Investment Guide

Steps to Sell a Business

by Debbie Northern
December 18, 2024December 18, 2024

Selling your business is like selling your baby. Okay, maybe not exactly like that—but trust me, it’s an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve been there. Twice. And, if I’m being honest, the first time around? It was a hot mess. But hey, mistakes make for the best stories, right? Here’s the inside scoop on what it’s really like to sell a business, and how you can (hopefully) avoid some of the pitfalls I stumbled into—face first.

The Day I Decided to Sell My Business

Picture this: It’s a Tuesday, around 2:00 PM. I’m sitting in my office, staring at the 67 unread emails in my inbox. My phone’s buzzing with notifications, my coffee’s cold, and I’m wondering why I ever thought running a business was a good idea in the first place. Sound familiar?

For me, the decision to sell wasn’t a “lightbulb” moment. It was more like a slow realization. I loved my business, sure, but it was running me ragged. I was missing family dinners, skipping vacations, and forgetting what hobbies even felt like. That’s when I knew it was time to let go.

But where do you even start? I had no idea. Google became my best friend (and worst enemy). After reading a lot of articles on Business Broker News I found out, selling a business isn’t as simple as putting up a “For Sale” sign on the front door. Who knew?

The First Steps: Cue the Overwhelm

Once I decided to sell, I made the rookie mistake of thinking, “I can handle this on my own.” Spoiler alert: I could not. If you’re in the same boat, do yourself a favor and get professional help. And no, I don’t just mean a therapist (though that might help too).

Hiring a business broker was a game-changer for me. Think of a broker as the matchmaker of the business world. They know the market, they have the connections, and—most importantly—they can help you avoid the dreaded “undervalue trap.” My first broker meeting felt like speed dating, but instead of sharing hobbies, I was rattling off profit margins and growth trajectories. Romantic, huh?

If you’re going the broker route, shop around. Not all brokers are created equal. Ask questions, check reviews, and trust your gut. It’s like hiring a contractor to build your dream house—you want the best of the best.

Understanding the Reasons for Selling

Before diving into the process, it’s crucial to clarify your motivations for selling. Common reasons include:

Retirement: Stepping back from active business management.
Pursuing new opportunities: Shifting focus to a new industry or project.
Financial liquidity: Unlocking the value of your business.
Burnout: Needing a break after years of hard work.

Having a clear purpose not only helps in decision-making but also makes it easier to communicate with potential buyers.

Preparing Your Business for Sale

Preparation is key to maximizing your business’s value and ensuring a smooth sale process. Here are essential steps to take:

1. Organize Financial Records

Buyers will scrutinize your financial history to assess the viability of your business. Ensure you have:

Up-to-date financial statements.
Tax returns for the past 3-5 years.
Detailed profit and loss statements.
A clear record of debts, assets, and liabilities.
Learn how to value inventory

2. Conduct a Business Valuation

A professional valuation helps determine your business’s worth and sets a realistic asking price. Valuation methods may include:

Asset-based valuation: Calculating the value of assets minus liabilities.
Income-based valuation: Estimating future cash flows.
Market-based valuation: Comparing your business to similar ones recently sold.

3. Streamline Operations

An efficient, well-run business is more attractive to buyers. Consider:

Addressing inefficiencies.
Documenting operational processes.
Training staff to ensure continuity.

4. Enhance Curb Appeal

Just like selling a home, first impressions matter. Improve your business’s appeal by:

Refreshing your branding.
Updating your website and social media presence.
Ensuring your premises are clean and well-maintained.

5. Protect Sensitive Information

While transparency is critical, avoid sharing sensitive data too early. Use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to safeguard your business information.

Identifying Potential Buyers

The right buyer can make all the difference. Common buyer profiles include:

Strategic buyers: Companies seeking synergies with their existing operations.
Financial buyers: Investors focused on return on investment.
Individual buyers: Entrepreneurs looking for a new opportunity.
Competitors: Businesses in the same industry aiming to expand their market share.

Each type of buyer has unique priorities, so tailor your approach accordingly.

The Numbers Game (AKA My Personal Nightmare)

Here’s where things got tricky: the valuation. How do you put a price tag on years of blood, sweat, and tears? I’ll tell you—you don’t. The experts do.

My broker brought in a valuation specialist who dove into my financials like a kid in a candy store. Revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities—they analyzed it all. The first number they gave me felt like a punch to the gut. “That’s it?” I remember saying. I thought my business was worth so much more. But after a few deep breaths (and a glass of wine), I realized that emotion doesn’t equal equity.

