What Business Owner’s Should Do Now to Sell Your Business in a Year
I came across this article from Axial with some simple but important ideas in preparing to sell your business.
Selling a business is a long journey. Around 82% of businesses are on the market for four to twelve months before selling, with the majority selling between seven and nine months. However, wasting time during the transaction process is often avoidable. Spending a year preparing can seem unnecessary and frustrating, but this work lays the groundwork for a quick, successful sale.
Here are the four things you should be doing now to sell your business in a year.
1. Build a Team
When it’s time to sell your business, it can be tempting to go it alone. But it’s been proven that a team of trusted advisors with transaction experience helps business owners secure higher acquisition premiums when they sell. Before going to market, engage an investment banker or M&A advisor to guide you and your company through the process. Advisors also suggest strategic and management changes to companies preparing for sale to increase their value. These small changes spruce up a business prior to sale in a predetermined time frame, usually between six months and a year. Because of this, getting an advisor on your side should be the very first step you take when setting the selling process into motion.
2. Fine-tune Financials
The single most important factor to a buyer is the health of a potential purchase’s financials (thoughcybersecurity is rapidly becoming a close second). A company’s financial statements should always be accurate and well-documented. Gather financials from the past three to five years to review with an accountant. At the very least, financial reports must be free of inconsistencies and speak to the health of the company, but seasoned buyers are also looking for signs that you monitor financial performance and then make adjustments that can improve profits. If your financials tell the story of a lifestyle business focused on personal compensation and not true growth, you might have a problem.
3. Figure Out Your Value
Before you make any broad changes to increase your company’s valuation, you need a benchmark to work from so you can make accurate predictions about value add. Get knowledgeable about the valuation models buyers use in your industry or category, and learn about valuations of comparable companies in your industry.
4. Think About Your Team
It can be difficult to stop rumblings about a sale once the ball gets rolling. At this early point in the process it’s important to consider how this affects your employees and how you eventually plan on informing them. While’s it’s not necessary to have a clear plan in place this far in advance, start thinking about what information you’ll share, as well as when and how. Over- and under-informing employees can incite panic, so think carefully. Pre-sale prep can seem daunting and even a little frightening, but the more work you put in before you start the sale process in earnest, the more time you save later.
By Lola Kolade, Axial | April 14, 2016
Read MoreYou-proofing Your Business to Build Value
Making your business less dependent on you has a number of benefits: you can scale your company more quickly if you’re not acting as a bottleneck; you get more time to enjoy life outside of your business; and a business less dependent on its owner is much more valuable to an acquirer. You-proofing your business will help you to build value in the eyes of an acquirer.
Pulling yourself out of the day-to-day operations of your business is easier said than done. Here are three specific strategies for getting your company to run without you.
- Think Like LEGO
Pre-school children can make a collection of generic looking pieces come together in a complex creation by following the detailed instruction booklet that comes with every box of LEGO. Your employees need LEGO-like instructions to execute the recurring tasks in your business without your input.
Ian Schoen is the co-founder of Two Tree International, a design and manufacturing firm that brings products directly from concept to customer. The company was started in 2008 with a $50,000 loan and had grown to sales of over $4 million and a staff of 15 employees when it was sold in 2015. Schoen credits his operating manual for allowing him to sell his business for a significant premium: “We started creating standard operating procedures in the business and had a set of documents that helped us run the business. Basically we could plug anyone into any position and have them understand it.” If you are looking for some guidance on how to “systemize” your business you can also check out “Work The System” and download a free e-book.
- Imagine Hosting Your Own AMA
Everyone from the President to Madonna to Bill Gates has participated in an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) forum where participants are encouraged to ask the featured guest anything that is on their mind.
Now imagine you invited your customers to an AMA. What questions would they ask you? What zingers would your most skeptical customers pose? These are the questions you need to document your responses to in a Frequently Asked Questions document that your employees can leverage in your absence.
- Shine the Media Spotlight on Your Team
It’s tempting to take the call from a local reporter who wants to interview you about your company, but consider inviting an employee to take the interview instead.
Stephan Spencer founded Netconcepts in 1995 and grew it into a multinational Search Engine Optimization (SEO) agency before selling it to Covario in 2010. His first attempt to sell his business in the late 1990s failed because potential acquirers viewed Netconcepts to be too dependent on Spencer himself: “My personal name and my company name were too intermingled. If I didn’t go with the business, nobody was going to buy it.”
