What is a Business Broker and What Do They Do?
A business broker is an intermediary who helps match buyers and sellers of businesses. Brokers typically work with small to medium-sized businesses, and their services can include helping to value businesses, finding potential buyers or sellers, negotiating sales, and closing deals. Colorado business brokers can be a valuable resource for those looking to buy or sell a business in the Colorado USA, as they can provide insights and expertise that may be difficult to obtain on your own. However, it is important to note that business brokers are typically paid a commission by the seller, so their loyalty lies with the seller first and foremost.
If you’re considering working with a business broker, be sure to interview several different brokers to get a sense of their experience and expertise, as well as their fees. You should also make sure that you have a clear understanding of the broker’s role in the process and what you can expect from them.
A business broker can also help you find financing for your purchase.
Need help financing a business purchase? A business broker can be an invaluable asset for securing financing for the acquisition of a new business. Not only will they have the expertise to advice on suitable options, but they may also have valuable connections with financiers who may be willing to provide the needed funds. Furthermore, having someone familiar with the competitive business environment on your side can help structure the financing in a way that is beneficial over the long term. If you are considering acquiring a business, enlisting the assistance of a reputable business broker could be highly advantageous.
Business brokers are experts in their field and can provide valuable advice.
Business brokers can offer their valuable expertise to those looking to buy or sell a business. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of business ownership, from taxes and regulations to financing and market analysis. Not only can they provide insight into current trends in the industry, but they can also advise on best practices for setting up a particular business. A business broker is an invaluable resource when it comes to navigating the complexities of becoming an entrepreneur and maximizing success in the long run. Their years of experience can help guide any potential buyer or seller down the right path so that they make smart investments that lead to smooth transitions and lucrative results.
Hiring a business broker is a smart way to ensure that you get the best possible deal when buying or selling a business.
Hiring a business broker is a smart way to ensure that you get the best possible deal when buying or selling a business. Colorado business brokers are experienced negotiators who can help you get the best price for your business. They will also be able to provide you with valuable advice on how to structure the deal so that it is fair to both parties. In addition, business brokers are usually well-connected within the business community and can often provide you with access to a wider pool of potential buyers or sellers. As a result, hiring a business broker is an effective way to maximize your chances of getting a good deal when buying or selling a business.
Conclusion:
A business broker is a professional who helps business owners sell their businesses. They can help with the entire process, from finding potential buyers to negotiating the sale. If you’re thinking of putting up your Durango CO business for sale, then contact us and we will get you the best price for your business.
Read MoreThe Role of Business Brokers in Big Deals
Business brokers are an integral part of any large-scale business transaction. As a broker, their job is to act as a mediator between the parties involved and ensure that both sides get the best possible deal. You’ll be responsible for finding potential buyers or sellers, negotiating terms, and ensuring that all paperwork is completed correctly.
Colorado business brokers, are professionals and experts at making big deals happen. They provide the necessary guidance and expertise that can be invaluable when clients are trying to acquire or merge with a business. A broker will use their experience and knowledge to put together a comprehensive package of services that best suits the needs of their clients, while they also help develop strategies to evaluate the industry landscape, identify desirable targets, and seek out fair deal terms that can benefit both parties. Brokers specialize in understanding the dynamics of each market they operate in and applying these tools to help guide their clients through successful negotiations. All these skills combine to make completing big deals easier for all involved, no doubt explaining why more people are seeking out business brokers for their high-stakes transactions. Let’s take a closer look at how business brokers do big deals.
Researching potential buyers and sellers
When brokers are working on a big deal, their first step is to identify potential buyers or sellers who may be interested in the deal. This usually involves researching the market for companies that meet certain criteria, such as size, financial stability, and industry experience. Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential clients, you can contact them to discuss their needs and interests further.
Negotiating terms
The next step is negotiating terms with both sides of the transaction. This requires a deep understanding of both parties’ needs and objectives. As a broker, it’s their job to determine which terms will satisfy both sides while also protecting their interests. This often involves extensive research into financials, legal documents, contracts, and other areas related to the transaction.
Closing the deal
After both sides have agreed on terms, it’s time to close the deal. This usually involves preparing paperwork such as purchase agreements and sales contracts to make sure that everything is legally binding. It’s important to ensure that all documents are accurate and complete before they’re signed off by all parties involved in the transaction. Additionally, you’ll need to coordinate with lawyers or other professionals who may be helping with the closing process.
