In a recent presentation, Brian and fellow panelists discussed important and necessary steps that business owners who are looking to sell must consider. For those who want to watch the panel discussion, you can view it here.
The importance of an advisory team was one of the key takeaways. The sale of a business is a major event in the life of an entrepreneur — with many nuances and transactional elements.
There are obvious areas of expertise required. However, it’s important to round out the team with additional professionals, who have specific skill sets, expertise, and experience in the M&A area, to ensure all aspects of the transaction have been reviewed by the right type of seasoned professional.
These individuals include:
Business Broker: Brokers have many contacts with companies seeking to both buy and sell businesses. They are normally well-versed in the selling process. The right advisor will add value to your sale, be a good resource, will set expectations for what the business is worth, and identify proceeds in terms of both cash and non-cash considerations.
Corporate Lawyer: Your lawyer should have specialized knowledge in the M&A field. (General counsel is useful for non-M&A matters.) Your corporate lawyer will provide insight that will limit post-transaction risk and provide clear and defined terms if contingency payments are to be received after the sale of the business. Most likely, this is the only significant liquidity event — it is worth the cost of adding specialized legal counsel. It’ll ensure that you will sleep at night after the deal is done.
Fractional CFO: Understanding the due diligence process that a company will go through during the selling process is really important. If you have a good fractional CFO on your team (like AcceleratingCFO!), you will be able to handle the heavy lifting required by potential buyers, specifically the high amount of financial documents needed to evaluate your business and determine if there is a deal to be made. A good fractional CFO will also be able to provide plain-English explanations on many of the legal, financial, and business aspects of a proposed transaction.
Human Resources: The HR consultant will help guide the communication to key personnel in such areas as sales, operations, and finance executives. Having a highly qualified hum.
Financial Advisor: Most entrepreneurs will have formed a relationship with a financial advisor prior to the transaction; but if not, now’s the time to do so. Financial advisors will identify how to invest funds in an intelligent way to maximize wealth and minimize tax liability. The best type of advisor is one that works on a flat fee vs. a variable fee. In this way, you’ll ensure that the advisor will have skin in your game.
CPA: You will need an accountant, who knows your personal and business tax circumstances, to minimize your tax liability. Your CPA will also be partnering with the fractional CFO and attorney to ensure that the best interests of the seller are maintained.
Takeaway: For all important events in your life, including the sale of your business, you should assemble a first-rate team. If you are thinking of selling now or several years from now, you should start thinking of strategies to maximize your selling price. Reach out to us at info@acceleratingcfo.com for a free consultation.
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