It takes a lot to build up a business from scratch and turn it into something profitable and something you can be really proud of. As the founder, your business is like your baby and you go through a lot with it in its various stages of development, from the lowest of low points to the sheer joy that comes with profits and perhaps also from being able to employ some people and make a positive contribution in that way.
For many reasons, however, the time to sell may come and it may even come sooner than you have imagined. You could perhaps grow tired of having to micro-manage every employee or you may indeed have plans of an early retirement. Regardless of the reason, the thought will have you ask yourself questions like: Do you think you are ready to sell your engineering business? Are you prepared enough to meet what comes after? What will happen to the company? These are but a few things that you will need closure on before you decide to go forward with the sale. After all, it’s not just a simple matter of money changing hands and the ownership of the business getting amended.
This is something to take note of whether you’re the buyer or the seller because it does indeed apply to both parties involved.
Money is but just one small part of the process involved in buying or selling a business, although it is indeed perhaps the most important part. What business owners need to know is that actually putting a business up for sale, or merely starting the process of selling it, takes quite a bit of time. One available option is to Sell to your employees and get paid at closing. SBA bank financing arranged for the buy with little to no money down. By doing this, you can be sure your top employees continue your legacy and provide continuity to your business. Alternatively, you can have an offer come in suddenly – an offer which you just can’t refuse, but you’ll still be in for a lengthy due diligence process from the data of the initial offer the notification you receive from your bank that the funds have cleared.
When planning to Sell a business, sellers may need to be aware of their legal obligation to ensure some continuity in the business, especially if the new owner intends to maintain similar operations. This may involve disclosing sensitive information, a task that should be approached strategically. It’s essential to be cautious, as the so-called interested party might be a competitor posing as a buyer, aiming to extract trade secrets. Unfortunately, this scenario occurs more frequently than one might think.
Protecting yourself against such practices means you have to bring in some legal expertise, which in itself is an added expense. There’ll be plenty of added expenses you’ll have to prepare yourself for and chances are the final valuation of your business won’t be anywhere near what you might have initially thought.
The best way to prepare for the sale of a business is to operate it like you’re never going to put it up for sale, in that you’re operating it in the best way possible to keep it running profitably. This way, whenever an offer does come in, all your affairs are in order, including all the bookkeeping, which always makes the sale of a business a much more streamlined process.
Author: Katie
Katie is a finance specialist with one of the biggest firms in London. From savings to investments, there’s nothing she can’t advise on and she’s here to help spread the word and help you on your way to financial freedom.