Is Your Deal Really Done?
Once you get to the stage of your deal where you have a signed letter of intent, you may already be feeling a sense of relief that your deal is near finalization. But remember that the due diligence stage is typically yet to come. This stage includes everything from financial and legal investigations to a review of specific information regarding how a business is run.
The due diligence process can be quite comprehensive and it often reveals some surprises. Because it is important for sellers to know what to prepare and for buyers to know what to look for, let’s examine some of the categories that are reviewed during this process.
Trademarks and Copyrights
Will assets like trademarks, patents and copyrights be transferred? This is a point that has certainly interfered with some deals being successful. Due to the fact that trademarks, patents, and copyrights are often essential parts of a business, they cannot be overlooked.
Products and Industry
Due diligence will likely include analysis of product lines and the respective percentage of sales that they make up. If the business in question is a manufacturing business, then all aspects of the process will be examined. For example, buyers will be looking for age and value of the equipment, information about suppliers, etc.
Financial Statements
It goes without saying that financial statements should be poured over during due diligence. Current statements and incoming sales should be carefully reviewed. Review of financial information will also include balance sheets. Is there bad debt? Is there work in progress? These kinds of issues will be evaluated.
Customer Lists
If you are selling a business, you should be prepared to share lists of major customers. Buyers may also want to compare your market share to that of your competitors.
Key Employees
Buyers should be looking for information on key personnel, as well as data on any potential employee turnover. If you are selling a business, it’s important to try to fix any staffing problems that might interfere with a buyer’s ability to properly run the business.
A key goal of the due diligence process is to find potential problems, such as liabilities and contractual issues. But on the upside, due diligence also includes investigation into assets and benefits. The end result should be that the selling price of the business is justified and both parties walk away satisfied. As stated above, it is very common for problems and issues to pop up during due diligence, so it’s important to stay proactive and be open to negotiation until the deal is finalized.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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Buying a Business in NYC
Starting a business may seem like the obvious choice for many aspiring entrepreneurs. After all, many businesses started from scratch and were able to succeed. Nevertheless, nowadays, it’s much easier to buy a business in NYC than to set up a new one.
Surely, this could mean that you won’t get the moral recognition of having been able to erect an emporium with your bare hands, but you’ll get added benefits that will definitely help you overcome the typical entry barriers, meanwhile increasing your profitability in the short term.
As stated earlier, you get a myriad of advantages when deciding to buy a business. NYC is a difficult place to do startups owing to the overwhelming amount of competition in virtually all areas. However, business selling is a very common practice in big cities such as these.
Among other advantages of purchasing a business, you’ll get:
BETTER ACCESS TO LOANS TO BUY BUSINESS (NYC-BASED) OVER STARTUPS
To earn money, you must lose some. At times, even more than what you may have available. This means that you will require a loan to get you started.
Businesses that already have an existing structure can show a more tangible potential for return of investment, which means you’ll get green lighted more easily by banks than by simply showing some abstract projections that they may deem too risky or adventurous.
AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED BRAND
Within the purview of marketing, there is an excessive amount of advertising. Even in this day and age of free social platforms, you will struggle to make a name for yourself or to get spotlighted.
When you buy a business in NYC, you can reap the rewards of months or probably years of advertising work that have cemented the brand in the minds of a large portion of the target audience, especially in such a populous city.
This business most likely has an existing user or customer base, its own social media accounts with large followings, and a functioning thriving website that copes with heavy traffic.
AN OPERATIONAL BUSINESS
If you resolve to buy a business in NYC that has an existing operational structure not only will you be able to save a lot of money, but also time and frustration.
All the time it takes to devise working strategies (and going through failed ones), hire personnel, set up bank accounts, arrange departments, and file paperwork (especially in New York), apart from laying out publicity and advertisement strategies (as explained above) was, for the most part, spent in advance, so you will only have to worry about what’s ahead and how to improve your business model.
Get Professional Help
Are you in NYC and wish to buy a business? New York City business brokers are your best choice. With the assistance of a reputable brokerage firm, you’ll be capable of landing the best deals, as they help you sift through all the possible matches to find those that fit your exact search criteria.
Also, brokers accompany their customers every step of the way and have sufficient technical knowledge to get them through the most complex phases in the whole process, including bargaining, financing, and dealing with all the administrative paperwork.
