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Please take the opportunity to read any of the following articles, which cover many topics involved in business ownership, mergers and acquisitions. Feel free to contact us for further information, or to discuss any topics that may be of interest.

Making Your Business Worth Buying

When entrepreneurs develop business plans, venture capitalists often ask about the "exit strategy" that, some years down the road, will enable the investors to realize their gains

Buyer Beware - Know the risks before making an acquisition

Sellers always know more about their business than the company buying it. To mitigate some of this information asymmetry, buyers need to scrutinize the assets they are acquiring for potential landmines.

Private Equity Funds May Be Right for You

A business owner is planning to sell his or her company outright or needs capital for growth. Or perhaps he or she simply wants to take some money off the table. Whatever the need, private equity funds may be the right solution.

Raising Your Companys Sale Price with a Controlled Auction

A sellers ability to persuade the buyer that the purchase price should be higher is typically limited. One of the most effective ways to get a buyer to pay more is demonstrating that other firms want to buy the company too.

Its Never too Early to Prepare your Business for Sale

The sale of their businesses is among the most important transactions business owners will make in their careers. And because the stakes are so high, thorough preparation is paramount. Mistakes made early in the sales process can result in significant costs during the deal and after it closes. Know how to secure the highest price for a business and leverage its best assets.

Taxing Considerations for Business Sellers

When selling a business, tax considerations play an important role in maximizing the cash return to sellers and shareholders. To minimize the tax bite, sellers must understand the legal implications of the terms and conditions at the start of the sale process. Savvy sellers will seek sound tax advice throughout the divestiture process to minimize taxes and maximize take-home cash.

Deciding To Keep or Sell a Family Business

After 20 years at the helm of the family business, you are considering selling the company next year. After all, the company has satisfactorily matured, and you believe the time may be right to put it on the market. But how can you be sure its the right thing to do  for yourself, for family members active and inactive in the business, and for loyal nonfamily employees? The answer, of course, depends on numerous factors, including the companys value and current market conditions.

What to ask before beginning the acquisition process

Mergers and acquisitions, when well planned and executed, can provide companies with substantial growth opportunities. But they also carry a serious risk of failure. This article provides a list of questions owners and executives should ask before beginning the acquisition process.

Exit Planning: Who needs it, who wants it and why

Do you own all or a part of a closely held business? If so, you will leave your business at some point, whether voluntarily or otherwise, and you need to think ahead. If you want to be in command of the situation, you need to formulate a clear idea of your future needs and goals and develop a strategy to satisfy them. That means creating a business Exit Plan. This article will answer the basic questions you may have on Exit Planning, namely: 1) Who needs Exit Planning and why?

Building Business Value Now ..............For a Successful Exit Later

Building business value in the "here and now" is what makes for a successful exit later. What are some of the avenues that shareholders should consider in developing a strategy for the business now, that will have a positive effect for an eventual exit strategy later.

Buyers Market - What a changing M&A landscape means

In the earlier part of this decade, business sellers enjoyed an advantage over buyers. That’s not the case today. M&A activity has dried up across the board, and some sellers may have trouble attracting even one reasonable bid. Companies hoping to sell or buy in the near future need to understand how the M&A landscape has changed in the past few years. There are a number of steps that both buyers and sellers should consider to successfully complete an M&A transaction.

Ask the Advisor - How should I juggle my succession plans with a possible merger?

Succession can be difficult for any business, whether a founding owner is ceding power to the next generation or a company has unexpectedly lost its CEO. Add the many stresses of an M&A and the situation becomes even more challenging. The best strategy is to take the issues one at a time and resolve a company’s succession issues before considering a merger. This column explains how businesses might devise a plan, put it in writing and communicate it to stakeholders.

Performance anxiety? Earnouts can help

Given the current state of the U.S. economy, it’s not surprising that both business buyers and sellers are entering M&A transactions with increased trepidation. One way to get the deal done is by using an earnout, which sets a company’s purchase price according to how well it performs after it’s sold. It can be especially useful in bridging valuation gaps or overcoming negotiation stalemates in which the parties disagree about the company’s future profitability. But there are potential pitfalls, so participants need to ensure the agreement protects their interests and anticipates potential conflict.