget to ask the right questions about future performance.
Put the plan in succession planning
Succession planning is a real buzzword right now. With the large number of Boomers set to retire, everyone is talking about how to help them make it happen. Unfortunately, many business owners are having these conversations far too late. If business owners just did one thing, one thing that I believe would make their work more enjoyable and more profitable, it would be to set a succession plan from day one of starting or buying a company.
Some Sellers Value Time Over Money – Buyer Negotiation
I see business owners approach the sale of their business with one of two mentalities. It’s either maximize my value, or just get me out at a fair price. There’s no right or wrong, but there are pros and cons to each approach. We’re working with one seller, a younger business owner, who wants to run through the whole process and do everything he can to get the most out of his company. I always say these sellers want to go to sleep at night knowing they didn’t leave any money on the table.
Selling a Business | Recognize the Risk of “Just One More”
Timing is everything when selling a business. Whether it be winning in sports, finding your spouse, starting a company and ultimately selling it, when you do something can be every bit as important as how you do it.
When I See It Strategy
Most first-time business buyers start the acquisition process with an ‘I’ll know it when I see it’ strategy. Both individuals and existing business owners come to us with this approach. It won’t surprise you to hear, however, that it’s not a good use of our time to engage in a sales scenario destined to go like this: “How about this business?” No. “How about this?” No. “This?” No, that’s not right either.
Business Owners Can’t Plan On Yesterday
When a business owner says it’s time to sell, one of the first questions I ask is, “What’s your timeframe? When do you want to be out?” And the answer I hear most often is, “Yesterday.” That is a problem. Most business owners underestimate the time it takes to sell and exit their business. It’s not like selling a house, and you don’t get to hand over the keys and walk away on closing day.
When It Comes To Business, Location Isn’t Everything
I just met with a business leader who’s starting to explore his options around selling part of his company. Based here in Northeast Wisconsin, this business is considered an industry leader, well within the top five in its market throughout the U.S. Because of the company’s size and success, finding a buyer won’t be the tough part. It’s finding the right fit and negotiating for the best terms that will add complexity.
Avoid The Show-off When Showing Business To A Buyer
When selling your business, one of your biggest hurdles will be that first management presentation or facility tour. This is the first time you’ll meet the buyer face-to-face in a room to talk. This can be as short as 1-2 hours or more often it is a four to six-hour
Messy Accounting Means Your Sale Is Numbered
That’s the challenge we’re tackling on three different client engagements right now. In each case, these businesses have a lot going for them. From market leadership, to innovation, to high-quality products, these organizations check a lot of the proverbial “quality business” boxes. The problem is that their financial reporting is …
Sellers Beat The 90-day Average With Preparation
By Scott Bushkie According to Q1 2016 Market Pulse survey I help coordinate through the IBBA and M&A Source, businesses in Main Street and the lower middle market are taking about nine months to close. New this survey, we asked how much time was taken up in due diligence, specifically what was the time frame from letter of intent to close? For the smallest deals with a value of less than $500,000, due diligence takes two months. In most other market sectors, due diligence averaged 90 days.
For Value, Seek Boundaries Not Burnout
Too often, I hear from business owners who “vacation” with their family, only to stay back in the hotel glued to a computer or phone while their spouse and kids have fun without them. But working harder isn’t necessarily a good thing, at least not long-term. By setting boundaries and finding the right work-life balance, I’m able to bring more energy and focus to my work. It makes me a better leader to my employees and a better advisor to my clients.
Take a Vacation to Build Your Business
Spring break is close ahead, and as I prepare to take some time off with my family I’m remembering several years ago when a vacation like this was harder to come by. But as my team and company have continued to evolve and mature, I’m able to spend more time away from the office. Taking a break benefits both you and your team. You want to build a business that can operate without you. Sometimes that means you need to step away so your people have room to stretch and take on new roles. If you have to be on the phone all the time, constantly checking in and working on vacation, you may actually be hurting the value of your business. A business that is overly-dependent on the owner is not as attractive to a potential buyer. take on new roles.
