The Challenge

This past year has been a difficult one for business owners seeking an exit. Is this the recession, or a reflection of a longer term reality? The answer, it seems, is that exiting business owners will need to engage a new reality for the foreseeable future. According to an article published by Robert Avery of Cornell University in February 2006, “the majority of boomer wealth is held in 12 million privately owned businesses, of which more than 70% are expected to change hands in the next 10 to 15 years.” Only a portion of these businesses will successfully cash out, because of a fundamental oversupply of sellers.

Key Mistakes Sellers Make

Business owners make a mistake when they allow too little time to complete a properly executed business exit strategy. Another mistake owners make is focusing on the price while disregarding the terms and structure of an exit transaction. Other key mistakes business owners make in exiting their companies are:

• selling to the (only) competitor who approaches them
• not using experienced advisors (hoping to save transaction costs)
• setting expectations based on personal needs and without reference to the market
• failing to explore legitimate positioning strategies

Buyers of middle market companies don't buy jobs for themselves in the way that small business buyers do, they “invest” with the expectation of a return commensurate with the risk. Nothing enhances a buyer's perception of value more than:

• evidence of sustainable growth
• a capable management team as the key to managing the risk

The Business owner who engages professional advisors, plans thoroughly, and negotiates to ensure that the wealth transfer mechanism chosen most closely delivers on his goals is the business owner who will have executed the optimal exit strategy.

Characteristics which Appeal to Buyers

If the fundamental laws of risk and reward prevail, only the least risky and most profitable businesses will change hands successfully. With buyers focusing on businesses which represent good investments capable of operating with little or no dependence on their owners, the following characteristics will be seen as desirable:

• Businesses which have scaled beyond a total dependence on the owner
• proprietary products, services or processes
• strong, remaining management
• defensible, differentiated market position
• stable, diverse customer base
• recurring revenue business model
• business growth (opportunities)
• strong operating margins
• manageable business risk
• quality business and accounting systems
• audited annual and timely internal monthly financial statements

Defining the Exit

Exiting is more than Selling
Exit Planning is a process involving the development and execution of a series of systematic steps taken to allow both the owner and the “accumulated wealth” to be extracted from the business, via one or more of the numerous available strategies, including:

• Selling the business to partners, strategic buyers, investors, competitors, international buyers, or the public
• Recapitalizing the business for partial liquidity
• Merging the business to achieve enhance valuation and/or marketability
• Transferring the business to family, management or employees
• Gifting the business to meet personal and/or tax planning goals
• Liquidating or partially liquidating the business

Exiting is a process, not an event.

The Optimal Exit will be achieved through the implementation of a managed process which includes:

• Establishing a business valuation reference point
• Clarifying “Life-after-Business” goals
• Working with a team of specialist advisors
• Preparing a written plan ? Identifying and evaluating the applicable alternative strategies (options)
• Executing any necessary positioning or preliminary strategies
• Executing the selected exit strategy

Exiting is a complex subject with many moving parts. No single advisor is an expert in all aspects, so the process should involve inputs from a team of experienced advisors, and should address the possible need to re-position the business before going to market.

Setting Goals

Clarifying the Endgame
The Exit Strategy begins with the M&A Advisor providing a likely range of the pricing, terms and structure expected from a sale in the current market. The Financial Planner or Wealth Manager then develops a plan to invest the after-tax wealth extracted from the business to meet lifestyle and life-after-business goals. For the majority of business owners, this newly liquidated business wealth will constitute a meaningful portion of the total wealth driving the financial, tax and estate plans. The key, then, to beginning the exit planning process, is to clarify the endgame, taking into account the likely value of extracted business wealth.

• Legacy Goals – what will have been your contribution?
• Lifestyle and Life-after-Business Goals – what do you want from the next phase of your life?
• Estate Planning Goals – how will you ensure that your estate passes to your heirs in the most tax efficient way?
• Exit Strategy Goals – based on all of the above, what are the priorities to be met by your selected exit strategy as to risk, time, wealth and income?

Selecting a Team

Play the “A” Team
The M&A Advisor should assemble and coordinate a team, including existing advisors where applicable, that will ensure:

• access to all appropriate options and opportunities
• being fully informed as to the merits and demerits of proposed strategies
• having expert counsel and representation

The team must include the necessary knowledge, skills and experience in Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Law, Taxation and Financial Planning/Wealth Management. It may also include specialists in ESOPs, insurance, personnel and business consulting disciplines.

Writing a Plan

Planning Precedes Execution
Business owners should not expect to exit successfully in the next 10 years without figuring out how best to exit and what preparatory steps should be taken.and should not assume they can wait until they are “ready”. While the critical execution phase will not be a problem for most take-charge entrepreneur business owners, the planning for an exit will be foreign to them as exiting has never been their purpose. Their purpose has been to create and build, and to consider the exit (if at all) a retreat. The M&A Advisor should coordinate a collaborative team effort to prepare a written Exit Plan incorporating a valuation of the business, a statement of goals and objectives, a review of alternative strategies (options), an analysis of the gap between the goals and the options, and strategies for closing the gap.

Reconciling Goals and Options

Once one has established an indication of the Expected Wealth Transfer (the after-tax proceeds from the business exit) on the one hand, and an estimate of the Targeted Wealth Transfer (the wealth transfer required to provide the personal life-after-business goals) on the other, the business owner and the exit team must now reconcile the two before selecting and implementing an exit strategy. Whether or not the expected and targeted wealth transfer values are the same, the owner should review all exit options, and should also evaluate a number of Positioning Strategies for execution prior to implementing an Exit Strategy. Reconciliation or Closing the Gap is an iterative process of evaluating combinations of positioning and business exit strategies that will yield a release of wealth (the Expected Wealth Transfer) compatible, as to quality, time, value and certainty, with achieving the specified goals and the associated Targeted Wealth Transfer. Closing the gap may also involve modification of the Targeted Wealth Transfer. Again, notice that there are two key points of inflection for matching the exit with the personal goals:

1. The ability to vary the value, timing and certainty associated with extracting the business wealth
2. The ability to vary the timing, risk tolerance, estate wealth, living standards and other variables inherent in the personal goals

A key issue business owners face in considering Positioning Strategies is the very central question of the risk – reward paradigm. Positioning strategies cannot be executed entirely without risk, but manageable risk strategies may deserve consideration if they serve to better ensure that the business wealth will be delivered in the context, amount, time and certainty needed to meet the identified personal goals.