Spencer set out to reduce his company’s reliance on him personally and one of his strategies was to position his employees as SEO experts: “I encouraged key staff, various executives and top consultants within the company to speak and write articles, and I introduced them to the editors I knew.”
It can be tempting to run your company as your own personal fiefdom but the sooner you get it running without you, the faster it can scale into something irresistible to an acquirer.
Read MorePIERCING THE CORPORATE VEIL: WHEN YOUR LLC OR CORPORATION DOESNOT PROTECT YOU FROM PERSONAL LIABILITY
One of the main reasons business owners form corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) is to avoid personal liability for debts and liabilities of their business. Generally, business owners are protected from the debts and liabilities of their corporation or LLC because these entities are considered separate and distinct from those who own them (owners of an LLC are referred to as members, and owners of a corporation are shareholders). Despite this, in some circumstances courts will “pierce the corporate veil” and hold an LLC or corporation’s members/shareholders personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the business. This is the most frequently litigated matter in corporate law.
1. WHEN WILL THE COURTS “PIERCE THE CORPORATE VEIL”?
“Piercing the corporate veil” is a common-law doctrine and rests in case law precedent. While there is no bight-line rule, “piercing” is generally available when business owners (a) unreasonably commingle their personal funds with business funds, (b) fail to follow corporate formalities, and (c) otherwise treat the LLC/corporation as their alter ego instead of a distinct legal entity. Many courts have stressed that when an entity is undercapitalized this is also an important factor to consider, although it may not by itself justify “piercing the corporate veil.”
a. Unreasonable Commingling
Business owners must keep their personal assets and funds separate from those belonging to the business. The most common example of commingling funds is when an owner deposits business funds into his or her personal account, and vice versa. Neither should business owners pay personal bills and expenses with a corporate check or credit card, nor pay business expenses with a personal check or credit card. Furthermore, any loans an owner makes to the business should be documented by a promissory note or similar instrument, and member/shareholder meeting minutes approving of the terms of the loan should be memorialized. What constitutes “unreasonable” commingling is determined on a case-by-cases basis, using case law precedent to draw similarities to the case at hand.
b. Failure to Follow Corporate Formalities
Most business owners regularly neglect maintaining proper records and fail to follow corporate formalities. For example, shareholders and directors must hold regular meetings to maintain a separate and distinct identity of the company. State statutes require corporations to notice, hold, and properly document at least an annual meeting of shareholders and to approve fundamental changes and large transactions involving borrowing, compensation, and purchasing. These meeting minutes should be memorialized by the secretary and stored in a corporate binder. It is also necessary to maintain normal accounting records and financial statements for the business.
c. Alter-Ego
A court may also “pierce the corporate veil” when a unity of ownership and interest exists between the business and its controlling owner. This happens when the business ceases to exist as a separate entity and is the “alter ego” of the controlling owner, and when recognizing the owner and business as separate and distinct would result in fraud or injustice. The existence of the following facts would support the “alter ego” theory: (a) commingling personal and corporate funds and other assets, (b) issuing stock/membership interests without authority, (c) undercapitalization, (d) misrepresentations of ownership, assets, and financial interests, (e) avoiding creditors by transferring assets to owners.
d. Undercapitalization
When a corporation or LLC is formed, the members/shareholders make capital contributions to the business in the form of services, money, assets, or a combination thereof. Adequately capitalizing the new business is essential, and owners should capitalize the business to the extent necessary to cover reasonably anticipated liabilities given the nature and magnitude of the business, as well as the normal operating costs and expenses of the business. Undercapitalization is generally determined when the business is formed, so a later infusion of capital is not enough to negate personal liability to the owners.
2. BEWARE OF SINGLE-MEMBER LLCS
In 1996 the IRS enacted “check the box” regulations, allowing non-corporate entities (such as LLCs) to be taxed as partnerships. However, an LLC with one member cannot be a partnership, so the IRS declared that a single-member LLC (SMLLC) does not exist for federal income tax purposes (this is also referred to as a “disregarded entity”). Although SMLLCs may have tax advantages and are easier to maintain, it is much easier to “pierce” the veil of a SMLLC. To avoid the “piercing of the veil” issue, many corporate attorneys advise their clients to do two things: (i) create sufficient legal documentation (including a single-member operating agreement and Board of Manager resolutions, etc.) to reflect that the single-member LLC is indeed a separate entity and has been treated as such; and
(ii) if there is significant liability exposure, issue a small equity interest (e.g., 2%) to a close relative. Issuing a small equity interest will create a multiple-member LLC — in which case it will not be a “disregarded entity” for tax purposes.
