Sell Your Small Business: Plan for Your Next Chapter

Are you thinking about selling your business? If retirement is on your horizon, you're not alone. At some point, most small business owners consider their business’s endgame and what it'll look like to embark on their own next chapter. But how do you ensure that you get the best price for your business? In this blog post, we'll explore some key tips and strategies to help you maximize your profit when selling your business.

1. Run Your Business to Sell

Selling a business is not a decision to be taken lightly. It requires careful planning and preparation. Here are some steps you should consider: 

Prioritize Your Profit, Not Taxes 

When you initiate the selling process, it's essential to prioritize profit over taxes. Avoid owner discretionary expenses that negatively impact your business's perceived value. Focus on reducing non-essential expenses and showing as much profit as possible. 

Pay Attention to Curb Appeal 

Just like good curb appeal increases a house’s value, the same goes for your business. Prepare professional financial statements that showcase your business's performance accurately. If nothing else, this delivers a positive image to potential buyers and instills confidence in the value they'll receive if they buy. 

2. Key Considerations Before Selling 

As you prepare to sell your business, there are a few key considerations you should keep in mind: 

Will your employees stay with the buyer? 

If you have key employees without employment agreements, it's crucial to address this issue. Potential buyers may be concerned about losing essential personnel and the impact it could have on the business's stability. By securing employment agreements, you provide buyers with a sense of security and comfort. Do this after consulting a labor lawyer (not just any lawyer). 

Do you have any outstanding liabilities?

Potential liabilities or lawsuits can be deal-breakers when it comes to selling a business. Take the time to resolve lingering legal issues, Google reviews, vendor disputes, and customer complaints. Doing so will reduce doubts or concerns in the mind of potential buyers. 

Is the buyer out-of-state? 

State tax obligations are often overlooked but can have significant consequences. If your business sells to customers in states other than your home state, you should understand the potential implications of that. This is a hot and growing problem. Ensure that your state tax liabilities and filings are up to date. Buyers will scrutinize any outstanding tax issues, and such liabilities can create doubts, leading to a lower purchase price or the buyer walking. 

3. The Importance of Working with Professionals 

Selling a business can be a complex process, especially if you've never done it before. Here's why it's crucial to work with professionals: 

Hire a Business Broker

Have you ever sold your business before? If your answer is no, then consider if you want a rookie to handle the sale of your largest retirement asset. We advise you to hire someone to help you sell your business. This is usually a business broker, but it can also be your accountant. A business broker specializes in the marketing and sale of your business. Your accountant has helped numerous business owners sell their business, although that is not his or her specialty. Our experience is that the fees you pay to a professional are much less than the price increase. 

Consult an Attorney  

Selling your business will involve contracts (that is plural). While you don’t want an attorney to create barriers to the sale with 80-page contracts that no one can understand, it's important that you consult with an attorney early in the process and control the narrative (like how complex and nitpicky the contract will be). But a good attorney will provide valuable advice and ensure that all legal requirements are met throughout the selling process. 

Sell the Right Way 

Selling your small business can be a daunting task and most business owners will only do it once. Because of this, you want to do it right. If you are considering selling your small business, see if Kaizen CPAs + Advisors is a good fit to help you make this transition. Click on the ‘Let’s Chat’ button and schedule a call with one of our experts.