Positioning Strategies

Corporate Value Enhancement
The team should look at the corporate structure and governance mechanisms to consider whether the business is optimally positioned for the intended business exit. For instance, an asset sale from a C Corp could result in tax obligations at both the corporate and the individual levels. Conversion to an S Corp may be advantageous, but the tax benefits vest over an extended period of time. The make-up of the Board and any Advisory Board may also have an impact on the value perceived by a buyer. Management strength is considered below. From the standpoints of scale, product or market diversity, management strength or any number of others, the business may benefit from a combination with or consolidation into another business prior to its sale. Alternatively, it may be desirable to spin-off one or more non-synergistic or non-performing divisions to increase profitability or allow greater management focus.

Business Value Enhancement
Business value enhancement strategies generally influence valuation because of their perceived impact on risk, growth or profit margins. At the top of many buyers' lists is the need to see a strong, experienced and motivated management in place. For financial buyers, this often includes the need to be assured that management has skin in the game, typically an equity interest. Improvements in profit margins are strongest when they are reflected in trailing (historical) earnings. More recently effected changes, or even planned changes, can also influence valuation, however, if the benefit of the changes can be quantified and demonstrated. Because of the multiplier effect built into earnings-based valuations, a mm earnings improvement may increase the valuation by, say, mm. It doesn't seem entirely logical that an exiting business owner would have unexplored opportunities available for making improvements to the business. It's a little like living with an outdated kitchen and upgrading just before selling the house. As in the real estate analogy, the stakes are higher at the time of exit, and the focus on marketability and valuation greater, so these opportunities often do exist. Other business value enhancement strategies include:

• Reviewing and revising the revenue and/or business models
• Implementing product / market enhancement plans
• Expanding and diversifying the customer base
• Securing title to patents and intellectual property
• Commissioning of financial and operational audits
• Strengthening or upgrading of systems and procedures
• Documenting or codifying contractual relationships (employees, vendors, customers, debt)

Business Marketability Enhancement
If growth opportunity, managed risk and strong margins are the foundation for building value enhancement strategies, then clarity, transparency and certainty are the engines which drive marketability. Business performance is clearly reported and accounted for, activities and status are transparent to the buyer, and all information portrays a level of certainty about the future. Experienced buyers know that completing acquisitions is a time-consuming and expensive exercise. Buyers will perceive greater clarity, transparency and certainty, and therefore be more motivated to engage, when the seller has:

• Audited financial statements
• A business plan with a clearly defined growth path
• An in-place sector-experienced management
• Current market metrics and analysis

Multi-Step Liquidation Strategies
Reference is made above to the risk-reward paradigm. This fundamental reality plays out in ways too numerous to mention, including strategies elected by business owners to both take cash off the table to reduce risk/exposure as in a re-cap, and assume reasonable risks for an enhanced valuation as in an earn-out structure. Consider:

• The lowest price is an all cash price (not often available in today's market)
• Waiting before selling is risky
• Participating in an industry consolidation or roll-up increases the risks and uncertainty of an exit, but potentially enhances marketability and yields a greater valuation

A classic two-stage exit is accomplished by means of a re-capitalization in which an investor / partner / buyer acquires part of the business with an expectation to either buy the rest of the business or to market the business in cooperation with the remaining owner at a later time and at a greater valuation. The owner takes some chips off the table, but retains a stake, and usually continues to participate in management. Merging the business into one or more other businesses before exiting can lead to increased marketability and even an improved valuation sometimes referred to as multiple bump. Consider a mm revenue business with earnings of mm which commands a valuation of mm (or a 5 multiple). Combining that business into a 0mm business with earnings of mm and which commands a valuation of mm (a multiple of 6), now values the original company's participation at mm, and the consolidation strategy has yielded a mm valuation gain.

Transaction Structuring Strategies
Every step along the complex path of executing an exit strategy demands access to advice from professionals who have been there and who know the opportunities and the pitfalls. Even though the structuring of the exit transaction comes toward the end of the process, structuring is included here as a positioning strategy because it impacts the value of the Expected Wealth Transfer. Key structuring considerations include:

• Considerations of risk and reward
• Tax considerations
• What incomes and expenses are included (i.e. belong to the transacted business)?
• What assets and liabilities are ex/included
• What pre-transaction liquidation, settlement/exclusion opportunities exist?
• What relationships between buyer and seller arise? (employment, advisory, landlord, supplier, partners, etc.)
• Documenting or codifying contractual relationships (employees, vendors, customers, debt)

The majority of middle-market businesses bought and sold derive their valuation, at least in part, from cash flow or earnings. The very key question then arises: “What assets and liabilities are essential to and an integral part of the ongoing enterprise, thereby supporting the established earnings flow?”

Exit Strategies

The business owner should have his M&A Advisor prepare an analysis of the fit and applicability of each of the exit strategy options to the stated goal and objectives. Not all options will fit every business or every set of goals. Individual strategies might include:

• Sale to Partner, Competitor, Strategic Buyer, Financial Buyer, International Buyer, the Public
• Re-Cap
• Merge
• Transfer to Family, Management, Employees
• Gift
• Liquidate

Benefits of a Planned Exit

The primary purpose of approaching a business exit in a systematic, goal-focused and planned way is to dramatically increase the likelihood that the outcome will be optimal to the stated goals. The employment of a team of professional and experienced advisors will add a cost of, say, 3% – 6% of the wealth transferred, but will potentially add considerably more value by:

• mitigating against a failure of the mission
• dramatically expediting the mission
• intermediating the process to eliminate the risks associated with direct negotiations between principals
• increasing the negotiated value of the mission
• reducing the income tax burden
• helping to reconcile the Expected Wealth Transfer to the Targeted

Wealth Transfer

…not to mention providing the knowledge and human resources to navigate a complex and time-consuming labyrinth of decision making and task execution.

Free Barber Shop Business Plan for Loans

Obtaining Business Financing

 

When obtaining a business loan for a barber shop business, it is imperative that you have a properly structured business plan that will assist you in showcasing how you intend to operate your Barber Shop, how the business will operate, how you intend to market the business, the anticipated financial results of your company, and how you intend to repay your debt obligations. This sample loan business plan will provide you with the framework that you need in order to acquire a business loan for starting or expanding this type of business.

 

Executive Summary

 

Introduction

 

When obtaining a business loan for a barber shop, it is imperative that your business plan has a clear and concise executive summary that provides an outline of what are seeking to accomplish, how much capital you are seeking to raise, the management biography of the business owner, and an overview of the anticipated profit and loss statements of the business. Here is an example of how the title paragraph should be written:

 

Barber Shop, Inc. (“the Company”) is seeking a business loan of $100,000 in order to launch the operations of a barber shop that will be based in San Francisco, California. The Company was founded in (Insert Year). The business was founded by Mr. John Doe.

 

Products and Services

 

In the next segment of the business loan and business planning document, you should showcase the products and services that you will be providing to the general public. For instance:

 

The Barber Shop will provide its customers with a broad range of barber shop services including traditional hair cuts for men, clean shave services, and sales of hair care products to the general public. The business will employ licensed barbers (as well as licensed independent contractors) that will render these service at the Company’s facilities.