Content provided by Law Offices of Tyler Q. Dahl. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these matters, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Offices of Tyler Q. Dahl at (916) 565-7455.
Disclaimer: This material was prepared for general informational purposes only, and is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship and does not constitute legal advice. This material should not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. You should always consult a qualified attorney regarding any specific legal problem or matter.
Read MoreAre You Ready To Exit Your Business?
If you’ve gone this far, then selling your business has aroused enough curiosity that you are taking the first step. You don’t have to make a commitment at this point; you are just getting informed about what is necessary to successfully sell your business. This section should answer a lot of your questions and help you through the maze of the process itself in deciding if you are ready to exit your business.
Question 1
The first question almost every seller asks is: “What is my business worth?” Quite frankly, if we were selling our business, that is the first thing we would want to know. However, we’re going to put this very important issue off for a bit and cover some of the things you need to know before you get to that point. Before you ask that question, you have to be ready to sell for what the market is willing to pay. If money is the only reason you want to sell, then you’re not really ready to sell.
*Insider Tip:
It doesn’t make any difference what you think your business is worth, or what you want for it. It also doesn’t make any difference what your accountant, banker, attorney, or best friend thinks your business is worth. Only the marketplace can decide what its value is.
Question 2
The second question you have to consider is: Do you really want to sell this business? If you’re really serious and have a solid reason (or reasons) why you want to sell, it will most likely happen. You can increase your chances of selling if you can answer yes to the second question: Do you have reasonable expectations? The yes answer to these two questions means you are serious about selling.
The First Steps
Okay, let’s assume that you have decided to at least take the first few steps to actually sell your business. Before you even think about placing your business for sale, there are some things you should do first.The first thing you have to do is to gather information about the business.
Here’s a checklist of the items you should get together:
- Three years’ profit and loss statements
- Federal Income tax returns for the business
- List of fixtures and equipment
- The lease and lease-related documents
- A list of the loans against the business (amounts and payment schedule)
- Copies of any equipment leases
- A copy of the franchise agreement, if applicable
- An approximate amount of the inventory on hand, if applicable
- The names of any outside advisors
Notes:
If you’re like many small business owners you’ll have to search for some of these items. After you gather all of the above items, you should spend some time updating the information and filling in the blanks. You most likely have forgotten much of this information, so it’s a good idea to really take a hard look at all of this. Have all of the above put in a neat, orderly format as if you were going to present it to a prospective purchaser. Everything starts with this information.
Make sure the financial statements of the business are current and as accurate as you can get them. If you’re halfway through the current year, make sure you have last year’s figures and tax returns, and also year-to-date figures. Make all of your financial statements presentable. It will pay in the long run to get outside professional help, if necessary, to put the statements in order. You want to present the business well “on paper”. As you will see later, pricing a small business usually is based on cash flow. This includes the profit of the business, but also, the owner’s salary and benefits, the depreciation, and other non-cash items. So don’t panic because the bottom line isn’t what you think it should be. By the time all of the appropriate figures are added to the bottom line, the cash flow may look pretty good.
Prospective buyers eventually want to review your financial figures. A Balance Sheet is not normally necessary unless the sale price of your business would be well over the $1 million figure. Buyers want to see income and expenses. They want to know if they can make the payments on the business, and still make a living. Let’s face it, if your business is not making a living wage for someone, it probably can’t be sold. You may be able to find a buyer who is willing to take the risk, or an experienced industry professional who only looks for location, etc., and feels that he or she can increase business.
*Insider Tip
The big question is not really how much your business will sell for, but how much of it can you keep. The Federal Tax Laws do determine how much money you will actually be able to put in the bank. How your business is legally formed can be important in determining your tax status when selling your business. For example: Is your business a corporation, partnership or proprietorship? If you are incorporated, is the business a C corporation or a sub-chapter S corporation? The point of all of this is that before you consider price or even selling your business, it is important that you discuss the tax implications of a sale of your business with a tax advisor. You don’t want to be in the middle of a transaction with a solid buyer and discover that the tax implications of the sale are going to net you much less than you had figured.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
Read MoreMarket Pulse Quarterly Report Shows 2015 Ended With Strong Sales of Businesses and Optimism is Growing for 2016
The quarterly Market Pulse Survey published by the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), M&A Source and the Pepperdine Private Capital Market Project showed that business sales remained strong in 2015 especially in the Main Street market. The Main Street market generally refers to smaller commercial establishments, so named because many are found in towns across the United States.
