Selling your business is a complex undertaking. It starts with planning. VR can provide you with crucial preparatory assistance prior to going to market. There are a number of issues and up-front actions that will significantly affect the success of your transaction. The two most important are:
Income and Expenses - Orderly financial books and records to prove and verify gross revenue, cost of sales/products, expenses and net income are vital. The more easily an owner can show a prospective buyer how revenue, expenses and income streams evolve, the easier it is to assuage buyer concerns about cash flow and earnings.
Reasonable Pricing - Usually, buyers won't even look at a business that is not priced competitively.
Image - Does your facility and operation, in general, manifest a positive, professional and clean image?
Obtain a Professional Third-Party Evaluation - In most circumstances we highly recommend this. Independent valuation reports improve the likelihood of a successful closing and often reduce price negotiations. Neither VR nor your accountant will be viewed by potential buyers as objective in this regard. We work with a number of excellent firms that provide independent valuations.
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (F, F, & E) List - Providing a complete list of the F, F, & E that can be referenced during inspection is an important part of the process.
Lease Considerations - Knowing the terms of a lease including the requirements of the assignment or the terms offered on a new lease.
Reason for Sale - Buyers are always concerned about this. They are afraid you may be selling because of some undisclosed fact that may hurt the business in the future. Buyers must see a logical reason for the sale or - without it, they think the worst.
NO SURPRISES - It is very important to be candid about all aspects of your business up-front. Negatives can generally be overcome if we are aware of them from the beginning.