As a business owner, you have to consider the role you want to play in the business in the immediate future following a sale and how that could impact the sale.
That’s why we try to meet with owners months or even years before they “pull the plug” and go to market.
Sometimes growth strategies by acquirers can represent an opportunity for an owner who is young enough and excited enough to stay involved in a company post transaction.
Some buyers might be looking at you as a platform business. Under that scenario, they might want you to stay on for a longer period of time as they provide capital to help you take the company to the next level.
In other situations, your company may be an add-on acquisition and your enterprise is going to be integrated into a larger operation. In those situations, the buyer may not need you long-term but could ask you to help a new management team get settled.
It is a good idea to talk with the advisor as far in advance as possible so you are prepared for what might happen. We want you to go into the transition with your eyes open and your goals clear. That way your deal team has the greatest opportunity to deliver options that best fit your goals.
BTS News
NH-Based Techinical Manufacturing Company Sold
Hampshire Controls has a bright future with new ownership. The company was recently sold by Diane Rush, owner and president, to Pillar Imaging and its leader Dr. Michael Pilon.
Be Ready When You Are Ready
When a business owner says it’s time to sell, I ask, “How fast do you want to be out?” The answer I hear most is, “Yesterday.” But sellers underestimate how long the process takes.
Looking at a Sale Through the Right Lens
Sometimes our vision about the future is blurry because we aren’t considering the whole picture but only parts of it.
5 Deal Points from the Trenches
Today I work with clients of Business Transition Strategies who are implementing Growth Through Acquisition strategies. Here are a few observations from working on a wide variety of projects.
Tax Changes Could Hurt Net Proceeds
Changes proposed to the capital gains tax suggest they may need to get 30% more in a transaction in the future just to net the same value they would get today.
Good Ideas From Shark Tank Deal
One of my colleagues in Cornerstone Alliance was front and center in a recent Shark Tank exercise. A business that had been sold was put in front of four potential buyer groups.
Buyer Trends in Lower Mid-Market
Other businesses are a significant market for companies being sold within the lower mid-market.
Things to Consider in Transition Thinking
As a business owner, you have to consider the role you want to play in the business in the immediate future following a sale and how that could impact the sale.
Spring Cleaning is Good for Business
May is a good time for spring cleaning, especially at your business. It is a good time to look at your business as though you were in the throes of due diligence. Here are a few areas to consider.
Planning Ahead for a Sale
As you start thinking about selling your business, it is important to engage with someone who can coach you. There’s a lot of value you can create over the final years before you sell.
Case Studies
Precision Machining Company
Initially, liquidation was a serious consideration. It would offer a quick exit but would hurt loyal employees and disrupt the customers who had come to rely on its quality production.
Green Product Company
Our client owners could dig in for the long haul…However, this would take five years or more. Owners simply lacked the horsepower to do it.
Water Purification Company and Young Buyers
Owners decided they wanted to retire. They also wanted to be fair to the staff who had been loyal to them. Could the company be sold, the staff retained and the facility remain in use?
Magnetics Company with High Profile Customers
(T)he manufacturer would need to focus on growing EBITDA to capture interest from major strategic buyers and achieve a higher multiple of earnings.