How Delays When Selling Your Business Can Lead to Deal Failure

We have a saying: “Go ugly early.” When you’re selling a business, put issues on the table right away. Whether you have ineligible employees on your payroll, you just lost a big client, or litigation is pending—be up front. Providing clarity around your business flaws serves two purposes. First, it makes the whole process more […]

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Why Employee Retention Matters for Your Exit Strategy

Looking at an exit strategy? Employee retention is important at any stage of business. But for owners contemplating a sale, a strong record of retention could mean significantly more value and a faster transition period. Buyers want to know how your business stood up against adversity. From 9/11 to the Great Recession to COVID-19, buyers […]

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Why Boomer Business Owners Should Watch M&A Cycles

Approximately 20% of business owners are over the age of 65, and another 30% are between the ages of 55 and 64, according to estimates from the Census Bureau Annual Business Survey. Based on age trends alone, roughly half of America’s businesses will transition ownership in the next 5 to 10 years. This will be […]

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How Does Rising Interest Rates Impact the M&A Market?

There’s zero doubt that interest rates are going up this year. The Fed issued a 0.25 percentage point rate hike in March, the first increase we’ve seen since late 2018, and a second in June of 0.75. But more increases are coming in the year ahead. How Rising Interest Rates Typically Affect Business Value In […]

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TEAM TALENT AND OPTIMIZING THE DEAL – CRITICAL PEOPLE FACTORS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS SALE

REGISTER NOW: https://www.exitplanningexchange.com/event/4892808/ On August 9th, XPX Atlanta and Walden Businesses invite you to hear Sara Burden, President of Walden Businesses, and fellow M&A experts as they bring a comprehensive view of the impact of team and talent on a business sale. Don’t miss it! Register now! CLICK TO READ THE NEWSLETTER

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What Creates a Strong M&A Market for Sellers?

A strong M&A market for sellers typically arises from a confluence of factors. High demand from a large pool of buyers, coupled with abundant capital available for investment, creates a competitive bidding environment that drives up valuations. Favorable lending conditions, characterized by low interest rates and accessible financing, further empower buyers and support robust deal […]

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What Do Rate Hike Cycles Mean for Business Sellers?

Economist Steven Chiavarone presented at CIA partner’s annual State of M&A conference in February. As he pointed out, there have been 11 rate hike cycles since 1970 of three hikes or more. Of those, nine were followed by a recession. (The other two were followed by a stock market crash and the Mexican peso crisis.) […]

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Why Do You Need an M&A Attorney to Avoid Sale Delays?

We had a signed letter of intent in April and were set to close the transaction in June – until the seller’s lawyer got in the way. What should have taken 60 days ballooned into a full six months. Luckily, it still closed. In this particular transaction, the client insisted on working with his real […]

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Why Beating Out Competitors Is Important for Business Value

Buyers are looking for long-lasting competitive advantages. The goal is to identify a unique combination of valuable services that sets you apart from everyone else in the market. Keep Widening Your Moat When selling a business, one of the qualities buyers look for is barriers to entry. The harder it is for someone to enter […]

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How Stay Bonuses Add Value for Business Sale

Confidentiality is important in a sale. But what do you do when critical employees must be informed? We recommend stay bonuses. A stay bonus provides an incentive for key employees to cooperate and assist with a sale. Stay bonuses typically range from 20% to 100% or more of an employee’s salary. It’s common to allocate […]

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