Conclusion
Business brokers in Colorado can help you with large-scale transactions by providing expertise on market trends and negotiations while also making sure that all paperwork is accurate and complete before closing the deal. By taking these steps carefully and methodically throughout each transaction process, business brokers can help ensure that both parties get what they need out of any big deal they participate in.
Read MoreHow Does a Broker Save You Money?
Many small business owners don’t realize the many benefits of using a professional business broker. A business broker in Colorado is an experienced professional who can help you buy or sell a business, and they are often well-versed in the ins and outs of the transaction process. There are many reasons why hiring a business broker to assist with your sale or purchase can save you time, money, and stress in the long run.
They have the resources and know-how to handle every step in the process, from assessing a business’s value to connecting potential buyers and sellers. This saves you time and energy from having to navigate the complicated world of commercial transactions, as well as the costs associated with expensive market research. Moreover, because a business broker is an expert negotiator, they can often secure better deals than individual buyers and sellers could on their own. All in all, engaging the services of a reliable business broker is sure to save you money and headaches when it comes time to make such a big decision. Let’s take a look at some of these advantages.
Time Savings
Business brokers handle all aspects of the transaction process, from finding buyers to negotiating deals to closing the deal. This means that as a small business owner, you can focus on running your business instead of worrying about tedious details related to buying or selling it. In addition, brokers often have access to resources such as proprietary databases that allow them to quickly find potential buyers or sellers for your company, which could save you weeks or months if you were searching for them on your own.
Expertise
Business brokers in Colorado have years of experience working with businesses just like yours on transactions. They know all the intricacies involved in buying and selling businesses and are trained professionals who specialize in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). This means that your broker will be able to anticipate potential pitfalls during negotiations and provide advice throughout the entire process. Additionally, they will be able to provide valuable insight into how much your company is worth and what type of offer would be most beneficial for you as a seller or buyer.
Cost Savings
Using a business broker also has monetary benefits for both buyers and sellers. Brokers typically charge lower commissions than other types of M&A advisors, such as attorneys or accountants, because they are not responsible for handling any legal paperwork or financial analysis associated with the transaction process. Also, since brokers usually have access to proprietary data sources that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars to access on their own, they can help buyers quickly identify businesses that fit their criteria without having to search through countless listings online or in print publications. This saves both time and money!
Conclusion
Hiring a professional business broker CO comes with many benefits when it comes time to buy or sell a business. They not only provide expertise in navigating complex transactions, but they also save time by managing every aspect of the process from beginning to end, allowing you to focus on running your business more efficiently while still receiving excellent results from your sale or purchase.
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Essential Meeting Tips for Buyers & Sellers
The buyer-seller meeting is quite often a “make or break” meeting. Your business broker or M&A Advisor will do everything possible to ensure that this meeting goes as well as possible.
It is vitally important to realize that rarely is there an offer before buyers and sellers actually meet. The all-important offer usually comes directly after this all-important meeting. As a result, you want to ensure that meetings are as positive and productive as possible.
Buyers need to understand how the process of selling a business works and what is expected of them from the process. Buyers also need to understand that following their broker’s advice will increase the chances of a successful outcome.
Sellers should be ready to be honest and forthcoming during the meeting. They also want to be sure to not say or do anything that could come across as a strong-armed sales tactic.
Asking the Right Questions
If you are a buyer preparing to meet a business owner for the first time, you’ll want to make sure any questions you ask are appropriate and logical. It is important for buyers to place themselves in the shoes of the other party.
Buyers also shouldn’t show up to the buyer-seller meeting without having done their homework. So be sure to do a little planning ahead so that you are ready to go with good questions that show you understand the business.
Building a Positive Relationship
Buyers should, of course, plan to be polite and respectful. They should also be prepared to avoid discussing politics and religion, which often can be flashpoints for confrontation. When sellers don’t like prospective buyers, then the odds are good that they will also not place trust in them.
For most sellers, their business is a legacy. It quite often represents years, or even decades, of hard work. Needless to say, sellers value their businesses. Many will feel as though it reflects them personally, at least in some fashion. Buyers should keep these facts in mind when dealing with sellers. A failure to follow these guidelines could lead to ill will between buyers and sellers and negatively impact the chances of success.
Sellers Should Be Truthful
Sellers also have a significant role in the process. While it is true that sellers are trying to sell their business, they don’t want to come across as a salesperson. Instead, sellers should try to be as real and honest as possible.
