Four Questions to Ask Yourself Before Purchasing a Business

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Truly understanding a business is much like understanding the condition of a car. It is necessary for a skilled mechanic to “pop the hood” to access the true condition of a car. In much the same way, you and your team of experts need to “pop the hood” of the business in order to understand the business’s long-term health and viability. Here are four things to consider before signing on the dotted line.

Will You Enjoy the Work?

Owning a business, especially if you are planning on being an owner-operator, can be a demanding path. You will likely have to log many hours, especially in the beginning. For this reason, you’ll want to select a business that you will enjoy owning. 

Life is too short to own a business that you would not want to be involved in. Importantly, if you do not like the business you own, the odds of facing burnout and losing interest are higher. It goes without saying that these kinds of obstacles can dramatically harm your business. Think long and hard before selecting a business to buy, as it is a decision that you will have to live with for years to come.

Did You Examine the Business Plan?

A second factor to consider is that there is no replacement for a good business plan. When you are considering buying a business, you’ll want to dive in and understand every aspect of the current owner’s business plan. If the business plan has major holes or just doesn’t seem to be adding up, you should move on.

Do You Understand the Financials?

Similar to understanding the particulars of a business’s business plan, it is also critical that you have a very precise and clear view of a business’s financials. You should look over everything from profit and loss statements to tax returns and more. It is a smart idea to consult your accountant and a brokerage professional regarding what financial documents you should review. Before you buy a business is the time to understand every small detail of a business’s financial health, not after.

How is the Business Performing? 

A fourth factor to consider when evaluating a business is the business’s overall performance. It is possible for a business to have a good business plan (at least on paper) and strong financials and yet it could still have a less than stellar future. Oftentimes, the true health of a business lies beyond the business plan and the current financials. 

You’ll need to know about a wide variety of factors including how vulnerable the business is to competition, changes in market forces, the status of key management and employees, the relationship with key suppliers and customers, and any pending litigation. When buying a business, you simply can’t afford to overlook any area.

If you keep an eye on these four key areas, and work closely with experienced professionals like business brokers or M&A advisors, your odds of finding the right business for you will skyrocket. Owning a business that you love will greatly increase your chances of success, so don’t underestimate the emotional factor in the equation. 

Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.

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Take These Steps Before Buying a Business

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If you’re buying a business, you might be feeling overwhelmed about all the details that are involved, especially if it’s your first business. Buying a business is certainly no small task, and that’s why you’ll want to dive into the process headfirst and make sure that you’ve carefully examined the business. 

Here are some of the most important elements to consider. While some of these aspects don’t immediately come to buyer’s minds, they should be high on your list of considerations. 

Legal Documents

Reviewing legal documents might not seem like the most enjoyable task, but this activity should be one of the first things you will want to do before buying a business. Most worthwhile businesses will have a long list of legal documents to show, ranging from documents showing trademarks and copyrights to consulting agreements.

Tax Documents

When it comes to paperwork, tax documents are obviously also a necessary element to review. Some things that you should be watching for are forms that do not adhere to the IRS rules. It goes without saying that you don’t want to be the one taking responsibility for a previous owner’s error. 

Business & Retirement Documents

The list of documents you’ll want to review doesn’t end there, as you’ll also want to check into retirement documents such as balance sheets, investment statements, and income statements. You’ll want to ensure that all of the qualified and non-qualified retirement programs run by the business are up to date. You might need to check the parameters of the Department of Labor’s rules. 

Work with a Business Brokerage Professional

Your business broker or M&A advisor will take you through the due diligence process to help you make sure that all aspects of the business have been reviewed thoroughly before you sign on the dotted line. Be sure to work with an experienced individual who is proactive when it comes to making sure all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction. 

The items on your to-do list might seem overwhelming at first, but remember that a lot of focus and effort now will save you a ton of hassles and issues later. And you might end up dodging a bullet by spotting a serious issue that causes you to change your mind about a business. Always be sure to protect yourself and your best interests. 

Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.

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Why You Should Address Your Company’s Weaknesses Head On

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By spotting your company’s weaknesses you can take steps to remedy them and improve operations, however, this is only the beginning of the benefits derived from spotting these types of issues. You should be the world’s foremost expert on your company and the investment that it represents. Identifying and repairing any negative issues will pay dividends both today and potentially for the life of your company. 

There are many areas of weakness that companies may experience. In this article, we’ll look at a few of the key areas that many share

Workforce Issues

An area of business weakness that is receiving a good deal of well-deserved attention in recent years are problems related to the workforce. Workforce headaches are varying between industries and sectors. It has been well documented that young people are not entering trades in the numbers needed to replace retiring workers. This is a fact that is causing significant headaches for many businesses. An aging workforce will impact some businesses more significantly than others. Understanding the labor situation as it pertains to your business is a critical move for any business owner.

Overreliance 

Being overly reliant on any one supplier, customer, product line or even employee or group of employees, may have an impact on your business in a number of ways.  Supply chain interruptions, disruption to income and cash flows, labor shortages and a diminishment in the perceived value of your business by future buyers are just a few of the issues you may encounter. Diversification isn’t just a smart way to handle one’s portfolio, but is also a smart way to address your business plan. If your business is overly reliant in any one area, it is a good idea to measure the risk vs. reward and seek out ways to diversify if necessary. Your business will be stronger and worth more in the end.

General Industry Decline

Nothing lasts forever. Once upon a time, the country’s landscape was littered with Blockbuster Videos, but today Blockbuster Video has joined the vast and great technological dinosaurs of the past. 

There is no escaping the fact that industries change. Being on the tail end of that change without a transition plan to meet new and potentially more profitable opportunities is not a good place to be. One of your key jobs as a business owner is to identify issues and problems within your industry and adapt, ideally ahead of the competition. Part of this adaptation may ultimately include knowing when it is time to exit your business entirely.

Business brokers and M&A advisors specialize in helping business owners spot weaknesses and then strategize to make significant improvements. The world of business is changing and evolving faster than ever before. Engaging with experienced advisors who can help you navigate this flurry of ongoing change could spell the difference between success and failure; while greatly improving the value of your business, rewarding you handsomely in your retirement.

Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.

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