Category: Negotiating & Structuring The Deal

Recent blog posts elicited some very interesting comments as I have been touching upon the current market to buy a business. Besides the usual concerns expressed by buyers, brokers and sellers about the economy’s overall impact on the business for…

It is quite common for prospective business buyers to spend an inordinate amount of time in the looking and analyzing stages but one cannot expect any meaningful results until you get into the habit of making offers if you truly…

When it comes to buying a business, there is no escaping the fact that you need to have ample financial resources available to you. This is especially important in the current market as third-party financing is far less available than…

As financial markets continue to remain tight, individuals who are considering buying a business may look to doing so in conjunction with a partner. In addition to the financial benefits of dividing the down payment requirements, partnerships can be excellent…

So last week I told you about the two options I offered the seller: one was a full price offer but with only a 25% down payment and seller financing for the balance, which the seller was not too pleased…

This week I want to share the details of the the business for sale that I have been discussing in the last few posts. I think it will help you to formulate some creative ways to structure a deal when…

Deal terms for buying a business have changed significantly due to the current market. Two specific components have been most affected. First, on the financing side, the lack of bank financing has lead to a significant increase in seller-financed deals.…

In our business, we speak with thousands of prospective business buyers every month. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to review the correspondence of the past two months to see if there any interesting trends being developed. With…

Years ago, in one of the first businesses I purchased, there were two owners. I initially met the managing partner and he told me from the onset that he made “all the decisions”. Allegedly, the other owner was strictly a…

If you want to be an effective buyer, you must gain insight into the seller’s thought process, motivation, and concerns. Most stages of the business buying process are psychological because you are dealing with personalities on so many levels, and…