Pro tip: Be realistic about your numbers. Buyers aren’t interested in what you think your business is worth; they care about cold, hard facts. And while we’re at it, get your financial house in order. Clean books make for happy buyers.

Finding the Right Buyer: The Plot Thickens

If you think dating is hard, try finding the perfect buyer for your business. Some buyers were tire-kickers, asking a million questions only to ghost me later. Others came with outrageous demands, like asking me to stay on as an employee (no, thank you). It’s a process, to say the least. It’s best to learn how to find a business broker who can sell your business for you.

One of the most important lessons I learned? Not all money is good money. Sure, you want a solid offer, but you also want to sell to someone who aligns with your values. After all, this is your legacy. I turned down a couple of offers because I couldn’t see eye-to-eye with the buyers. Was it scary? Absolutely. But in the end, it was worth it.

The Emotional Toll: Buckle Up

Nobody warns you about the emotional side of selling a business. I went through all the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and, finally, acceptance. Selling isn’t just a financial transaction—it’s personal.

I’ll never forget the day I signed the final paperwork. I sat in my car afterward, staring at the dashboard, feeling… empty. Don’t get me wrong; I was excited about the next chapter, but it also felt like saying goodbye to an old friend. If you’re feeling this way, know that it’s normal. Give yourself time to process.

Life After the Business Sale: What Nobody Tells You

Here’s the funny thing: Once I learned how to sell a business quickly, I thought I’d spend my days lounging by the pool with a margarita in hand. Spoiler alert: I got bored. Fast.

What nobody tells you is that selling your business leaves a void. It’s not just the loss of income; it’s the loss of purpose. For years, my business was my baby, my identity. Letting it go was like losing a piece of myself. I had to rediscover who I was outside of being a business owner.

That’s when I started dabbling in investing. I’d always been curious about the world of finance, and selling my business gave me the capital (and the time) to dive in. It was a whole new learning curve, but it gave me the sense of purpose I’d been craving.

Key Takeaways

If you’re thinking about selling your business, here’s what I’ve learned:

Get professional help. A good broker is worth their weight in gold.
Know your numbers. Clean financials make the process smoother.
Choose your buyer wisely. Legacy matters.
Brace for emotions. Selling is as much a personal journey as it is a financial one.
Have a post-sale plan. Know what you want to do next.

Selling a business isn’t easy, but it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. It’s a chance to close one chapter and start another—to build something new, chase a dream, or finally take that vacation you’ve been putting off.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. But next time, I’ll make sure my coffee stays warm, my inbox stays manageable, and my margarita is waiting by the pool.

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Ideal Investments for Your Roth IRA

by Debbie Northern
July 22, 2022December 18, 2024

A lot of financial experts agree that a Roth IRA is among the smartest approaches to investing for your retirement. In addition to letting your money grow tax-free, a Roth IRA allows you to withdraw it during your retirement tax-free as well. So, you can grow your nest egg without the worry that the government will take something away from it.

Because of the tax advantage, you want to contribute the maximum to your Roth IRA every year. However, what should you invest in? Whatever it is, it should be a long-term investment that has a lot of growth potential and relatively low risk. This would not include anything that is highly speculative.

Here are some suggestions on the best investments to contribute to for your Roth IRA and why they are good options.

Index Funds That Follow the S&P 500

A fund that follows the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index is a good option. This fund follows 500 of the biggest public companies in the United States. These include familiar names like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Apple, and Amazon.

This index has performed very well over the decades. The average yearly return is around 10 percent. The companies in this basket include some of the most successful businesses, which means there is less risk and more potential for healthy gains. In addition, S&P 500 index funds tend to have low expense ratios, which means you pay fewer fees owning these.

Gold IRA

A gold IRA allows you to own physical gold, which you cannot own in a regular IRA. A regular IRA lets you own shares in a gold mining company, gold ETFs (exchange-traded funds), and other types of assets that have some linkage to gold, but not the actual gold itself. A gold IRA is a self-directed IRA that allows you to own gold coins, bullions, and other physical forms of gold.

A self-directed IRA allows you to invest in different types of assets such as real estate, and cryptocurrencies. and precious metals like gold. A gold IRA is governed by the same kind of rules that cover traditional IRAs. The contribution limits and rules around withdrawals are the same. You can have a traditional or Roth gold IRA.