The Small Business Administration had a record year distributing more than $23.6 billion in loans in FY 2015. There was also significant private capital and traditional lending for the Main Street market in 2015 as 71 percent of Market Pulse study respondents who closed deals under $2MM in value reported that the businesses utilized financing other than SBA funds.
The SBA record year coupled with the traditional lending demonstrates how incredibly active for the Main Street market was in 2015.
The Q4 2015 survey which compares the conditions for businesses being sold in Main Street (values $0-$2MM) and the Lower Middle Market (values $2MM -$50MM) was completed by 348 business brokers and M&A advisors representing 38 states. Respondents completed 410 transactions in the 4th quarter of 2015.
The Market Pulse Survey showed that in Q4 2015 deals took longer to close across all sectors. Closing times nearly doubled in the Main Street market, while the Lower Middle Market also saw jumps of up to four months. New this survey, advisors reported on the average time for deals to move from letter of intent (LOI) or offer to closing. In every sector except the smallest, deals took three months to close after a signed LOI.
“Typically the larger the deal, the longer it takes to close,” says Craig Everett, PhD, director of the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project. “But the lower middle market has a large number of active buyers, and one way buyers win deals is to show they can close more quickly. As more buyers come to the table, advisors are able to run a more efficient process.”
Deal multiples remain strong, but advisors aren’t optimistic that multiples will climb any higher in 2016. Notably, advisors also suggest market conditions will remain relatively neutral when it comes to debt financing. However, they report some difficulty arranging financing for companies with revenues of $500,000 or less.
“Sometimes sellers hear that a business in their industry got a certain multiple and they want the same number,” added (your last name). “But multiples depend on the size of the business being sold; for Main Street deals the common multiple is based on SDE without working capital (2-3x SDE in 2015) whereas in the lower middle market EBITDA including working capital (4-5x EBITDA in 2015) is the most common multiple type.”
Additional Key Findings:
- Year over year, buyers are increasing their advantage in the Main Street market, particularly for the smallest businesses. Meanwhile, the seller’s market sentiment has improved, year over year, in the Lower Middle Market.
- Main Street businesses sold for approximately 91 percent of their asking price in Q4 2015. By comparison, Lower Middle Market businesses—which typically aren’t marketed with an asking price—received 99.5 percent of the internal benchmark set by the advisor and seller.
- In the smallest deal category (businesses valued at <$500K) first time buyers accounted for the largest buyer segment. In the largest deal category (businesses valued between $5MM to $50MM) private equity made up the largest buyer group. PE groups were not active at all in the <$500K segment, while individual buyers accounted for only 14 percent (7 percent first time buyers, 7 percent repeat owners) of the larger sector.
- Service companies (business and personal) continue to lead Main Street market activity in Q4 2015, with a strong showing in the Lower Middle Market as well. Manufacturing companies led the Lower Middle Market.
About International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and the M&A Source
Founded in 1983, IBBA is the largest non-profit association specifically formed to meet the needs of people and firms engaged in various aspects of business brokerage, and mergers and acquisitions. The IBBA is a trade association of business brokers providing education, conferences, professional designations and networking opportunities. For more information about IBBA, visit the website at www.ibba.org.
Founded in 1991, the M&A Source promotes professional development of merger and acquisition professionals so that they may better serve their clients’ needs, and maximize public awareness of professional intermediary services available for middle market merger and acquisition transactions. For more information about the M&A Source visit www.masource.org.
About the Pepperdine University Graziadio School for Business and Management
A leader in cultivating entrepreneurship and digital innovation, the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management focuses on the real-world application of MBA-level business concepts. The Graziadio School provides student-focused, globally-oriented education through part-time, full-time, and executive MBA programs at our eight California campuses, as well as through online and hybrid formats. In addition, the Graziadio School offers a variety of master of science programs, a bachelor of science in management degree-completion program, and the Presidents and Key Executives MBA, as well as executive education certificate programs. Follow the Graziadio School on Facebook, Twitter at @GraziadioSchool , and LinkedIn.
Read More
What Makes Your Company Unique Increasing Value When Selling
There are unique attributes of a company that make it more attractive to a possible acquirer and/or more valuable. Certainly, the numbers are important, but potential buyers will also look beyond them. Factors that make your company special or unique can often not only make the difference in a possible sale or merger, but also can dramatically increase value. Review the following to see if any of them apply to your company and if they are transferable to new ownership.
