I’m ready to sell my business, where do I start?

First, understand the value of your business.

There are two ways to determine the value:

1. Conduct an analysis of your financials to determine gross revenue and owner benefits. I can then compare these results to those of similar businesses that have sold to provide an estimate of the value of your company. There is no charge or obligation for this service.

2. Get an independent valuation. We collect the data for a third-party firm that crunches the numbers and determines the value. These valuations are perishable, so you don’t want to pay this fee until you are serious about selling. There is an upfront cost for this service but we deduct the cost from our fee at closing.

Contact me for more information about either of these services or for a free consultation.

When we meet, I’ll need to see tax returns or financial statements for the past three years and a copy of your lease. If we list your business, I will need a list of furniture, fixtures and equipment. I safeguard this data.  It is never out of my hands and never provided to a buyer until a non-disclosure agreement is signed and the buyer is qualified.

Once we agree on the value, we enter into a contract. We agree to use the best efforts to find you a qualified buyer. You agree to cooperate by providing updated financials.

Your business is aggressively marketed, but in a confidential manner. We require nondisclosure agreements before providing any information. We require net worth statements and/or verification of funds from potential buyers before discussing your financials.

Once we have found a potential buyer, we bring the two of you together to discuss the business. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and you’ll easily come up with questions likely to be running through his or her mind.

            • How much is the business earning?
            • What is being done to market the goods or services?
            • How long will it take me to earn back my money?
            • How strong are the employees?
            • Why does the seller want to sell?
            • Is it worth the asking price?

 

Why should I use a broker instead of selling my business on my own? 
Marketing is expensive and time consuming.  You need to spend your time running your business, not qualifying buyers and answering questions from unqualified buyers, who may not safeguard your information.

Market Knowledge and Valuation
You know your business best, but Florida Business Exchange knows the marketplace. An offer is only the first step.  We have a team of professionals who gets you from contract to closing.   

How do you know that buyers are serious?
We pre-screen buyers, and present to you only those with verified funds. This saves you time and effort.  We stay in constant contact with local and national buyers interested in investing in Florida.   

How do you market my business?
We use a variety of proactive methods to market your business.  In today’s world, the Internet is king. We market your business on many web sites and pursue direct marketing, if we believe it is in your best interest. We maintain valuable relationships with other brokers who are representing buyers looking for the right opportunity today! 

I’m ready to retire but I don’t want my employees, customers or suppliers to know yet.  How do you sell my business confidentially? 
Your business is not identified by name or even specific location.  Our buyers are carefully screened and required to provide us with signed non-disclosure agreements before we release any information about your business.

Help is available via phone or email: (904) 823-7225 | jonhhunt@bellsouth.net
10151 Deerwood Park Blvd., Suite 250, Jacksonville, Florida 32256
Photo Credit and thanks to the St. Johns County Convention and Visitors Bureau