 

Business Loan Terms

 

Now it is time to discuss the anticipated terms of the business plan that you are seeking. An example paragraph of how this is stated:

 

At this time, Mr. Doe is seeking a conventional business loan in the amount of $100,000. The interest rate, loan terms, and loan covenants are to be determined during negotiation. However, this business plan assumes that the business will receive a seven year business loan with a seven percent interest rate due on the outstanding principal balance.

Management Biography

 

Now that the summary of the business has been provided, it is time to provide a brief overview of the owner of the business. An example paragraph summing up the owner is as follows:

 

Mr. Doe is a highly experienced business person that has years of experience regarding the direct ownership and management of business. He will be able to effectively bring the operations of the Barber Shop to profitability while ensuring that the business loan’s payments and its covenants are met at all times.

Financial Statements

 

The most important thing to your lender when applying for a business loan is how you intend to repay the bank. In this section of the business plan, you should provide an overview of the finance’s of the business discussing the anticipated revenues, expenses, and profits/losses. You can also discuss the applicable collateral within the business plan that will be used to secure your business financing.

 

Expansion Plans

 

One of the most important aspects of your business plan is how you intend to expand the business over a three to five year period. Banks and finance companies always want to see that the business will experience a moderate to strong level of growth. This is especially true in business lending because as your business grows the cash flow that secures your business loan will decrease proportionality against your monthly credit obligations. An example of how this is stated is as follows:

 

The Barber Shop will continue to expand through organic means including increasing the Company’s advertising budget via the reinvestment into the after tax cash flows of the business. Additionally, if the business is highly successful then the Company may seek to establish additional Barber Shop locations after the third year of operations.

 

 

The Financing

 

Use of Business Loan Proceeds

 

In this section of the business plan you should focus on how the proceeds of the business loan will be used. An example of this would be as follows:

 

Barber Shop Establishment – $50,000
FF&E – $10,000
Working capital – $40,000

 

Management Equity

In this section of the business plan you should discuss the percentage ownership of the business among the owners of the business. For example:

 

Mr. Doe will own 100% of the Barber Shop.

 

Board of Directors

 

When applying for business financing, the bank will also want to know who serves as the board of directors. For small businesses, usually the owner serves as the director of the business. An example of how this is worded:

 

Mr. Doe will be the sole director of Barber Shop, Inc.

 

Exit Strategy

 

Any bank or financing company is also going to want to know what you intend to do with the business over a set period of time. Many business owners will develop and expand a business with the intent to sell the company to a third party at a later time. When drafting this part of the business plan you should focus on what you intentions are in regards to potentially selling the business. This is often worded as:

 

Mr. Doe would most likely sell the Barber Shop to a third party for a significant earnings multiple. Barber Shops usually sell for approximately one to three times earnings given the financial strength of the business. In this event, the business would be sold by a business broker and the business loan sought in this plan would be repaid according to the covenants of the business loan agreement.

 

Products and Services

 

When developing a business plan that is appropriate for obtaining a business loan or other business credit facility you need to clearly showcase the services or products that you will be offering to the general public. An example of how this section is worded goes as follows:

 

As stated in the executive summary, the Barber Shop will specialize in providing a number of services that are commonly found among traditional barber shops. These services include hair cutting, styling, color treatments, shaves, and other services that are frequently rendered by barbers.

 

The business will also generate secondary revenues from the sale of hair care products.

 

 

Industry and Market Analysis

 

The Current State of the Economy

 

It is important to let your financial institution know that you are well apprised of the financial situation of the general economy when you are applying for a business loan. This is especially true in today’s environment where lending has become more difficult and will remain more difficult in the foreseeable future. Specifically, you should gear this section of the business plan analysis towards the industry that you are operating within. For example:

 

The current economy has remained difficult over the past few years. However, Barber Shops typically operate with a strong state of economy stability as no one has the ability to give themselves a haircut. This, coupled with the low pricing point of the Company’s services, will ensure the continued positive cash flow of the business. As such, the business should be able to remain profitable and cash flow positive in any economic environment.

 

The Barber Shop Industry

 

In addition to providing your business loan officer with an understanding of the general economy, it is important that you showcase that you have an equal understanding of the industry in which you are operating within. As such, you will need to provide you business loan institution of a brief overview of your industry and any potential changes that may affect the way that your company does business. An example of how an industry overview is as follows:

 

The cosmetology industry has a very interesting model of economics and profitability. Prices for haircuts can range from six dollars to six hundred dollars. Haircutters have the ability to enjoy prestige within their profession, and therefore the pricing and branding models can be structured so that two service providers can provide equivocal service and charge vastly different prices. This has caused the industry to have many different pricing models that vary among different target markets.

 

The prices for haircuts have an inelastic pricing model, and haircutters have enjoyed stable job growth and prosperity over the years. The prices of haircuts tend to grow at a faster pace than that of inflation. In 2002 Economic Census report issued by the U.S. Government it was found that from 1992-1997 the barbering and cosmetology industry grew from a ten billion dollar industry to a thirteen billion dollar industry in five years. This corresponds to a 5.3% average growth rate per year.

 

The profitability of barber shops is very good. As it is a service oriented industry, the highest expense is the cost of labor. A study conducted by the management showed that the approximate before tax profit margin of the average barber shop is 35%.

Target Market

 

In this section of the business loan application and business plan analysis, you should focus on the demographics of your localized market (or national market if applicable). This section should discuss how many people live in your area, the anticipated number of people that would require the use of Barber Shops, the median household income of people living in the area, poverty line statistics, and any applicable laws that would apply to your operation of Barber Shops.

 

Competition

 

Many people that are developing new businesses or expanding existing businesses often feel that their business does not have any competition or limited competition at best. However, this is almost never the case. Unless you have re-invented the wheel – you will have competition. When applying for a business loan, you should clearly showcase your competition in your business plan. This is especially important to your banker as they will be able to gauge your ability to be successful in your targeted market. Many business loan underwriters will aggressively confirm that competitive nature of your local market and your local industry.

 

When drafting this section of the plan you should heavily discuss the competitive advantages that you intend to have over your competition.

 

Marketing Plan

 

In addition to all of the above information that we have covered, your business loan officer is also going to want to know how you intend to market your business to the general public. Most people do not quite understand how to effectively market their business outside of prominent signage or flyer distribution. When applying for a business loan (again in this difficult lending climate), your banker is going to want to see that you have a clear methodology of how you intend to market your services or products to the general public. In this section of the business plan – we will overview how to showcase your services/products to the general public.