Every business has some level of competition. With this in mind, sellers should not pretend that there is zero competition. A savvy buyer will be more than a little skeptical.
The key to a successful outcome is for business brokers and M&A Advisors to work with their buyers and sellers well in advance and make sure that they understand what is expected and how best to approach the buyer-seller meeting. With the right preparation, the odds of success will skyrocket.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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Negotiating the Price Gap Between Buyers and Sellers
Sellers generally desire all-cash transactions; however, oftentimes partial seller financing is necessary in typical middle market company transactions. Furthermore, sellers who demand all-cash deals typically receive a lower purchase price than they would have if the deal were structured differently.
Although buyers may be able to pay all-cash at closing, they often want to structure a deal where the seller has left some portion of the price on the table, either in the form of a note or an earnout. Deferring some of the owner’s remuneration from the transaction will provide leverage in the event that the owner has misrepresented the business. An earnout is a mechanism to provide payment based on future performance. Acquirers like to suggest that, if the business is as it is represented, there should be no problem with this type of payout. The owner’s retort is that he or she knows the business is sound under his or her management but does not know whether the buyer will be as successful in operating the business.
Moreover, the owner has taken the business risk while owning the business; why would he or she continue to be at risk with someone else at the helm? Nevertheless, there are circumstances in which an earnout can be quite useful in recognizing full value and consummating a transaction. For example, suppose that a company had spent three years and vast sums developing a new product and had just launched the product at the time of a sale. A certain value could be arrived at for the current business, and an earnout could be structured to compensate the owner for the effort and expense of developing the new product if and when the sales of the new product materialize. Under this scenario, everyone wins.
The terms of the deal are extremely important to both parties involved in the transaction. Many times the buyers and sellers, and their advisors, are in agreement with all the terms of the transaction, except for the price. Although the variance on price may seem to be a “deal killer,” the price gap can often be resolved so that both parties can move forward to complete the transaction.
Listed below are some suggestions on how to bridge the price gap:
- If the real estate was originally included in the deal, the seller may choose to rent the premise to the acquirer rather than sell it outright. This will decrease the price of the transaction by the value of the real estate. The buyer might also choose to pay higher rent in order to decrease the “goodwill” portion of the sale. The seller may choose to retain the title to certain machinery and equipment and lease it back to the buyer.
- The purchaser can acquire less than 100% of the company initially and have the option to buy the remaining interest in the future. For example, a buyer could purchase 70% of the seller’s stock with an option to acquire an additional 10% a year for three years based on a predetermined formula. The seller will enjoy 30% of the profits plus a multiple of the earnings at the end of the period. The buyer will be able to complete the transaction in a two-step process, making the purchase easier to accomplish. The seller may also have a “put” which will force the buyer to purchase the remaining 30% at some future date.
- A subsidiary can be created for the fastest growing portion of the business being acquired. The buyer and seller can then share 50/50 in the part of the business that was “spun-off” until the original transaction is paid off.
- A royalty can be structured based on revenue, gross margins, EBIT, or EBITDA. This is usually easier to structure than an earnout.
- Certain assets, such as automobiles or non-business-related real estate, can be carved out of the sale to reduce the actual purchase price.
Although the above suggestions will not solve all of the pricing gap problems, they may lead the participants in the necessary direction to resolve them. The ability to structure successful transactions that satisfy both buyer and seller requires an immense amount of time, skill, experience, and most of all – imagination.
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Finding the Best Business for You
Owning a business and owning the right kind of business for you are, of course, two wildly different things. Owning the wrong kind of business can make you absolutely miserable. So if you are considering buying a business, it is prudent that you invest the time and effort into determining the best kind of business for your needs and your personality. In a recent Forbes article, “What is the Right Type of Business for You to Buy?” author Richard Parker explores how buyers should go about finding the right business fit.
Parker is definitely an expert when it comes to working with buyers as he has spoken with an estimated 100,000 buyers over his career. In that time, Parker has concluded that it is critical that you don’t “learn on your own time.”
His key piece of advice concerning what type of business to buy is as follows. “While there are many factors to be considered, the answer is simple: whatever it is you do best has to be the single most important driving factor of the revenues and profits of any business you consider purchasing.” And he also believes that expertise is more important than experience. Parker’s view is that it is critical for prospective buyers to perform an honest self-assessment in order to identify their single greatest business skill and area of expertise. The last thing you want to do is pretend to be something that you are not.