Know if Multiple is Apple or Orange
As the old saying goes, you can’t compare apples to oranges. I always think of that when business owners talk about the multiple they hope to receive when selling their business. Sometimes, a business owner hears someone got a multiple of 6x or 8x for their business. So of course they want the same results. But what they don’t know—what doesn’t get shared over a round of beers—is what that number was multiplied by.
A Good Time For Good Communication
Our team at is going through a leadership transformation class with Initiative One. And one of the things we’ve learned is the value of impeccable communication, internally and externally. We have to remember that most business sellers don’t know what they don’t know. We can’t take anything for granted because assumptions can lead to unpleasant surprises that stop us from getting to the closing table. Here’s what impeccable communication looks like when selling your business:
Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
We’re doing our strategic planning and talking about our brand at Cornerstone . As our facilitator pointed out, there are three ways to compete as a business: price, quality, and service. Good companies compete on one. Great companies choose two. But you can’t do all three on a sustainable basis.
Seller Financing Benefits Both Sides of Transaction
If you’re considering selling your business, don’t expect to walk away with all cash at close. This isn’t like selling a house. Most deals involve some sort of alternative financing. You may be asked to accept an earn out, roll over a portion of equity, or (most commonly) provide seller financing. Even when the M&A market is strong and lenders are aggressively financing business acquisitions, seller financing is often still part of the deal structure. And when there’s a downturn or lenders tighten up, then seller financing is even more prevalent and important.
You Can Help The Stars Align So Business Will Sell
When it comes to selling your business, you hang some of those stars in the sky on your own, by building up sales, minimizing risk, and developing a strong leadership team. But other stars must line up on their own, due to market forces you can’t control.
How to Work With Sellers After You Buy Their Company
When buying a company, one key factor in your success is the transition that happens immediately afterwards. You need time with the previous owner to understand how and why they operated the business the way they did. And you need their support to transition customer relationships.
Selling A Small Business That Isn’t So Small: An Interview With Scott Bushkie
If your business has $10 million in annual revenue, who do you turn to help sell your business? After all, you are still technically a small business but are worth more than many small business broker’s are used to handling. One place to turn is Cornerstone Business Services . The company specializes in selling companies with $2 million to $100 million in revenue or $500K to $10 million + in EBITDA. In 2015, the company was involved in 12 completed transactions.
Market Pulse Quarterly Report Shows 2015 Ended with Strong Sales of Businesses and Optimism is Growing for 2016
The Small Business Administration had a record year, distributing more than $23.6 billion in loans in FY 2015. There was also significant private capital and traditional lending for the Main Street market in 2015 as 71% of Market Pulse study respondents who closed deals under $2MM in value reported that the businesses utilized financing other than SBA funds. The SBA record year, coupled with the traditional lending, demonstrates how incredibly active the Main Street market was in 2015
Plan for a Transition Period
When a business owner says it’s time to sell, one of the first questions I ask is, “What’s your timeframe? When do you want to be out?” And the answer I hear most often is, “Yesterday.” That is a problem. Most business owners underestimate the time it takes to sell and exit their business. It’s not like selling a house, and you don’t get to hand over the keys and walk away on closing day.
Take Timing Under Advisement
Timing is everything in the M&A market, and in many cases things you can’t control will impact your value more than those you can. Here’s what I mean:
One For The Record Books
As the new year begins, I want to comment on the M&A year behind us and the one ahead. As expected, the market was strong in 2015. Deal volume hit a new global record by early December, reaching $4.304 trillion, ahead of the previous record set in 2007.
Start Bucket List For Perspective
We’re in the process of an office remodel at Cornerstone . As part of that project, we’re pulling down all the pictures of businesses we’ve sold and helping our clients envision the future instead. To do that, we’re asking past clients to tell us what they’ve done with their time and money after their sale. As you’re thinking about selling your business, it’s time to plan your own bucket list. Because if you don’t spend time looking ahead, you’ll let fear of the unknown get in the way of a sale.
Buy a Business or Start Your Own?