Brand name or identity
Do any of your products have a well recognizable name? It doesn’t have to be Kleenex or Coke, but a name that might be well known in a specific geographic region, or a name that is identified with a specific product. A product with a unique appearance, taste, or image is also a big plus. For example, Cape Cod Potato Chips have a unique regional identity, and also a distinctive taste. Both factors are big pluses when it comes time to sell.
Dominant market position
A company doesn’t have to be a Fortune 500 firm to have a dominant position in the market place. Being the major player in a niche market is a dominant position. Possible purchasers and acquirers, such as buy-out groups, look to the major players in a particular industry regardless of how small it is.
Customer lists
Newsletters and other publications have, over the years, built mailing lists and subscriber lists that create a unique loyalty base. Just as many personal services have created this base, a number of other factors have contributed to the building of it. The resulting loyalty may allow the company to charge a higher price for its product or service.
Intangible assets
A long and favorable lease (assuming it can be transferred to a new owner) can be a big plus for a retail business. A recognizable franchise name can also be a big plus. Other examples of intangible assets that can create value are: customer lists, proprietary software, an effective advertising program, etc.
Price Advantage
The ability to charge less for similar products is a unique factor. For example, Wal-Mart has built an empire on the ability to provide products at a very low price. Some companies do this by building alliances with designers or manufacturers. In some cases, these alliances develop into partnerships so that a lower price can be offered. Most companies are not in Wal-Mart’s category, but the same relationships can be built to create low costs and subsequent price advantages.
Difficulty of replication
A company that produces a product or service that cannot be easily replicated has an advantage over other firms. We all know that CPA and law firms have unique licensing attributes that prevent just anyone off of the street from creating competition. Some firms have government licensing or agreements that are granted on a very limited basis. Others provide tie-ins that limit others from competing. For example, a coffee company that provides free coffee makers with the use of their coffee.
Proprietary technology
Technology, trade secrets, specialized applications, confidentiality agreements protecting proprietary information – all of these can add up to add value to a company. These factors may not be copyrighted or patented, but if a chain of confidentiality is built – then these items can be unique to the company.
There are certainly other unique factors that give a company a special appeal to a prospective purchaser and, at the same time, increase value. Many business owners have to go beyond the numbers and take an objective look at the factors that make their company unique.
Copyright Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
Read MoreBusiness Sales Shifting to a Seller’s Market Q3 2015
The 2015 3rd Quarter IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Survey is out with some interesting findings. “This quarter’s report continues to see the pendulum shift to a seller’s market across all deal sizes. While buyers still hold the upper percentage for transactions valued at $1 million or less, the percentage is shrinking.”
Below are a few highlights from the report:
- Companies with strong earnings and good accounting and management records are wanted.
- Buyers are increasingly market educated and therefore know about more opportunities that are coming to market. They remain patient, but ready to act when a strong company is on the market.
- Retirement remained the leading reason that business owners went to market, which is understandable since baby boomers continue to retire in increasing numbers.
-
The casual reader of this information might assume there was a stronger shift to a buyer’s market as the quantity shifts; however, the findings indicate that the market is slowly becoming a sellers’ market especially as transactions increase in size.
- Business owners who are selling now are ‘ahead of the curve’ and are getting rewarded with very strong valuations. Eventually, as more and more baby boomers seek to retire and put their business on the market, there will be an oversupply of sellers and the market will most likely swing back to a ‘buyer’s market.
- The majority of small business buyers (under $1 million deal size) made the acquisition to ‘buy a job’. Typically, these buyers are already employed and are looking for a compelling reason to leave that security and run a business of their own. The buyers of larger businesses, on the other hand, are making synergistic purchases to add depth to their existing business.
- An increasing number of existing business owners are expanding through acquisition and want to thoroughly compare the potential acquisition against their current company. Since these buyers want to understand the ability to integrate the company into their own, they expect timely and accurate information to make these decisions.
Click here to download the full report summary.
Read More
Top 10 Ways Selling Your Business Can Go Wrong
I came across this article from Axial that does a good job illustrating some of the pitfalls or challenges that can cause a deal to go sideways when trying to sell a business. Here are a brief description of the top ten ways selling your business can go wrong. To read the entire article click here.
1. Unrealistic Value Expectations
The number one reason deals fail to close is because a seller’s valuation expectations are too high.
2. Unclear Story Elements
Often, because of poor strategic planning, the business owner cannot articulate clearly the company’s competitive advantages, its growth opportunities, its revenue potential, and its ability to produce significant returns on invested capital.