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Questions to Ask When Negotiating a Deal
Almost every sale of a business involves a high degree of negotiation between buyers and sellers. In this article, we share some of the questions you can ask yourself to prepare for this part of the process. After all, optimal outcomes are typically only achieved through proper negotiation strategies. Keep in mind that one of the key strengths possessed by Business Brokers and M&A Advisors is expertise and skills in negotiating deals.
Can Both Parties Split the Difference?
If the buyer and seller can’t agree on a number, one negotiating tactic is to have them split the difference. This is a tactic that is simple to understand, and it shows both parties that the other is willing to be flexible. This reveals a good degree of goodwill and can serve to not only keep both parties talking, but also lower any pre-existing tensions. When both parties are still at the table, there is still hope that a deal can be reached. This tactic serves to continue the discussions and can often be highly beneficial.
Can the Buyer and Seller Better Understand One Another?
When it comes to good negotiations, one of the goals is for both parties to seek to understand one another. Sometimes a buyer or seller’s needs don’t even involve the numbers on paper. Instead, they may be seeking to adjust terms to make them more conducive to their overall goals. If you can keep an open mind and seek to better understand what the other party is ultimately looking for, it can go a long way in making the deal happen.
Can You Bring in a Professional?
There is an old saying that says “Never negotiate your own deal.” One of the benefits of bringing in a brokerage professional is that this third party won’t have the same level of emotional investment. This means that he or she can keep a neutral perspective and be more apt to see things from both sides. Sometimes a new perspective can work wonders. Further, a brokerage professional will understand the myriad of complex factors that must be successfully resolved before the deal is finalized. A Business Broker or M&A Advisor will have tips and techniques that can only be gained from years of first hand exposure to making deals happen.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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Five Tips in Choosing the Right Business Broker
Deciding whether or not you can buy or sell businesses can vary for different reasons. Firstly, it may be possible that you merely just want to venture in a new business direction or that certain changes in your life do not seem to fit with your previous goals anymore. Nonetheless, purchasing or selling a business will be one of the toughest decisions you’ll have to make.
When you finally decide that it’s about time to sell your business, you’re usually left with two options: either you use targeted advertising and sell it through your personal network of contacts or consult a Long Island business broker for help.
While it’s true that you can sell your business without needing external help, hiring a business broker will make the process worthwhile, especially if you don’t have the luxury of time to monitor every single thing. Moreover, whether or not the outcome of your transaction is successful will highly depend on the business broker long island you choose.
If you’re particularly searching for Long Island business brokers, it’s essential that you hire the one that best caters to your needs. Here are five tips that can help guide you so you can arrive at the most suitable decision.
WHAT DOES A BUSINESS BROKER LONG ISLAND DO?
A Long Island business broker generally refers to a professional agency or an expert whose primary role is to assist in purchasing or selling a business. They usually aid their clients to secure the best price for your business and are also responsible for turning in the required paperwork, alongside completing the licensing or needed permits.
Transferring the ownership of a business can be a complicated and lengthy process. For this reason, hiring the right long island business broker especially helps if you’re the one doing the selling. Not only do they aid in recommending a reasonable price value for your business, but they also assist in screening potential buyers at the same time.
TIPS IN HIRING THE BEST BUSINESS BROKER LONG ISLAND
As you may already know, there are plenty of Long Island business brokers to choose from, and coming to terms with the right person to hire can be a daunting decision. However, you don’t have to fret. Here are some necessary standards to keep in mind when choosing one with whom you can entrust your business.
1. CONSIDER THEIR INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
More often than not, top-class business brokers will already have enough experience regarding Long Island business brokerage. For this, the best ones will have already worked with plenty of businesses over time.
Ask your prospective Long Island business broker what specific type of businesses they handle regularly. Keep in mind that working with one with ample industry knowledge can lead to better outcomes for your business.
2. RELY ON ADS OR REFERRALS
One of the tried-and-true ways to find a long island business broker is through referrals from trustworthy contacts. Your colleagues, friends, or relatives may be able to recommend you a certain business broker that they’ve successfully worked within the past.
3. INQUIRE IF THEY HAVE CONNECTIONS
Apart from the business broker, you’d undeniably need other professionals to guide you throughout this journey. Some of which include attorneys, accountants, and bankers, among many others. Selecting a business broker with connections with such people means that you won’t have to splurge on resources and time locating them on your own.
4. ASK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE
Of course, experience in the industry will always be a great asset in whatever profession. Because of this, remember to inquire about their years of experience within the industry, especially since having enough experience means that your prospective business broker long island knows what they’re doing and have been doing it for a long time.