Parker makes one very astute point when he notes, “Small business owners generally wear many hats: this is usually why their businesses remain small. Remember that every big business was once a small business.” As Parker points out, whoever is in charge of the business will ultimately determine how the business will evolve, or not evolve. Selecting the right business for you and your skillsets is pivotal for the long-term success of your business.
All of this adds up to make the process of due diligence absolutely essential. Before buying a business, you must understand every aspect of that business and make certain that the business is indeed a good fit for you. According to Parker, if you don’t love your business, it will have trouble growing. This point is impossible to refute. Owning and growing a business requires a tremendous amount of time and effort. If you don’t enjoy owning and/or operating your business, success will be a much more difficult proposition.
Finding the right business for you is a complicated process even after you have performed a proper evaluation of your skills and interests. After all, do you really want a solid business with great potential for growth that you would hate owning? By working with brokers and M&A advisors, you can find the best business fit for your needs, personality, and goals. These professionals are invaluable allies in the process of discovering the right business for you.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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Tackling Growth Delusions When Buying a Business
There is no doubt about it, it can be exciting to buy a new business. However, in the process, it is very important that you don’t become unrealistic about future growth. Keep in mind that in the vast majority of cases, if a business is poised to quickly grow substantially, the seller would be far less interested in selling.
Richard Parker’s recent article for Forbes entitled “Don’t Be Delusional About Growth When Buying a Business” seeks to instill a smart degree of caution into prospective buyers. Parker notes that when evaluating a business and talking to the owner, many buyers come away with a sense that enormous growth is just “sitting there” waiting to be seized. In particular, Parker cautions those buyers who are buying into an industry that they know nothing about; those individuals should be very careful.
When buying into an industry where one has no familiarity, there can be a range of problems. The opportunities that you see may not have been tapped into by the existing owner for a range of reasons. You couldn’t possibly guess what these reasons might be without more of a knowledge base. Since you are an outsider, you likely lack the proper perspective and understanding. In turn, this means you may see growth opportunities that may not exist, as the seller may have already tried and failed. Summed up another way, until you actually own the business and are running it on a day to day basis, you simply can’t make a proper assessment of how best to grow that business.
The seductive lure of growth shouldn’t be the determining factor when you are looking for a business. A far more important and ultimately reliable factor is stability. The real question, the foundation of whether or not a business is a good purchase option, is whether or not the business will maintain its revenue and profit levels once you’ve signed on the dotted line and taken over. You want to be sure that the business doesn’t have to grow to remain viable.
As Parker points out, the majority of small business buyers will buy in a sector where they don’t have much experience, and that is fine. What is not fine is assuming that you can greatly grow the business. Of course, if new buyers can achieve that goal, that is great and certainly icing on the cake. But don’t depend on that growth.
In the end, everyone has some ideas that work and some that don’t. You may take over a business and, thanks to having a different perspective than the previous owner, are able to find ways to make that business grow. But realize that many of your ideas for growing the business may fail completely.
A professional business broker will be able to help you determine what business is best for you. A business broker will help keep you focused on what matters most and steer you clear of the mistakes that buyers frequently make when buying a business.
A Closer Look at 3 Major Factors to Consider When You Buy a Business
The simple but undeniable fact is buying a business is one of the single greatest financial decisions a person can make. Buying a business can lead to great financial success or great financial failure. This fact helps to underscore why it is so important to work with an experienced broker who can help guide you through the often labyrinthian process of buying a business.
In a July 2019 article from Smallbusiness.co.uk, author Kyle Carins explores three key factors that everyone should consider before they buy a business. The first factor covered in Carins’ article, “3 Things to Consider When Buying a Business,” is appeal vs. viability.
Appeal Vs. Viability
Not surprising, the most important variable for most prospective owners is that the business is indeed viable. Not being able to differentiate between an appealing business and one that is viable can lead to financial disaster.
As Carins points out, “Do you want to make money or do you want to fulfill a dream?” Sometimes those two variables can intersect, but not always and not often. In the end, it is vital to know whether a given business is, in fact, potentially lucrative.
However, as Carins points out, it is also important that you choose a business that you will enjoy. Nothing can be more spirit crushing than running a business that you truly hate, even if it is lucrative. Selecting the right business for you is something of a balancing act that must take in a variety of often competing variables.