3. Quality of Earnings
Audited financial statements confirm financial accuracy and help validate forecasted performance. Lack of clarity and visibility regarding key business drivers, sales pipeline backlogs, back office operations, and the consistency of growth and earnings inhibit a buyer’s enthusiasm to continue its due diligence.
4. Length of Time
Every deal has a life of its own and its own momentum. Recognizing the ebb and flow of the deal momentum is critical to deal success
6. Customer/Vendor Concentration
If a significant amount of revenues is concentrated in a few customers, or if critical supply chain raw materials are concentrated in one vendor, the buyer’s perception of risk is elevated substantially.
7. Renegotiating Terms of the Deal
Renegotiating the terms, conditions, structure, and representations and warranties of a settled deal can be a deal killer
8. Lack of Robust Internal Controls
Frequently, the buyer’s due diligence process will reveal sloppiness (or worse) in internal controls (e.g., weak collection processes for aged receivables, manufacturing error rates, aberrations in the financial statements, regulatory filing inconsistencies).
9. Reaching for the Last Dollar
It is completely understandable that sellers who have put everything into their business want to get every dollar they can out of their business.
10. Inadequate Advisors
Selecting a quality deal team is critical to deal success. Business owners are very good at building successful businesses, but often stumble when seeking to monetize them in some form of exit.
© Copyright 2015 Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
Read More3 Costly Estate Planning Mistakes Business Owners Make
1. No estate planning at all. This one is a no brainer and a mistake that is common to everyone not just business owners. No estate planning documents means that the family must go through the Probate court to handle all personal and business related issues if the business owner becomes incapacitated or dies. This is costly on a number of levels because dealing with the court is expensive, slow, and stressful for all of those involved and it causes a disruption to the business itself.
2. Establishing a Trust but Failing to Fund the Business into Their Trust. Again, this mistake is extremely common to everyone. A trust is simply a legal contract which allows for the private (outside of court) management and distribution of one’s assets upon their incapacity and death. It is an estate planning tool used primarily to avoid the Probate Court. While it can be a very effective tool, the Trust will only control those assets which are formally and legally tied to the Trust. The common misconception is that if an asset is listed or named in the Trust documents somewhere, it is automatically under the control of the Trust.
THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE!
Example: Business Owner sets up a trust for the benefit of him and his wife during his lifetime, with his children named as secondary beneficiaries upon both of their deaths. He neglects however, to change the title of his business to the name of the Trust. When he dies, his interest in his business entity (S Corp., LLC, Sole Prop.) is vested in his name. When he dies, a Probate court proceeding is required to transfer his interest in his business to his wife because simply naming the business itself in the trust documents is not sufficient to transfer his interest to the trust. Generally, the issuance of new stock shares, a book transfer, or assignment is required for the formal transfer of the business interest depending upon the type of business entity.
3. No Buy Sell Agreement or Business Continuation Strategy. When a business owner becomes incapacitated or dies, the business either has to be sold or it can be continued by another party. However, the mechanism by which this happens needs to be spelled out specifically and plans made ahead of time to provide for the efficient transition of the business. Even if the court is not involved in this process because the business owner has provided for it to be handled through their trust (see Number 2 above), there are a number of issues which should be addressed in more specificity that is best addressed in an additional document such as a Buy Sell Agreement. Some of these issues include the terms of the sale/transfer and the method for valuing the business. A lack of specific instructions can cause a disruption to the business and disagreements among the parties involved.
The moral of the story is that court is expensive, time consuming, and frustrating to deal with. By having properly funded estate planning and business planning in place, business owners can avoid the unnecessary burdens and costs to their families and their businesses of having to deal with the court system.
Cecilia Tsang
Sacramento, CA
Read MoreFinancial Management for the Closely Held Business, presented by Tri Counties Bank
Tri Counties Bank locally in the central valley is presenting four 2-day Business Financial Management seminars in Grass Valley, Sacramento, Chico, and Redding in September and October. Here’s a brief summary and for more information on attending click here.
“Businesses face tough challenges and unique opportunities. The financial success or failure of a business lies in its owner’s ability to manage through the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities. Now you can learn to proactively control the finances of your company through business-tested financial management techniques and maximize profits through more informed decision-making.
This two-day seminar explains in simple, clear language what financial management is and why it can greatly improve your profitability. We guarantee that you will walk away with tangible tools that you can put to use immediately in your own company.”
September 15-16, 2015 Grass Valley
September 29-30th, 2015 Sacramento
October 13-14th, 2015 Chico
October 27-28th, 2015- Redding
To learn more and register on line click here.
Read More