Facts and Questions
What Services do Charleston Business Brokers Provide?
We provide the valuable service of professional guidance bridging the gap between business owners and business buyers in selling the owner’s business. We also provide valuable services to business owners who want to sell their business in the future.
Through proper preparation and relying on our experience, we are able to navigate through the numerous issues which inevitably arise in every sale process to successfully sell businesses with a win/win approach.
We provide an array of services that encompass a business sale along every step of the way until the transaction is successfully closed. We are happy to describe the process in detail and relate it directly to your business. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary review of your business.
What Don’t You Do?
While we have legal, banking and accounting training and experience, we are not licensed attorneys or accountants and do not provide legal or accounting or tax advice. With that said, we do have an in depth understanding of the legal and accounting issues involved in a business sale and will work with your advisors or recommend professional counsel if and when these issues arise.
What sort of mistakes do you see business owner’s make when approaching their exit strategy?
Poorly organized financial records are one of the top mistakes we see. This often leads to more work for the business owner to prepare for a sale, a difficult marketing process and problems for the buyer in obtaining acquisition financing.
We also encounter a variety of fixable operational issues that can drag down a selling price and/or turn-off buyers if not properly corrected.
Finally, unrealistic expectations of the value of the business is a huge mistake that leads to business owner frustration and, predictably, no sale of the business. We pride ourselves in being honest. We won’t ever tell a client what they want to hear just to get them to sign a listing agreement. When we value a business we will explain our analysis to you and make sure we are in agreement before taking a business to market.
These are just three of the many issues we regularly encounter. With our experience we are able to guide sellers through the preparation process to maximize the value of their business and bring about a successful sale.
How Will You Market My Business?
Most of the businesses we sell are sold through our active networking with different, prequalified buyer groups. Often times we sell a business before listing it on the internet. This is one of the advantages you receive by working with a well-respected brokerage like Charleston Business Brokers.
And, of course, all prospective buyers sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) before we share any information.
It has been a stressful and intense past couple of days, but we just wanted to take the time to say THANK YOU for EVERYTHING! And if ever we can refer someone your way, we won’t hesitate to do so.
And you were a ROCKSTAR!
– Kevin and Diego –
Is There Any Such Thing as a “Normal” Sale Process?
What is normal is that every sale takes its own course.
The entire process is ripe with opportunities for the transaction to fall apart or never even get started. Virtually every sale runs into what most people would call problems. We know this to be normal and with our experience, we know to take these challenges in stride and present solutions. We also know when a buyer is being unreasonable and know how to use our experience to deal with the unreasonable buyer without offending. Our experience helps sellers avoid mistakes that can lead to critical errors if they were to attempt to navigate the process alone.
And, let us just recognize that emotions are always a part of the process. Anger, frustration, confusion and the like are experienced by most sellers. It happens because so much of the business selling process is unfamiliar and can become very personal. We understand what it is like to build a business over many years and have employees, customers and vendors become part of your life. Dealing with concerns beyond how much is being paid is a normal part of what we do. We can assure you that the process will always be about you and never about us or our egos.
How Long Does it Take to Sell a Business?
It generally takes, at a minimum six months. Some businesses will take longer to sell and some less. The factors that impact the length of the sale process are many, but can be identified once we are able to learn more about your business. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary review of your business.
Why Should I Chose Charleston Business Brokers?
Aside from our knowledgeable and experience, we believe we stand out from our competition for the following reasons:
- We are responsive.
- We place your interests before our own.
- We will meet and often exceed the level of service you require.
- We will properly prepare and present your business to buyers.
- We will guide the process with the utmost integrity and professionalism.
What Can You Share About Business Valuation?
Once the decision to sell is made, valuing your business typically becomes the single most important conclusion in the sales process.
Pricing should be realistic and supported by business financials and operational practices. With that said, our mission is to obtain the highest possible price for your business. Our fee structure is tied to the sale price.
If another business broker asks you how much you want for your business and you respond with a number and they agree then run. Valuing a business requires time, energy, experience and, most of all, solid financial information.
We provide a complimentary valuation and offer a valuation range prior to signing our listing agreement. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary review of your business.