JPAbusiness

A few years back the JPAbusiness team facilitated the sale of a business involved in import and distribution.

It was a well-known, independent brand that had been established for well over 50 years and had solid bottom-line performance.

Unfortunately, when it came time to exit the business, it soon became apparent there was too much inventory (stock on hand).

We negotiated a price for the goodwill, plant and equipment etc, based on a multiple of Business Maintainable Earnings (BME), which is essentially the cash flow of the business.

Then it was time to address the stock value.

Topics: Business Value, Selling your business, Cash flow, Case study, Inventory, selling a business, client case studies, cash flow management

Most business owners only seek a business valuation after being prompted to do so by a significant ‘event’, for example family break-up, retirement, need for business restructuring, bank lending requirement, purchase offer and so on.

My experience indicates the opposite course would be better: valuation should be considered a management tool and be done before, and separate from, such business and emotive life events.

The following case study shows how an independent valuation, carried out early, would have made life a whole lot easier for one of my clients.

Instead this client found themselves in a credit squeeze with little understanding of the true value of their business to potential financiers and the drivers that really matter to external parties.

Topics: Business Value, Valuations, Case study, Business valuation, business management, client case studies

The simple answer is ‘no’, you don’t need a valuation to sell a business.

However, in terms of engaging JPAbusiness to sell your business, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’, you do need to get a valuation before you embark on a sale process.

The reason for that is part of our point of difference among business brokers. It’s based on a lesson learned early in the life of JPAbusiness, and backed by years of subsequent experience. 

Topics: Business Value, Case study, selling a business, Business valuation, client case studies, transaction advice, selling my business

A few years ago we worked on a business sale transaction in which one side had far less robust advice than the other – you can guess which side was which!

Our client – the vendor – was selling a reasonably large, engineering-style business.

The purchaser – while a successful business operator – was not experienced at acquiring businesses and did not appear to have thought deeply about the sort of expertise they would need to advise and guide them.

Topics: Buying a business, Case study, business broker, risk management, client case studies, business transaction advice

The simple answer is ‘no’, you don’t need a valuation to sell a business.

However, in terms of engaging JPAbusiness to sell your business, the answer is ‘yes’: we always recommend clients have their businesses independently and professionally valued before they invest time and money in a sale process.

In this video I explain how our first experience of helping a client sell their business – combined with our many years of subsequent experience – has shaped this philosophy regarding valuation and its role in a successful sale process.

Topics: Business Value, Case study, Video, selling a business, Business valuation, Business selling, client case studies

We recently helped facilitate the sale of a client’s business for twice its assessed value – a value we had independently appraised!

The valuation was based on the business’ sales performance, its recent past earnings, our assessment of the repeatability of those earnings given internal and external business health factors, and the assignment of a multiple of earnings.

So, how did the business owner achieve a sale price that so far outstripped our initial valuation?

The short answer is that he had an open mind and was willing to work with us to explore all options for exit.

Topics: Selling your business, Case study, Exiting your business, strategic value, Business valuation, Business selling, client case studies, succession, business sale, exit strategy

A few years back the JPAbusiness team facilitated the sale of a business involved in import and distribution.

It was a well-known, independent brand that had been established for well over 50 years and had solid bottom-line performance.

Unfortunately, when it came time to exit the business, it soon became apparent there was too much inventory (stock on hand).

We negotiated a price for the goodwill, plant and equipment etc, based on a multiple of Business Maintainable Earnings (BME), which is essentially the cash flow of the business.

Then it was time to address the stock value.

Topics: Selling your business, Cash flow, Case study, Inventory, selling a business, client case studies, cash flow management, stock control, business sale advice, business selling advice

Whether or not you choose to engage the services of a business advisor is really up to you and your preferred mode of operating your business.

Obviously I believe there is value in seeking independent business advice; I think we’re all better decision makers if we’re able to test our propositions with someone who isn’t directly related to the issue at hand, but has relevant expertise.

In the blog I’m using examples from our own clients to show how independent advice is adding value in their businesses.

Topics: Case study, staff management, risk management, strategic planning, client case studies

If you’re thinking about starting a business with someone else, or you’re an existing business owner considering taking on an investing party or shareholder, I strongly advise you to create a formal shareholders’ agreement at the outset.

I have dealt with a number of clients over the years who have found themselves in very sad and frustrating situations because they have entered into shareholding arrangements without a documented and legally well-constituted agreement.

Relationships have suffered, friendships have been lost, and business performance and value has been severely eroded through distractions caused as a result of not having an effective shareholders’ agreement.

In this blog I’m sharing the stories of two clients and how the lack of formal agreements has impacted them.

Topics: Business Planning, Case study, Shareholders, business partners, shareholders agreement, joint venture, client case studies, partnership

We recently facilitated a business sale for a long-term client in south-west Victoria.

The client operated an industrial services and utilities business that had been operating for over 20 years.

The business had about 20 staff, a turnover of around $5 million and earnings before interest, tax and depreciation in the order of $650,000 per annum.

Topics: Selling your business, Case study, selling a business, client case studies, business sale