 

Marketing Overview Example

 

The Barber Shop will place prominent signage on the facility to draw a significant amount of foot traffic.
The business will maintain listings in the Yellow Books.
The Barber Shop will also maintain an internet website that showcases the Company’s operations, hours of operation, and relevant contact information.

 

Marketing Strategies Overview

Additionally, you will be required to further drill down (in your business plan) how you intend to implement your strategies when you launch or expand your business’s operations. In this section of the business loan and business plan documents, you should amplify the bullet points from the section above. For instance:

 

The Barber Shop intends to use a number of strategies that will create instant traffic and customer flow to the Company’s location. These strategies include not only using prominent facility and road signage, but also distributing flyers to people that fall into he Company’s targeted demographics. The business will also regularly take out advertisements in localized newspapers that showcase the Company’s hours of operations, barber shop services, and specials that are occurring within the barber shop on a regular basis.

 

The business will also maintain a highly informative website that showcases the Barber Shop’s services, its hours of operation,  licensure information, and other relevant information in regards to the Company’s services. This website will be listed on major search engines such as Google as many people now use the internet to locate local businesses.

 

The Financial Plan

 

Beyond any other part of your business loan application or business plan, the financials section of these documents are what matters most when applying for a business loan or any other type of credit facility. Ultimately, this section of the business plan showcases not only what your anticipated profitability will be, but also how you intend to repay the funds that you have borrowed through your business financing facility. An example of how this section is structure is as follows:

 

Assumptions

 

Barber Shop, Inc. will have an average annual growth rate of 10% per year.
Mr. Doe will acquire $100,000 through a business loan in order to launch the operations of the business.

 

Proforma Financials for a Business Loan

 

Now it is time to showcase how you intend to repay your loan, generate a profit, and increase the book value of your business over a three to five year period. BusinessPlansForLoan.com has developed an easy to use financial model that you can use when drafting out the financial model for your business plan and business loan application. Through your business loan application, you will be required to have the following:

 

Profit and Loss Statement for your Barber Shop
Cash Flow Analysis for the Barber Shop
Balance Sheet for the Barber Shop
Business Loan Amortization Tables

Free Car Wash Business Plan for Loans

Obtaining Business Financing

 

When obtaining a business loan for a car wash business, it is imperative that you have a properly structured business plan that will assist you in showcasing how you intend to operate your Car Wash, how the business will operate, how you intend to market the business, the anticipated financial results of your company, and how you intend to repay your debt obligations. This sample loan business plan will provide you with the framework that you need in order to acquire a business loan for starting or expanding this type of business.

 

Executive Summary

 

Introduction

 

When obtaining a business loan for a car wash, it is imperative that your business plan has a clear and concise executive summary that provides an outline of what are seeking to accomplish, how much capital you are seeking to raise, the management biography of the business owner, and an overview of the anticipated profit and loss statements of the business. Here is an example of how the title paragraph should be written:

 

Car Wash, Inc. (“the Company”) is seeking a business loan of $100,000 in order to launch the operations of a car wash that will be based in San Francisco, California. The Company was founded in (Insert Year). The business was founded by Mr. John Doe.

 

Products and Services

 

In the next segment of the business loan and business planning document, you should showcase the products and services that you will be providing to the general public. For instance:

 

The Car Wash will provide customers with the ability to quickly have their cars exteriors and interiors cleaned by the Company’s professionally trained staff. The business will not have an automated drive through car wash, but rather individuals will wash and clean the car by hand. The business will generate revenues through the services rendered by the Company’s staff as well as through the sale of car care products.

 

Business Loan Terms

 

Now it is time to discuss the anticipated terms of the business plan that you are seeking. An example paragraph of how this is stated:

 

At this time, Mr. Doe is seeking a conventional business loan in the amount of $100,000. The interest rate, loan terms, and loan covenants are to be determined during negotiation. However, this business plan assumes that the business will receive a seven year business loan with a seven percent interest rate due on the outstanding principal balance.

Management Biography

 

Now that the summary of the business has been provided, it is time to provide a brief overview of the owner of the business. An example paragraph summing up the owner is as follows:

 

Mr. Doe is a highly experienced business person that has years of experience regarding the direct ownership and management of business. He will be able to effectively bring the operations of the Car Wash to profitability while ensuring that the business loan’s payments and its covenants are met at all times.

Financial Statements

 

The most important thing to your lender when applying for a business loan is how you intend to repay the bank. In this section of the business plan, you should provide an overview of the finance’s of the business discussing the anticipated revenues, expenses, and profits/losses. You can also discuss the applicable collateral within the business plan that will be used to secure your business financing.

 

Expansion Plans

 

One of the most important aspects of your business plan is how you intend to expand the business over a three to five year period. Banks and finance companies always want to see that the business will experience a moderate to strong level of growth. This is especially true in business lending because as your business grows the cash flow that secures your business loan will decrease proportionality against your monthly credit obligations. An example of how this is stated is as follows:

 

The Car Wash will continue to expand through organic means including increasing the Company’s advertising budget via the reinvestment into the after tax cash flows of the business. Additionally, if the business is highly successful then the Company may seek to establish additional Car Wash locations after the third year of operations.

 

 

The Financing

 

Use of Business Loan Proceeds

 

In this section of the business plan you should focus on how the proceeds of the business loan will be used. An example of this would be as follows:

 

Car Wash Establishment – $50,000
Car Wash Equipment and FF&E – $10,000
Working capital – $40,000

 

Management Equity

In this section of the business plan you should discuss the percentage ownership of the business among the owners of the business. For example:

 

Mr. Doe will own 100% of Car Wash, Inc.

 

Board of Directors

 

When applying for business financing, the bank will also want to know who serves as the board of directors. For small businesses, usually the owner serves as the director of the business. An example of how this is worded:

 

Mr. Doe will be the sole director of Car Wash, Inc.

 

Exit Strategy

 

Any bank or financing company is also going to want to know what you intend to do with the business over a set period of time. Many business owners will develop and expand a business with the intent to sell the company to a third party at a later time. When drafting this part of the business plan you should focus on what you intentions are in regards to potentially selling the business. This is often worded as:

 

Mr. Doe would most likely sell the Car Wash to a third party for a significant earnings multiple. Car wash businesses usually sell for approximately one to three times earnings given the financial strength of the business. In this event, the business would be sold by a business broker and the business loan sought in this plan would be repaid according to the covenants of the business loan agreement.

 

Products and Services

 

When developing a business plan that is appropriate for obtaining a business loan or other business credit facility you need to clearly showcase the services or products that you will be offering to the general public. An example of how this section is worded goes as follows:

 

As stated in the executive summary, the Car Wash will provide general car cleaning (of both the interior and exterior of a vehicle) to the general public within its San Francisco based market. The business will generate significant high margin revenues from these services.