Dividend Stock Funds

Dividend stock funds include stocks of companies that pay out dividends regularly. These companies are usually the older, more established companies in the sector that typically have a lot of cash. This enables them to distribute dividends to their shareholders. The stronger companies have increased their dividend payout every year for the past decades. This gives investors a healthy return.

Dividend stock funds are also not as volatile as other types of funds and are relatively safe because the companies are in mature industries. The dividends are also not taxable. These aspects make the funds a good option for a Roth IRA. After a dividend payout, the investor can reinvest it into the dividend fund and maintain the growth of the dividend every year.

Value Stock Funds

Value stock funds have stocks that are considered bargains compared to other stocks on the market. They are value-priced. They typically have good returns over the long term and are stable. In addition, a lot of companies with value-priced stocks also payout dividends. Not only will you have a nice return, but you will also get a dividend payout in cash.

Value stock funds are good options for a Roth IRA because of their stability. Any dividends are a bonus because they can be reinvested into the value stock fund and keep it growing.

Index Funds that Follow the Nasdaq 100

A Nasdaq 100 index fund includes the largest companies that trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange. These mostly include tech companies. This type of fund includes more of the large tech companies than the S&P 500 index funds. When these companies perform well, they can bring you significant returns.

A Nasdaq 100 index fund is a good way to add diversification to your Roth IRA if you believe that tech stocks will continue to grow over the next decades. When tech stocks do well, your investment would be in a good position for healthy compounding at high rates. In a Roth IRA, you will not incur taxes on capital gains if you sell or make a withdrawal from the Roth IRA account.

Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Funds

REITs have a fancy name, but it is just a type of company that manages real estate investments. According to the rules, REITs can avoid paying corporate taxes by distributing most of the company’s income as dividends. This tax advantage makes these funds very attractive for real estate investors.

It comes as no surprise that investors like REIT funds because they have performed well over time and they pay out healthy dividends. In a Roth IRA, these dividends will not be taxed, and they can be reinvested into the fund to buy more shares. Investors can earn a good return on both fronts.

Small-cap Stock Funds

Small-cap stock funds include small companies. Many investors like these for investing over the long term because the small-cap companies have a lot of potentials to grow fast. These are typically high-growth companies, but some of them are not. Small companies have higher risks because they are smaller with less financial resources. However, their returns can be higher than your average stock fund.

Small-cap funds can be a nice addition to your Roth IRA because they have great potential for growth over the long term. Your returns will compound at a faster rate. The fund is diversified enough to give you a good level of safety while focusing just on small-cap companies.

Funds with Target Dates

A target-date fund is designed for investors who do not prefer to actively manage their portfolios. You choose a fund that has the year when you start accessing your money. When you start, the asset mix that this fund holds might be more geared toward riskier holdings that give you high returns, like stocks. As you approach the target year, the investment mix of the target-date fund will gradually shift to safer assets with lower returns, like bonds. So, you just contribute your money to the fund and let the fund manager handle rebalancing the mix.

The one possible disadvantage to a target-date fund is that the expense ratio is usually higher, but still within reason. The higher cost reflects the additional management that this fund requires. When you are deciding on a target date, you might want to pick a year that is five to ten years later than the actual year of your first withdrawal. This allows the mix to stay more on high-growth assets like stocks. If you plan, you will not run out of money during your retirement.

Avoid Investments That Are Speculative

When you invest money for retirement, you should balance the returns over the long-term with possible risks associated with it. For instance, returns from stocks have historically outpaced returns of other types of investment vehicles over time, but you will only realize this over the long term. However, if your investment horizon is short, you face greater risks because the stock might be experiencing a downturn just when you want to take out the money. If you hold stocks for the long term, you decrease your risk.

In recent years, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoins have shown up in IRAs and 401(k)s. Bitcoin grew very fast, but it is still a speculative investment because it is still unproven. These are not recommended for any retirement account.

Investment experts warn investors that investing in cryptocurrencies is like gambling. It is purely speculative at this point and the future is uncertain. Rather, it is better to stay with the time-tested approach in building up your retirement accounts because you want to be certain that your money will be in your account when you need to take it out.

Final Comments

A Roth IRA is highly recommended for investors who want to enjoy the tax advantages during retirement. Stick with the tried-and-true methods of investing, and avoid anything speculative. You have many years to allow your Roth IRA to compound, and the growth will not be subject to any taxes at all.