Considering Hidden Costs
The second factor that Carins looks at is the issue of “hidden costs.” One of the key reasons that it is so important to work with a business broker is that a business broker understands these kinds of factors that you might otherwise overlook. Due diligence is amazingly important. For those who have never bought a business before, working with a business broker offers substantial protection against making a potentially serious mistake.
Second Opinions
The third factor examined in Carins article is “Getting a second opinion.” For Carins, getting a second opinion is actually linked to due diligence. He feels that additional opinions regarding a given business should go beyond working with professionals and should also include talking to friends and family who know you well. Additional opinions can help one see angles that might otherwise be missed.
Again, buying a business is complicated and will take up a good deal of one’s time and mental energy. Your friends and relatives, understand your personality and your wants and desires. Their input can be particularly beneficial.
Finding an experienced business broker can help you do more than simply establish whether or not a given business is a “good deal.” Brokers with years of proven experience can also help you determine whether or not a specific business is a good fit for you and your lifestyle.
Business Buyers Can Leverage SBA Lending
Finding the money to start your own small business can be a challenge. Over the decades, countless people have turned to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for help. A recent Inc. Magazine article, “Kickstart Your Business Dreams with SBA Lending,” by BizBuySell President, Bob House, explored how SBA lending can be used to the buyer’s advantage.
The article covers the basics of an SBA loan and who should try to get one. House notes that the SBA doesn’t provide loans itself, but instead facilitates lending and even micro-lending with a range of partners. The loans are backed by the government, which means that lenders are more willing to offer a loan to an entrepreneur who might not typically qualify for one. The fact is that the SBA will cover 75% of a lender’s loss if the loan goes into default.
Entrepreneurs can benefit tremendously from this program. In some cases, an SBA loan even means skipping the need for collateral. SBA loans can be used for those looking to open a business, expand their existing business or open a franchise.
House points out that getting an SBA loan has much in common with receiving other types of loans. For example, it is necessary to be “bank ready.” By “bank ready,” House means that all of your financial documentation should be organized, clear to understand and ready to go.
Next, a buyer would need to check that he or she qualifies, find a lender and fill out the necessary SBA forms. In order to be eligible for an SBA loan, it is necessary that the business is a for-profit venture and that it will do business in the United States. Once the necessary forms have been submitted, it can take between 2 to 3 months for an application to be processed and potentially approved.
The simple fact is that the SBA helps thousands of people every year. If you are looking to buy a business or expand your current business, then working with the SBA could be exactly what you need. Of course, business brokers are experts on what it takes to buy. Working with a broker stands as one of the single best ways to turn the dream of owning a business into a reality.
How Employees Factor into the Success of Your Business
Quality employees are essential for the long-term success and growth of any business. Many entrepreneurs learn this simple fact far too late. Regardless of what kind of business you own, a handful of key employees can either make or break you. Sadly, businesses have been destroyed by employees that don’t care, or even worse, are actually working to undermine the business that employs them. In short, the more you evaluate your employees, the better off you and your business will be.
Forbes’ article “Identifying Key Employees When Buying a Business”, from Richard Parker does a fine job in encouraging entrepreneurs to think more about how their employees impact their businesses and the importance of factoring in employees when considering the purchase of a business.
As Parker states, “One of the most important components when evaluating a business for sale is investigating its employees.” This statement does not only apply to buyers. Of course, with this fact in mind, sellers should take every step possible to build a great team long before a business is placed on the market.
There are many variables to consider when evaluating employees. It is critical, as Parker points out, to determine exactly how much of the work burden the owner of the business is shouldering. If an owner is trying to “do it all, all the time” then buyers must determine who can help shoulder some of the responsibility, as this is key for growth.
In Parker’s view, one of the first steps in the buyer’s due diligence process is to identify key employees. Parker strongly encourages buyers to determine how the business will fair if these employees were to leave or cross over to a competitor. Assessing if an employee is valuable involves more than simply evaluating an employee’s current benefit. Their future value and potential damage they could cause upon leaving are all factors that must be weighed. Wisely, Parker recommends having a test period where you can evaluate employees and the business before entering into a formal agreement.
It is key to never forget that your employees help you build your business. The importance of specific employees to any given business varies widely. But sellers should understand what employees are key and why. Additionally, sellers should be able to articulate how key employees can be replaced and even have a plan for doing so. Since, savvy buyers will understand the importance of key employees and evaluate them, it is essential that sellers are prepared to have their employees placed under the microscope along with the rest of their business.