 

Additionally, the business will generate additional streams of revenue from the sale of car care products that customers can use at home.

 

Industry and Market Analysis

 

The Current State of the Economy

 

It is important to let your financial institution know that you are well apprised of the financial situation of the general economy when you are applying for a business loan. This is especially true in today’s environment where lending has become more difficult and will remain more difficult in the foreseeable future. Specifically, you should gear this section of the business plan analysis towards the industry that you are operating within. For example:

 

The current economy has remained difficult over the past few years. However, Car Wash businesses typically operate with a strong state of economy stability as these businesses provide a broad level of car cleaning services with a relatively low pricing point. As such, the Car Wash will be able to remain profitable and cash flow positive at all times despite the current state of the economy.

 

The Car Wash Industry

 

In addition to providing your business loan officer with an understanding of the general economy, it is important that you showcase that you have an equal understanding of the industry in which you are operating within. As such, you will need to provide you business loan institution of a brief overview of your industry and any potential changes that may affect the way that your company does business. An example of how an industry overview is as follows:

 

There are over 13,600 car washing establishments in the United States. These businesses produce over $4 billon dollars a year in gross receipts. Additionally, the business employs over 124,000 people, and generates payroll figures of $1.2 billion dollars a year. The industry has experienced a tremendous rate of growth over the last ten years. The car washing industry from 2000 to 2005 experienced growth of more than 18% over the five year period. This industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States.

 

 

 

Target Market

 

In this section of the business loan application and business plan analysis, you should focus on the demographics of your localized market (or national market if applicable). This section should discuss how many people live in your area, the anticipated number of people that would require the use of Car Was businesses, the median household income of people living in the area, poverty line statistics, and any applicable laws that would apply to your operation of the Car Wash.

 

Competition

 

Many people that are developing new businesses or expanding existing businesses often feel that their business does not have any competition or limited competition at best. However, this is almost never the case. Unless you have re-invented the wheel – you will have competition. When applying for a business loan, you should clearly showcase your competition in your business plan. This is especially important to your banker as they will be able to gauge your ability to be successful in your targeted market. Many business loan underwriters will aggressively confirm that competitive nature of your local market and your local industry.

 

When drafting this section of the plan you should heavily discuss the competitive advantages that you intend to have over your competition.

 

Marketing Plan

 

In addition to all of the above information that we have covered, your business loan officer is also going to want to know how you intend to market your business to the general public. Most people do not quite understand how to effectively market their business outside of prominent signage or flyer distribution. When applying for a business loan (again in this difficult lending climate), your banker is going to want to see that you have a clear methodology of how you intend to market your services or products to the general public. In this section of the business plan – we will overview how to showcase your services/products to the general public.

 

Marketing Overview Example

 

The Car Wash will place prominent signage on the facility to draw a significant amount of foot traffic.
The business will maintain listings in the Yellow Books.
The Car Wash will also maintain an internet website that showcases the Company’s operations, hours of operation, and relevant contact information.

 

Marketing Strategies Overview

Additionally, you will be required to further drill down (in your business plan) how you intend to implement your strategies when you launch or expand your business’s operations. In this section of the business loan and business plan documents, you should amplify the bullet points from the section above. For instance:

 

The Car Wash, Inc. intends to use a number of strategies that will create instant traffic and customer flow to the Company’s location. These strategies include not only using prominent facility and road signage, but also distributing flyers to people that fall into he Company’s targeted demographics. The business will also regularly take out advertisements in localized newspapers that showcase the Company’s hours of operations, car washing services, and specials that are occurring within the Car Wash’s location on a regular basis..

 

The business will also maintain a highly informative website that showcases the Car Wash’s services, its hours of operation, service information, licensure information, and other relevant information in regards to the Company’s services. This website will be listed on major search engines such as Google as many people now use the internet to locate local businesses.

 

The Financial Plan

 

Beyond any other part of your business loan application or business plan, the financials section of these documents are what matters most when applying for a business loan or any other type of credit facility. Ultimately, this section of the business plan showcases not only what your anticipated profitability will be, but also how you intend to repay the funds that you have borrowed through your business financing facility. An example of how this section is structure is as follows:

 

Assumptions

 

Car Wash, Inc. will have an average annual growth rate of 10% per year.
Mr. Doe will acquire $100,000 through a business loan in order to launch the operations of the business.

 

Proforma Financials for a Business Loan

 

Now it is time to showcase how you intend to repay your loan, generate a profit, and increase the book value of your business over a three to five year period. BusinessPlansForLoan.com has developed an easy to use financial model that you can use when drafting out the financial model for your business plan and business loan application. Through your business loan application, you will be required to have the following:

 

Profit and Loss Statement for your Car Wash
Cash Flow Analysis for the Car Wash
Balance Sheet for the Car Wash
Business Loan Amortization Tables

Free Consignment Store Business Plan for Loans

Obtaining Business Financing

 

When obtaining a business loan for a consignment store business, it is imperative that you have a properly structured business plan that will assist you in showcasing how you intend to operate your Consignment Store, how the business will operate, how you intend to market the business, the anticipated financial results of your company, and how you intend to repay your debt obligations. This sample loan business plan will provide you with the framework that you need in order to acquire a business loan for starting or expanding this type of business.

 

Executive Summary

 

Introduction

 

When obtaining a business loan for a consignment store, it is imperative that your business plan has a clear and concise executive summary that provides an outline of what are seeking to accomplish, how much capital you are seeking to raise, the management biography of the business owner, and an overview of the anticipated profit and loss statements of the business. Here is an example of how the title paragraph should be written:

 

Consignment Store, Inc. (“the Company”) is seeking a business loan of $100,000 in order to launch the operations of a consignment store business that will be based in San Francisco, California. The Company was founded in (Insert Year). The business was founded by Mr. John Doe.

 

Products and Services

 

In the next segment of the business loan and business planning document, you should showcase the products and services that you will be providing to the general public. For instance:

 

The Consignment Store will provide customers with the ability to consign clothing and other items through the Company’s retail location. The business will receive a fee equal to 40% of the consigned products sold through the Consignment Store’s location. The business will specialize in the sale of clothing and other related small retail products.

 

Business Loan Terms

 

Now it is time to discuss the anticipated terms of the business plan that you are seeking. An example paragraph of how this is stated:

 

At this time, Mr. Doe is seeking a conventional business loan in the amount of $100,000. The interest rate, loan terms, and loan covenants are to be determined during negotiation. However, this business plan assumes that the business will receive a seven year business loan with a seven percent interest rate due on the outstanding principal balance.