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A Quick Guide To Investing & Personal Finance In 2022

by Debbie Northern
July 7, 2022July 7, 2022

Investing and personal finance go hand-in-hand. You need to understand both concepts to make the most of your money.

Investing is about putting your money into something that will grow over time. This can be stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, or other assets. The goal is to make your money grow so that you can have more money down the road.

Personal finance, on the other hand, is all about managing your money to meet your short-term and long-term goals. This includes budgeting, saving, and investing. It also includes things like credit management and debt reduction.

Both investing and personal finance are important to achieve financial success. Understanding both concepts allows you to make the most of your money and reach your financial goals.

Let's Us Understand This In More Detail:

Say you have $100, and you want to grow it. You could save it in a savings account, earning interest and growing over time. Or, you could invest it in stocks, which have the potential to grow much more quickly.

If you’re investing for the long term, you’ll want to focus on growth investments like stocks. These can give you the potential to make a lot of money if they go up in value. However, they also come with more risk than savings accounts or bonds.

If you’re focused on personal finance, you’ll want to ensure you’re budgeting and saving money to reach your financial goals. This might include things like buying a house or retiring early. Personal finance is about making the most of your money so you can live the life you want.

For generations, personal finance was simply about saving your money and living within your means. But today, with the rise of investing and the stock market, people are starting to think about their money differently.

Now, more than ever, people focus on making their money grow. And that’s where investing comes in.

Major Types Of Investing Methods

Individual Stocks: When you buy a stock, you buy a piece of a company. You own that company and its profits.

Bonds: A bond is like an IOU. You give someone money (the bond issuer), and they promise to pay you back over time with interest.

Mutual Funds: It is a collection of different investments, like stocks, bonds, and cash.

Etfs: An ETF is like a mutual fund, but it’s traded on the stock market.

Index Funds: An index fund is a type of mutual fund that tracks a specific market index, like the S&P 500.

These are just a few of the major types of investments. Many others include real estate, commodities, and hedge funds.

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401(K)S, Roth Iras, And Traditional Iras: Which Is Best For You?

by Debbie Northern
July 6, 2022July 7, 2022

401(k)s and IRAs are both retirement savings plans. They both have tax benefits, allowing you to grow your money over time.

The difference between 401(k)s and IRAs is how they’re funded. 401(k)s are employer-sponsored plans. Your employer offers the plan and makes contributions on your behalf. IRAs, on the other hand, are self-funded. This means that you’re responsible for making all of the contributions.

So which is best for you – a 401(k) or an IRA?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your circumstances.

Here Are A Few Things To Consider:

If you have an employer-sponsored plan, you may want to contribute to a 401(k). This is because your employer may match your contributions. And 401(k)s have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

If you’re self-employed, you may want to contribute to an IRA. This is because IRAs have lower contribution limits than 401(k)s.

If you’re looking for tax breaks, both 401(k)s and IRAs offer tax benefits. But 401(k)s offer more generous tax breaks than IRAs.

If you’re looking for flexibility, IRAs offer more flexibility than 401(k)s. For example, you can withdraw money from an IRA without paying taxes or penalties. With a 401(k), you’ll owe taxes and penalties if you withdraw money before retirement.

The bottom line is that both 401(k)s and IRAs are good options for retirement savings. It’s up to you to decide which one is best for your circumstances.

Consider Important Factors Before Investing

Investing can be a great way to grow your money, but it’s not without risk. Before you invest, there are a few important factors to consider:

Your Goals: What are you trying to achieve with your investment? Are you looking for growth or income? How much risk are you willing to take on?

Your Time Horizon: When do you need the money back? Growth investments can take years to pay off, so if you’re investing for a short-term goal, they might not be the best choice.

Your Risk Tolerance: Some investments are riskier than others. If you’re uncomfortable with taking on many risks, stick to more conservative investments.

Once you’ve considered these factors, you can start to develop your investment strategy.

Determine What Kind Of An Investor Are You

There are two main types of investors:

Growth Investors: These investors are focused on making their money grow. They’re willing to take on more risk in exchange for the potential for higher returns.

Income Investors: These investors are focused on generating income from their investments. They’re usually more conservative with their investment choices and aren’t as interested in growth.

Which type of investor you are will affect your investment strategy. Growth investors will likely invest in things like stocks, while income investors might prefer investments like bonds or dividends stocks.…

Better Understand Investing And Get Started Without Anxiety.