Category Archives: Valuing, Buying or Selling a Business

A discussion of the issues involved in buying or selling a business by William Bruce, president of the American Business Brokers Association.

The Condition of the Private Business-for-Sale Marketplace From Insiders

The William Bruce Report: The Condition of the Private Business-for-Sale Marketplace is a quarterly disclosure of national market conditions from insiders who are professional advisors to business buyers and sellers.  William Bruce, the author of this report, currently serves as president … Continue reading

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Confusing Interest Rates Explained

Interest rates are all over the economic news.  Different and confusing interest rate benchmarks sometimes create bewilderment. In an effort to add a bit of clarity, the three benchmark interest rates we’ll discuss in this article are (1) the Federal … Continue reading

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Here’s How to Value a Manufacturing Business

Are you considering buying or selling a manufacturing business, or are you just wondering what a manufacturing business is really worth?  In this article, we’ll discuss how to value a manufacturing business. Manufacturing is a broad category of many business … Continue reading

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Selling a Business? Ask These 5 Questions to Separate Serious Buyers From Tire Kickers

If you are selling a business, it’s critical to distinguish a legitimate prospective buyer from a tire kicker.  And as a business broker for over 30 years, I can tell you that there are a lot of tire kickers out … Continue reading

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Why Some Small Businesses Don’t Sell

As a business broker for over 35 years, I’m often asked why some small businesses don’t sell.  It’s a sad situation when a business owner reaches retirement and can’t find a buyer for their business.  Too many times, they just … Continue reading

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Selling Your Business? Be Aware of the Differences in a Financial Versus a Strategic Buyer.

In selling a business, it’s critically important to know the motivations of a prospective buyer.  Often this boils down to determining whether the prospect is a financial or a strategic buyer. Getting the sale of the business to the closing … Continue reading

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It’s Vacation Time. Here Are 3 Ways to Protect Your Data While Taking a Break.

SmallBiz-Resources.com has an excellent article out by Bill Aimone on how to manage your data security while on vacation. The three issues discussed in the article are: Technology Setup If you take a laptop on vacation, make sure it’s protected … Continue reading

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Seven Reasons to Retain A Business Broker When Selling Your Business

You’ve probably spent years building your business.  And so, when it comes time to exit, how can you increase the chances of a successful transition? Retaining an experienced business broker is a good place to start. Our friends at Hatchit.us … Continue reading

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Small Business Valuation Multiples Explained

In the complex area of small business valuations, are you confused about which earnings valuation multiple to use?  There are at least six earnings computations, including: SDE – Seller’s Discretionary Earnings EBIT – Earnings Before Interest and Taxes EBITDA – … Continue reading

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Who Will Buy Your Family Business?

As a business broker and valuation specialist, I’m often asked about the issues involved in selling a family business. Ideally, family business owners should start planning for ownership transition well before the event.  One of the first steps in planning … Continue reading

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