Management Biography

 

Now that the summary of the business has been provided, it is time to provide a brief overview of the owner of the business. An example paragraph summing up the owner is as follows:

 

Mr. Doe is a highly experienced business person that has years of experience regarding the direct ownership and management of business. He will be able to effectively bring the operations of the Consignment Store to profitability while ensuring that the business loan’s payments and its covenants are met at all times.

Financial Statements

 

The most important thing to your lender when applying for a business loan is how you intend to repay the bank. In this section of the business plan, you should provide an overview of the finance’s of the business discussing the anticipated revenues, expenses, and profits/losses. You can also discuss the applicable collateral within the business plan that will be used to secure your business financing.

 

Expansion Plans

 

One of the most important aspects of your business plan is how you intend to expand the business over a three to five year period. Banks and finance companies always want to see that the business will experience a moderate to strong level of growth. This is especially true in business lending because as your business grows the cash flow that secures your business loan will decrease proportionality against your monthly credit obligations. An example of how this is stated is as follows:

 

The Consignment Store will continue to expand through organic means including increasing the Company’s advertising budget via the reinvestment into the after tax cash flows of the business. Additionally, if the business is highly successful then the Company may seek to establish additional Consignment Store locations after the third year of operations.

 

 

The Financing

 

Use of Business Loan Proceeds

 

In this section of the business plan you should focus on how the proceeds of the business loan will be used. An example of this would be as follows:

 

Consignment Store Establishment – $50,000
Opening Inventory – $10,000
Working capital – $40,000

 

Management Equity

In this section of the business plan you should discuss the percentage ownership of the business among the owners of the business. For example:

 

Mr. Doe will own 100% of the Consignment Store.

 

Board of Directors

 

When applying for business financing, the bank will also want to know who serves as the board of directors. For small businesses, usually the owner serves as the director of the business. An example of how this is worded:

 

Mr. Doe will be the sole director of Consignment Store, Inc.

 

Exit Strategy

 

Any bank or financing company is also going to want to know what you intend to do with the business over a set period of time. Many business owners will develop and expand a business with the intent to sell the company to a third party at a later time. When drafting this part of the business plan you should focus on what you intentions are in regards to potentially selling the business. This is often worded as:

 

Mr. Doe would most likely sell the Consignment Store to a third party for a significant earnings multiple. Consignment Stores usually sell for approximately one to three times earnings given the financial strength of the business. In this event, the business would be sold by a business broker and the business loan sought in this plan would be repaid according to the covenants of the business loan agreement.

 

Products and Services

 

When developing a business plan that is appropriate for obtaining a business loan or other business credit facility you need to clearly showcase the services or products that you will be offering to the general public. An example of how this section is worded goes as follows:

 

As stated in the executive summary, the Consignment Store will specialize in the retail sale of items on behalf of individuals within the Company’s target market. The business will charge a fee equal to 40% of the sale of each consigned item. The business will use a number of means in order to generate sales through the Company’s store. This includes listing items on EBay and other popular websites so that the business can generate substantial sales outside of the Company’s retail location.

 

 

Industry and Market Analysis

 

The Current State of the Economy

 

It is important to let your financial institution know that you are well apprised of the financial situation of the general economy when you are applying for a business loan. This is especially true in today’s environment where lending has become more difficult and will remain more difficult in the foreseeable future. Specifically, you should gear this section of the business plan analysis towards the industry that you are operating within. For example:

 

The current economy has remained difficult over the past few years. However, Consignment Stores typically operate with a strong state of economy stability as these businesses are often used as a last resort among people that are seeking to sell their clothing or other retail items in exchange for a significant percentage of the value of the merchandise.  As such, the business should be able to remain profitable and cash flow positive in any economic environment.

 

The Consignment Store Industry

 

In addition to providing your business loan officer with an understanding of the general economy, it is important that you showcase that you have an equal understanding of the industry in which you are operating within. As such, you will need to provide you business loan institution of a brief overview of your industry and any potential changes that may affect the way that your company does business. An example of how an industry overview is as follows:

 

In the United States there are over 17,000 businesses that specialize in the sale of consignment apparel to the general public. Among these businesses, the aggregate receipts generated from the sale of used merchandise are approximately $17 billion dollars per year. The industry employs more than 97,000 people and provides gross payrolls of $1.2 billion dollars.

 

 

 

Target Market

 

In this section of the business loan application and business plan analysis, you should focus on the demographics of your localized market (or national market if applicable). This section should discuss how many people live in your area, the anticipated number of people that would require the use of Consignment Stores, the median household income of people living in the area, poverty line statistics, and any applicable laws that would apply to your operation of Consignment Stores.

 

Competition

 

Many people that are developing new businesses or expanding existing businesses often feel that their business does not have any competition or limited competition at best. However, this is almost never the case. Unless you have re-invented the wheel – you will have competition. When applying for a business loan, you should clearly showcase your competition in your business plan. This is especially important to your banker as they will be able to gauge your ability to be successful in your targeted market. Many business loan underwriters will aggressively confirm that competitive nature of your local market and your local industry.

 

When drafting this section of the plan you should heavily discuss the competitive advantages that you intend to have over your competition.

 

Marketing Plan

 

In addition to all of the above information that we have covered, your business loan officer is also going to want to know how you intend to market your business to the general public. Most people do not quite understand how to effectively market their business outside of prominent signage or flyer distribution. When applying for a business loan (again in this difficult lending climate), your banker is going to want to see that you have a clear methodology of how you intend to market your services or products to the general public. In this section of the business plan – we will overview how to showcase your services/products to the general public.

 

Marketing Overview Example

 

The Consignment Store will place prominent signage on the facility to draw a significant amount of foot traffic.
The business will maintain listings in the Yellow Books.
The Consignment will also maintain an internet website that showcases the Company’s operations, hours of operation, and relevant contact information.
The business will also using popular sites such as EBay in order to generate additional sales from outside of the retail location.

 

Marketing Strategies Overview

Additionally, you will be required to further drill down (in your business plan) how you intend to implement your strategies when you launch or expand your business’s operations. In this section of the business loan and business plan documents, you should amplify the bullet points from the section above. For instance:

 

The Consignment Store intends to use a number of strategies that will create instant traffic and customer flow to the Company’s location. These strategies include not only using prominent facility and road signage, but also distributing flyers to people that fall into he Company’s targeted demographics. The business will also regularly take out advertisements in localized newspapers that showcase the Company’s hours of operations, consignment store services, and specials that are occurring within the store on a regular basis.

 

The business will also maintain a highly informative website that showcases the Consignment Store’s services, its hours of operation, consigned product listing information, licensure information, and other relevant information in regards to the Company’s services. This website will be listed on major search engines such as Google as many people now use the internet to locate local businesses. The business will also use major sites such as EBay to generate sales of items consigned through the Company’s location.

