The value of your company is “in the eyes of the beholder”. That means what a qualified buyer is willing to pay, not what you would like to walk away with from the closing table. So let’s prepare a roadmap of “getting-ready-to-get-ready” to prepare your business for sale at peak value.

So you may want to sell your business someday. That’s something small business owners think about, but seldom plan for. The facts … 70% of closely held businesses ultimately just shut their doors when the owner(s) choose not to continue working or otherwise are unable to do so. You’ve built a valuable asset through hard work, ingenuity and diligence. Don’t squander it … sell it!

You’ve spent considerable time, perhaps decades, realizing your vision of the business you created. And now you’re at the enviable, yet frightening, crossroads of what to do next. Do you continue to grow your enterprise, pass it on to your offspring or prep it for sale?

So you’re thinking about selling your business?  Well, here are six considerations with which you will need to come to grips: Realistic Expectations, Business Value, You’re Too Busy To Sell Your Business, Potential Buyers, Curb Appeal, Get Your House in Order. This article will lay out the basics for each of these six critical elements.

A simple planning tool to better ensure your financial victory in the sale of your business … the six categories Checklist-for-Success. To enjoy the maximum value from the following, view each item and evaluate your answer in light of how it will be perceived by prospective buyers … positive, negative or neutral. Remedying negative, and even neutral, perceptions will improve the value and “salability” of your business.