Selling the business, also known as ‘disposal’, is often the best option available when looking to raise cash. Whatever the reason for selling the business, whether it’s raising funds for retirement, the lack of a suitable successor to continue the business, or any other reason, the decision is never easy and needs plenty of consideration.
After all, businesses can be nurtured for years, with owners devoting a great deal of time and effort into making it a success.
Finding a suitable buyer who will give your business the respect it deserves won’t be easy, but thorough preparation will ensure that you’re leaving it in good hands.
Although approximately 65% of businesses in the UK are family owned, fewer than half of those businesses have a succession plan in place.
Fear of relinquishing control is one of the main reasons for reluctance to develop a succession plan, but the sooner the plans are in place, the more effective and efficient the transfer will be.
Deciding to sell your business may require years of preparation before the stage at which the business is ready for sale. When planning for the disposal of your business, you’ll need to put together a plan for preparing the business for sale, with your objectives clearly established.
Experienced corporate finance advisers can provide valuable assistance when preparing your business for sale, allowing you to get the most competitive offer possible. In order to get the most value from your business; you should aim to make it as profitable and efficient as possible.
You should be able to put together enough evidence to show healthy sales growth in your projections to make the business appealing to potential purchasers. Ensure that there are no potential pitfalls that could derail a potential buyer, such as legal action or tax problems.
With management buy-outs you can transfer control of the business to an internal management team that has thorough knowledge of how the business operates. Management buy-outs are extremely popular amongst family businesses due to the ease of transfer and lack of disturbance during the handover.
In addition, the business will be transferred to people who are knowledgeable, experienced and committed, with an existing stake in making the business succeed.
If a new management team joins the business by taking a stake in its equity, it’s referred to as a management buy-in.viagra online