 

The Financial Plan

 

Beyond any other part of your business loan application or business plan, the financials section of these documents are what matters most when applying for a business loan or any other type of credit facility. Ultimately, this section of the business plan showcases not only what your anticipated profitability will be, but also how you intend to repay the funds that you have borrowed through your business financing facility. An example of how this section is structure is as follows:

 

Assumptions

 

Consignment Store, Inc. will have an average annual growth rate of 10% per year.
Mr. Doe will acquire $100,000 through a business loan in order to launch the operations of the business.

 

Proforma Financials for a Business Loan

 

Now it is time to showcase how you intend to repay your loan, generate a profit, and increase the book value of your business over a three to five year period. BusinessPlansForLoan.com has developed an easy to use financial model that you can use when drafting out the financial model for your business plan and business loan application. Through your business loan application, you will be required to have the following:

 

Profit and Loss Statement for your Consignment Store
Cash Flow Analysis for the Consignment Store
Balance Sheet for the Consignment Store
Business Loan Amortization Tables

Free Cell Phone Store Business Plan for Loans

Obtaining Business Financing

 

When obtaining a business loan for a cell phone store business, it is imperative that you have a properly structured business plan that will assist you in showcasing how you intend to operate your Cell Phone Store, how the business will operate, how you intend to market the business, the anticipated financial results of your company, and how you intend to repay your debt obligations. This sample loan business plan will provide you with the framework that you need in order to acquire a business loan for starting or expanding this type of business.

 

Executive Summary

 

Introduction

 

When obtaining a business loan for a cell phone store, it is imperative that your business plan has a clear and concise executive summary that provides an outline of what are seeking to accomplish, how much capital you are seeking to raise, the management biography of the business owner, and an overview of the anticipated profit and loss statements of the business. Here is an example of how the title paragraph should be written:

 

Cell Phone Store, Inc. (“the Company”) is seeking a business loan of $100,000 in order to launch the operations of a cell phone retailing business that will be based in San Francisco, California. The Company was founded in (Insert Year). The business was founded by Mr. John Doe.

 

Products and Services

 

In the next segment of the business loan and business planning document, you should showcase the products and services that you will be providing to the general public. For instance:

 

Cell Phone Store, Inc. will generate substantial revenues, via its retail location, from the retail sale of cell phones as well as from activation fees, sales of accessories, and other ancillary revenue streams from mobile phone services.

 

The third section of the business plan will further document the products services offered by the business.

 

Business Loan Terms

 

Now it is time to discuss the anticipated terms of the business plan that you are seeking. An example paragraph of how this is stated:

 

At this time, Mr. Doe is seeking a conventional business loan in the amount of $100,000. The interest rate, loan terms, and loan covenants are to be determined during negotiation. However, this business plan assumes that the business will receive a seven year business loan with a seven percent interest rate due on the outstanding principal balance.

Management Biography

 

Now that the summary of the business has been provided, it is time to provide a brief overview of the owner of the business. An example paragraph summing up the owner is as follows:

 

Mr. Doe is a highly experienced business person that has years of experience regarding the direct ownership and management of business. He will be able to effectively bring the operations of the Cell Phone Store to profitability while ensuring that the business loan’s payments and its covenants are met at all times.

Financial Statements

 

The most important thing to your lender when applying for a business loan is how you intend to repay the bank. In this section of the business plan, you should provide an overview of the finance’s of the business discussing the anticipated revenues, expenses, and profits/losses. You can also discuss the applicable collateral within the business plan that will be used to secure your business financing.

 

Expansion Plans

 

One of the most important aspects of your business plan is how you intend to expand the business over a three to five year period. Banks and finance companies always want to see that the business will experience a moderate to strong level of growth. This is especially true in business lending because as your business grows the cash flow that secures your business loan will decrease proportionality against your monthly credit obligations. An example of how this is stated is as follows:

 

The Cell Phone Store will continue to expand through organic means including increasing the Company’s advertising budget via the reinvestment into the after tax cash flows of the business. Additionally, if the business is highly successful then the Company may seek to establish additional Cell Phone Store locations after the third year of operations.

 

 

The Financing

 

Use of Business Loan Proceeds

 

In this section of the business plan you should focus on how the proceeds of the business loan will be used. An example of this would be as follows:

 

Cell Phone Store Retail Location Establishment – $50,000
Opening Inventory and FF&E – $10,000
Working capital – $40,000

 

Management Equity

In this section of the business plan you should discuss the percentage ownership of the business among the owners of the business. For example:

 

Mr. Doe will own 100% of the Cell Phone Store.

 

Board of Directors

 

When applying for business financing, the bank will also want to know who serves as the board of directors. For small businesses, usually the owner serves as the director of the business. An example of how this is worded:

 

Mr. Doe will be the sole director of Cell Phone Store, Inc.

 

Exit Strategy

 

Any bank or financing company is also going to want to know what you intend to do with the business over a set period of time. Many business owners will develop and expand a business with the intent to sell the company to a third party at a later time. When drafting this part of the business plan you should focus on what you intentions are in regards to potentially selling the business. This is often worded as:

 

Mr. Doe would most likely sell the Cell Phone Store to a third party for a significant earnings multiple. Cell Phone Stores usually sell for approximately one to three times earnings given the financial strength of the business. In this event, the business would be sold by a business broker and the business loan sought in this plan would be repaid according to the covenants of the business loan agreement.

 

Products and Services

 

When developing a business plan that is appropriate for obtaining a business loan or other business credit facility you need to clearly showcase the services or products that you will be offering to the general public. An example of how this section is worded goes as follows:

 

As stated in the executive summary, the Cell Phone Store will specialize in making sales of cell phones to the general public. The Company anticipates that it will generate gross margins of approximately 40% on each cell phone sold. The business will also generate additional revenues from ongoing servicing of mobile phones as well as from initial activation fees when a customer signs up for a new cell phone plan. These service based revenues carry extremely high margins for the Cell Phone Store, Inc.

 

Industry and Market Analysis

 

The Current State of the Economy

 

It is important to let your financial institution know that you are well apprised of the financial situation of the general economy when you are applying for a business loan. This is especially true in today’s environment where lending has become more difficult and will remain more difficult in the foreseeable future. Specifically, you should gear this section of the business plan analysis towards the industry that you are operating within. For example:

 

The current economy has remained difficult over the past few years. However, Cell Phones have become an extremely important part of an individual’s life. In fact, many people now forego the use of a traditional land line and simply use a cell phone. As such, the business will be able to remain profitable not only from the sale of cell phones but also from the ongoing subscription and activation fees rendered to customers.