Over 17 years of selling businesses, I’ve talked with many individuals who dream of being their own boss. Some of them have fuzzy plans and little initiative. With others, you can tell it’s only a matter of “when,” not “if.” But even many committed future business owners are still not sure if buying makes the most sense rather than starting a business on their own. Of course, I’m biased and I think they should buy. But there are times when a startup is the better choice. Here are some pros and cons of both:
Set new goals to avoid seller’s remorse
Many of my clients have told me that selling a business is like giving a child up for adoption or sending their teenager to an out-of-state college. They know it’s the right thing to do, but they miss the daily involvement, the challenge, and the companionship. It’s the same thing with a business. At some point, it makes sense for you and the business to part ways. Maybe the company has outgrown you and needs new leadership to thrive. Or maybe your passion has started to wane, and you’re feeling like work has become a grind. Either way, you have two options.
Selling, when money isn’t top concern
Instead of focusing on price, some sellers are more interested in making sure the company stays where it is, that the employees continue to have jobs, and that the management team gets an opportunity to buy an ownership stake. Given these priorities, we look at the different ways this company could go to the market.
Private Equity Rollup, Inside the Numbers
I’m representing a company out west doing $20 million in sales with $4 million in EBITDA at Cornerstone Business Services . That’s in the mid-tier size for regional businesses, but it’s not enough to get the national players excited about an acquisition. The big firms want opportunities closer to $10 million EBITDA. But as I contact various strategic buyers in the region, I find a few Boomer business owners who are also looking to sell. So after a few of those calls, I have a different story to tell. Now we’re partnering with a private equity group that may come in and buy not just my client, but one or two others of similar size. The acquisition makes sense for them because they know they can combine two or three of these businesses and reach that $10 million EBITDA target.
How to Buy the Right Business - Webinar
Buying a business can be much safer and more predictable than starting one from scratch; however, it can be a very confusing and complicated process. This webinar will not only highlight some of the common mistakes buyers make that can set you up for disaster right from the start, but it will also share some of the key characteristics you should look for in a business to give you the best chance of not just surviving but thriving in order to create the lifestyle you really want for you and your family.
Sell a Business | Trim Working Capital
Over the years, I’ve surprised any number of clients, looking to sell a business, by telling them that working capital most likely would be included in the price of their company. Many of them believed that they …
M&A | Windows of Opportunity Close Faster Than They Open
I spent my 10-year anniversary in Indiana, closing a deal. Before you start feeling bad for my wife, let me clarify—it was my company’s anniversary. Ten years ago, I started Cornerstone Business Services. I’d been working in …
Sell a Business | Marketing Matters in Sale of Business
Most business owners understand what good quality marketing materials can do for their business. They hire high-priced talent and spend whatever they need to maximize sales. But when it comes time to sell their business—not a product
Mergers and Acquisitions | The Benefit of M&A Associations
This should show business owners, that when it comes to mergers and acquisitions, there’s definitely an advantage in working with someone who continues to improve himself or herself and gain new knowledge. In the M&A world, this kind of commitment gives clients a much higher chance of successfully selling their company.
Small Business Ideas | Time to Build off Forgotten Assets
It’s one of the biggest limiting factors that can prevent a business from succeeding, and it doesn’t show up in the financials. You won’t find it on the balance sheet or the depreciation schedule. It’s not in the company contracts or legal records or even part of the property.
Harvest Time – Is it time to Sell My Small Business?
As I drove down to Dubuque, Iowa for a meeting last week, I couldn’t help but notice all the farmers harvesting their crops. It made me think about the sellers I’m working with right now and the current status of the M&A market.
Selling Your Business? Learn How to Prepare - Webinar
This webinar was presented by Scott Bushkie, Founder and President of Cornerstone Business Services a Green Bay-based M&A advisory firm and Co-Founder and President of DealCoach.
DealCoach Winner of the 2012 Northeast Wisconsin Business Plan Contest
DealCoach.com is a scalable, web-based solution that will help small business owners grow, value, market and ultimately sell their business for less cost and quicker time frame than the current market/national averages. It will also help potential buyers increase the likelihood of purchasing a company and running it successfully.