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An Alternative Succession Plan – Employee OwnershipIt sounds incredible that successful UK companies, who employ thousands of people, may have a business shelf life. They are reliant upon either the existing directors living forever, or for the business being sold,...

Succession Planning WebinarIt is never too early to start planning for your succession.Succession planning involves, amongst other matters, being able to answer these questions: Have you appreciated how much of your wealth is tied up in your business? Do you know how...

Comparing Employee Ownership Trusts (EOT) and Trade Sales: An OverviewLet's compare Employee Ownership Trusts (EOT) and Trade Sales In the following sections, I've provided a detailed comparison between two prominent succession planning strategies for businesses: the...

Selling your business? What's your Freedom Point?What is the next chapter of your life going to look like? When asked about using borrowed money to buy stocks, Warren Buffett replied: “It is insane to risk what you have and need for something you don’t really need…...

Accounting Systems and Consistency in AccountsIn a previous blog post I wrote about Vendor Due Diligence. I referred to accounting systems and the timescales all types of accounting systems should take to produce reliable management accounts. Indeed, with modern...

Know Your BuyerThere is talk about creating competitive tension, which is having more than one offer for a business. In my experience this may happen but it is not always the case. So, before commencing the marketing of your business by research, it is as well to...

Vendor Due DiligenceIn essence this is an exercise to make your business ready for a sale. It is an essential part of your pre-sale planning. If should be executed by an independent person. It should allow your business to withstand a robust due diligence exercise by...

Net Promoter ScoreThe Net Promoter Score, or NPS®, is based on the premises every business’s customer can be divided into three categories: Promoters, Passives, and Detractors. By asking one simple, yet vital question that allows you to track promoters and detractors...

What are You Selling - You or The Business?Is it you or the business? It is no good saying to a buyer: "I work five days a week in this business and eight hours a day."  They will not like this since it is unlikely there is a business there to be sold. What would...

Avoid new ventures/diversify“Let’s diversify – it’ll make us more attractive to a buyer” It is a suggestion I have heard many times. However, in my experience, pricing power comes with being in a niche market. In particular the right pricing strategies can be used to...

TimingI appreciate the pandemic has caused serious disruption to many businesses. Moreover, the current procurement problems in both employees and purchases, interest rate increases and inflation have set a new playing field. I see businesses that ought to have been...

Data and Trends in the UK&I M&A Mid-marketThe data for the latest trends in UK & I is now available through Dealsuite's latest Monitoring Survey. Here are the key takeaways together with my thoughts. Age - this is the most common reason for selling a...

The Common Reason Why Businesses Fail to Sell and How to Avoid itThe common reason a business fails to sell. In my experience, the common reason businesses fail to sell is that there is little distinction between the business and its owner. It's something called the...

Recipe for Deal Making"My recipe for deal making: dinner and a bottle of wine" appeared in the Sunday Times Business News. It was written on 22nd August 2021 and the link is here. James Timpson is the author. He is an experienced acquirer of businesses and chief...

What's My NumberWhat's my number is the starting point when I come to consider how we are going to sell a business. The number I refer to is the amount a client's Retirement Pot needs to be in order for their retirement plans to be realised. I need your help as a...

How to Attract an Offer for Your BusinessAmid the uncertainty there is no reason why you should not be preparing your business to attract an offer from a buyer. I have proof of this since I am having conversations with buyers wanting to buy businesses. It is not...

How Do I Sell My Business? My 13 Point GuideHow do I get ready to sell my business? You've made that first difficult step of Googling 'sell my business'. Now what? Well, just like selling a house you get it ready for sale. Get rid of the clutter that's obscuring the...

Sell Your BusinessShould you sell your business? Can you sell your business? Two questions that many people will be asking themselves as we move into a phased exit from lockdown. Opening the doors of business in safe mode might seem the most pressing task right now...