And another year is in the books! It’s time to gather and review our bank statements, investment statements, tax statements…and if a business is owned, wrap up year-end accounting and journal entries to finalize financial statements. But some business owners are missing one critical year-end statement that can be a competitive differentiator…a reliable business valuation.Read More…
A business advisor recently mentioned that they were speaking with a business owner who wanted to plan for the future. The advisor suggested that it would be wise to have a formal business valuation done so that informed decisions could be made in the planning process. The owner responded that their business couldn’t be valuedRead More…
Often when business owners think about transitioning out of business ownership, they focus on numbers and logistics first but don’t always consider what they will do after transitioning out of ownership. We’re talking about the big ‘what’s next?’ question that almost all of us face at some point in our careers, and the reaction businessRead More…
I recently sat in a medical clinic waiting for a friend’s procedure to be completed when I came upon a New York Times article that stated it is our life expectancy, not just our age, that is increasingly figuring into calculations about whether certain medical screenings and treatments are appropriate. The crux of the articleRead More…
Time for a business valuation? Here’s what to expect Business owners know their business better than anyone on the outside ever will. But when a business valuation is needed most owners have no idea what to expect. What information will be requested? How long it will take? What is the process? We work to makeRead More…
Are you wondering what the value of your business is if you sold to a competitor or other type of “best fit” buyer, (i.e., buyer with a strategic interest in the acquisition of your business)? Different than selling to an inside employee group or passive investor, the sale of a business to a best fitRead More…
We have to start thinking positively about the words “exit planning.” You say the words, and owners shut down – could be because of emotional attachment, the fear of change, lack of resources…. Could be worse – could be lack of awareness or procrastination. But guess what? Studies have shown that 75% of those whoRead More…
We talk about the importance of understanding, increasing and unlocking the value of a business and while much of what we write and teach about relates to understanding how business valuation works, here we are focusing on increasing the value of a business. While there are many quantitative and qualitative levers that impact the valueRead More…
Here’s a scenario we see occurring frequently: A 100% owner of a business wants to sell a 10% equity interest in their company to a key employee so they have some “skin in the game” and are less likely to leave and go elsewhere. Let’s assume the business owner has recently had a business valuationRead More…
The risk of rushing to democratize business valuation The importance of business owners understanding the value of their business cannot be understated. Far too many business owners believe that a business valuation is not needed unless selling is imminent. This thinking stunts the owner’s ability to manage their business as an investment—to know with certaintyRead More…