 

The Cell Phone Store Industry

 

In addition to providing your business loan officer with an understanding of the general economy, it is important that you showcase that you have an equal understanding of the industry in which you are operating within. As such, you will need to provide you business loan institution of a brief overview of your industry and any potential changes that may affect the way that your company does business. An example of how an industry overview is as follows:

 

Within the United States, there are more than 100,000 retailers and distributors of cell phones that operate one or more retail facilities. Approximately 75% of Americans now use a cell phone and require regular services for their mobile phone devices. In each of the last five years, the aggregate sales generated through the sales of cell phones has exceeded $100 billion. This demand is not expected to wane although Management does anticipate that cell phone stores will face stiffer pricing competition as more competitors enter the market.

 

Target Market

 

In this section of the business loan application and business plan analysis, you should focus on the demographics of your localized market (or national market if applicable). This section should discuss how many people live in your area, the anticipated number of people that would require the use of Cell Phone Stores, the median household income of people living in the area, poverty line statistics, and any applicable laws that would apply to your operation of Cell Phone Stores.

 

Competition

 

Many people that are developing new businesses or expanding existing businesses often feel that their business does not have any competition or limited competition at best. However, this is almost never the case. Unless you have re-invented the wheel – you will have competition. When applying for a business loan, you should clearly showcase your competition in your business plan. This is especially important to your banker as they will be able to gauge your ability to be successful in your targeted market. Many business loan underwriters will aggressively confirm that competitive nature of your local market and your local industry.

 

When drafting this section of the plan you should heavily discuss the competitive advantages that you intend to have over your competition.

 

Marketing Plan

 

In addition to all of the above information that we have covered, your business loan officer is also going to want to know how you intend to market your business to the general public. Most people do not quite understand how to effectively market their business outside of prominent signage or flyer distribution. When applying for a business loan (again in this difficult lending climate), your banker is going to want to see that you have a clear methodology of how you intend to market your services or products to the general public. In this section of the business plan – we will overview how to showcase your services/products to the general public.

 

Marketing Overview Example

 

The Cell Phone Store will place prominent signage on the facility to draw a significant amount of foot traffic.
The business will maintain listings in the Yellow Books.
The Cell Phone Store will also maintain an internet website that showcases the Company’s operations, hours of operation, and relevant contact information.

 

 

Marketing Strategies Overview

Additionally, you will be required to further drill down (in your business plan) how you intend to implement your strategies when you launch or expand your business’s operations. In this section of the business loan and business plan documents, you should amplify the bullet points from the section above. For instance:

 

The Cell Phone Store intends to use a number of strategies that will create instant traffic and customer flow to the Company’s location. These strategies include not only using prominent facility and road signage, but also distributing flyers to people that fall into he Company’s targeted demographics. The business will also regularly take out advertisements in localized newspapers that showcase the Company’s hours of operations, cell phone products and  services, and specials that are occurring within the store on a regular basis.

 

The business will also maintain a highly informative website that showcases the Cell Phone Store’s products and services, its hours of operation, cell phone product listing information, and other relevant information in regards to the Company’s services. This website will be listed on major search engines such as Google as many people now use the internet to locate local businesses such as cell phone stores.

The Financial Plan

 

Beyond any other part of your business loan application or business plan, the financials section of these documents are what matters most when applying for a business loan or any other type of credit facility. Ultimately, this section of the business plan showcases not only what your anticipated profitability will be, but also how you intend to repay the funds that you have borrowed through your business financing facility. An example of how this section is structure is as follows:

 

Assumptions

 

Cell Phone Store, Inc. will have an average annual growth rate of 10% per year.
Mr. Doe will acquire $100,000 through a business loan in order to launch the operations of the business.

 

Proforma Financials for a Business Loan

 

Now it is time to showcase how you intend to repay your loan, generate a profit, and increase the book value of your business over a three to five year period. BusinessPlansForLoan.com has developed an easy to use financial model that you can use when drafting out the financial model for your business plan and business loan application. Through your business loan application, you will be required to have the following:

 

Profit and Loss Statement for your Cell Phone Store
Cash Flow Analysis for the Cell Phone Store
Balance Sheet for the Cell Phone Store
Business Loan Amortization Tables

My neighbor asked me, “Why would anyone sell a successful company?”. He could not understand why anyone would leave a business that was doing well. Of course successful companies get sold all the time.

So why do these business owners sell? The short answer is that most closely held businesses sell for human reasons, such as burn out, retirement, illness, partnership disputes, family issues or other personal reasons. Usually the business is fine but the human being running the business needs a change. To understand this better it is key to understand the other options for exiting a business.

Close the Business/Liquidation

Closing a business that is profitable never makes sense. Even if the assets are liquidated the price is likely to be pennies on the dollar versus selling the business as a going concern with employees, customers and a reputation that is intact. Not only does the business owner get the lowest value but the employees, vendors and customers are hurt by this type of exit.

Accident, Illness or Death

No one wants to exit their business this way, but many do. The loss of an owner not only creates tremendous issues for the family but also creates a leadership void in the business. Even the most competent management can struggle when a key business leader is lost to a serious accident, illness or death. No one plans for this type of exit but many end up exiting the business this way because they failed to create an alternate plan.

Succession

Succession by a family member or key employee has its benefits. They know the business, its product or service, employees, customers and vendors. Succession can be operationally successful for the exiting owner if they make sure the successor is carefully selected, qualified and groomed for the position. The owner must be careful not to make an emotional choice of a relative or favorite employee but instead choose the successor with the right skills to lead the company into the future. You are not seeking an “Employee” mentality but an “Owner” mentality. If that rare person can be found in the business who can make the transition to Owner, they often do not have the cash needed to purchase the business. They are also likely to want to pay less for the business as familiarity will blind them to many of the value drivers of the company. So although succession can be operationally successful it is rarely a financial success for the outgoing owner.

Sell

Closing or liquidating the business minimizes the value to the owner. Accident, illness or death forces the issue on the owner. Succession provided a very limited pool of options with limited financial reward.

Selling on the other hand allows the business owner to decide their ideal timing, maximize the value of the business they worked so hard to build, coordinate the use of the sale proceeds for financial planning and align their personal goals with the sale of a business. Selling the business allows the business owner to create a wealth event and often significant on-going passive income without having to run their business.

Whatever they are, human reasons are always pushing and pulling on a business owner. Burn out, stress, divorce, illness, partner disputes and limited growth capital are some of the human reasons that push owners out of the business. Retirement, enjoying life, relocating, a new business opportunity and passive income are some of the reasons that pull a business owner out. Whatever the motivation, the fundamental reason a business owner chooses a sale as their ideal exit plan is control. The business owner chooses to understand the value of their business and to proactively pursue the right buyer and the right price. By selling a business you choose to exit your business by choice, not by force.

The professional team at Sunbelt Midwest can help you confidentially sell or buy a business in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and surrounding areas. For more information check out our site at http://www.sunbeltmidwest.com.