Even so, it’s not enough that the broker has already been in the industry for many years if they haven’t executed quite a handful of deals. It’s better to work with someone who has worked and sealed successful deals with several buyers and sellers.
5. EVALUATE THEIR PUBLIC REPUTATION
It’s always a smart move to learn more about your broker’s reputation, and a great way to do this is to ask for a list of clients that your potential long island business broker has already worked with. Here, you can follow up with a few of those clients and ask what they can say about the broker. If they generally seem satisfied with their services, then that means you’ll likely have a good time working with them.
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Current Insights Regarding the Labor Shortage
BizBuySell’s Insight Report is filled with key statistics and information on a range of topics, including the labor shortage and hiring problems that many businesses currently face. Visit BizBuySell for more information about the findings that they recently reported for the third quarter of 2021. This website also offers an archive of past quarterly reports dating back to 2013.
The pandemic has “reshuffled the deck,” causing many to reassess their positions in corporate America. At this point in 2021, businesses are recovering, but the pandemic continues to play a role in business operations. 71% of business owners surveyed noted that they are facing higher costs than before the pandemic. Most respondents indicated that labor shortages have been having a significant impact on their businesses. There are issues both in hiring and retaining employees.
As the report explains, “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, retail spending in September increased 13.9% over the previous year. However, many businesses still struggle to attract or retain employees. In fact, 49% of owners say the labor shortage is impacting their business, while Business Brokers see it as the number one concern facing small businesses.”
Some of the problems related to the issue of labor shortage are not immediately obvious. As it has become common knowledge that employers are having trouble filling positions and are having to increase pay in order to attract new employees, existing employees are taking note. Since existing employees realize that new hires are being hired at higher wages, they are themselves often expecting raises. In turn, operational costs are going up for many businesses.
The fact is that the business owners are still selling and for a variety of reasons. BizBuySell’s statistics also indicate that of buyers who are planning to sell, 20% cite retirement as their main reason for selling, whereas 38% cite burnout as the primary reason.
According to the data collected by BizBuySell, transactions are up 17% over the last quarter, but are still 7% below pre-pandemic levels. However, it is expected that the number of transactions will grow to be well above their pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
Buyers and sellers alike should remember that the pandemic has changed business and will continue to do so in the near future. In short, the business landscape continues to evolve.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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How to Purchase a Business Without Collateral
Many prospective business owners believe that it is impossible to purchase a business without collateral. The simple fact is that banks do expect collateral when making a loan. Since this is the core reality of the business world, it means that many who are eager to own a business will ultimately not be able to acquire one. However, while it is true that banks want collateral for loans, there are some ways that would-be business owners can still progress towards their goal of owning a business. In this article, we will explore a couple of the ways that a prospective business owner can still succeed.
First, we must make a key distinction: there is a difference between not having collateral and having no funds whatsoever. It is key to note that the larger the business you plan to buy, the more money you will ultimately need.
A great place to begin the process of buying a business without collateral is to talk to the SBA. The SBA’s 7 (a) program offers up incentives to banks to make loans to potential buyers. The SBA’s 7 (a) program is a simply fantastic program for those without collateral, as the program will cover a whopping seventy-five percent of the loan amount; this means that you, as the business owner, only need to have twenty-five percent of the price of the business. As though this program was exciting enough, the SBA’s 7 (a) program also allows prospective buyers to use money from investors or gifts towards the needed funds. Thanks to this great SBA program, you may qualify for a collateral free loan option.
A second option is seller financing. Seller financing is actually quite common in various forms. If you can find a motivated seller, such as one who is eager to retire, then seller financing becomes a potentially viable option. It may even be possible to combine seller financing with the SBA’s 7 (a) program for a powerful one-two punch. In this situation, a key part of the process is to find the right business and the right seller.
Working with a Business Broker or M&A Advisor can serve as a massive shortcut towards finding just such a business and seller. Brokerage professionals have databases of businesses for sale along with unique insights. A Business Broker or M&A Advisor may instantly know of a business that is a good fit for buyers without collateral.
Ultimately, prospective business owners shouldn’t be dissuaded by the challenges that a lack of collateral represents. It’s true that a lack of collateral is an obstacle, but it doesn’t have to be an insurmountable problem. By teaming with an experienced brokerage professional, it is possible to find a path towards owning a business even without having collateral.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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