BizBuySell in the News

Will U.S. set one or two records? The mergers-and-acquisition business should hit a record in 2017, at least in terms of the number of transactions. Deals through October, nationally, had already exceeded last year's total of 9,950 M&A transactions, according to Thomson Financial.

Martin Cate had experience in the tiki industry as a co-owner of Forbidden Island in the East Bay California town of Alameda. Fueled by a his lifelong passion for rum and vintage tiki bars, Cate decided to sell his Forbidden Island shares to his partners and search for a location to start his very own island-inspired watering hole.

What do Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have in common? In addition to being phenomenally successful tech entrepreneurs, they all relied on mentors to help grow their companies.

Selling a business can be a difficult process, which includes everything from preparation to valuation to closing the deal. Along the way, there are plenty of questions almost all business owners have. To help, we've answered the 12 most common questions you'll likely ask during the business sale process

The strength in the market for small and midsized businesses is being driven by companies' interest in finding talented workers. That's the finding of a third-quarter survey of 334 business sales brokers released Monday by Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management and two industry groups, the International Business Brokers Association and the M&A source.

Historic low interest rates during the past several years have not only been a catalyst for economic growth, they've also created enormous demand by private equity firms seeking to invest in a wide range of small businesses. In turn, these investments have created a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity

The strength in the market for small and mid-sized businesses is being driven by companies' interest in finding talented workers. That's the finding of a third-quarter survey of 334 business sales brokers released Monday by Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management and two industry groups, the International Business Brokers Association and the M&A source.

Having a well-financed business that doesn't rely on bad sources of debt goes a long way to making a company attractive to buyers and ensuring that it fetches an attractive valuation. But, the choices that produce a good balance sheet don't happen overnight; it takes years of preparation to ensure the best possible sale years later.

Bizbuysell, the Internet's largest business-for-sale marketplace, released its 2017 Buyer-Seller Confidence Index, a national indicator of small business sentiment of the current business-for-sale environment. Owners Remain Confident They Can Get an Acceptable Price, But Just For Today.

When asked the significance of a company succession plan, experts were united when they explained the absolute necessity of a good plan. "[Succession planning] may be the most important thing for a business and it is for sure the thing that is done less well," said Carl Rowe

According to the BizBuySell's Q4 2016 Insight Report, transactions of small businesses have climbed steadily, with 2016 hitting an all-time record high.

The median revenue of small businesses sold in metro Atlanta spiked 50 percent in the third quarter, versus a year ago, according to new data from online business-for-sale marketplace BizBuySell.com.

Market confidence among both buyers and sellers of businesses dropped slightly in 2017 compared to 2016, according to BizBuySell.com, the online business-for-sale marketplace. Its 2017 Seller Confidence Index dropped slightly from 59 last year to 58 this year while its 2017 Buyer index dropped more significantly, to 46 (in 2017) from 49 (in 2016).

The current business-for-sale marketplace offers a smorgasbord of acquisition opportunities for buyers. But despite the brisk pace of activity, buyers continue to make several mistakes that can handicap their ability to achieve post-sale success.

Buying an existing business provides many advantages over starting a new one. The biggest advantage is that in taking over a business, the buyer inherits a customer base along with market knowledge, and records of revenues and operating expenses.

According to an annual survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics, Americans will spend a record $9.1 billion (up 8.3%) on costumes, candy and pumpkins this Halloween.

In the third quarter, the marketplace saw 2,589 small business transactions, according to BizBuySell.com's Q3 2017 Insight report. This represents a 24 percent increase in transactions from Q3 2016 and continues a two-year trend of robust quarter-over-quarter market growth

Earlier this year, Ford ousted CEO Mark Fields because board members doubted his ability to lead the company through industry changes like ride hailing apps, self-driving vehicles and electric cars. Although C-suite turnover in large corporations isn't earth-shattering news, Fields' exit offers some important lessons for small business owners and sellers.

Los Angeles area small business sale transactions fell slightly during the third quarter, but the median sale price rose from the previous quarter, according to data from BizBuySell.com released Wednesday.

There's been plenty of debate on what is and what isn't allowed at work, specifically regarding politically motivated speech. President Donald Trump infamously said he supported NFL owners firing players who refused to stand for the national anthem prior to games. And it turns out, a lot of small businesses feel the same way.

It could be a record year for small business transactions, based on a recent BizBuySell Insights Report. The latest anecdotal evidence: A healthy 2,589 small business were bought or sold in the 3Q 2017. The number of year-to-date transactions has reached 7,491, which puts 2017 on course to break the previous record for small business transactions set in 2016.

In the U.S., family businesses are as iconic as baseball or apple pie. Business consultants frequently extol the virtues of the family-owned enterprise, but sadly, the future of this American institution is in doubt thanks to a perfect storm of economic and demographic forces.

The biggest surprise in the Unified Tax Reform Framework released last week was the retreat over individual tax custs, according to Dustin Stamper, director in Grant Thornton's Washington National Tax Office.

Current data shows a positive outlook for small business owners. The NFIC small business hiring data shows that almost 30% of small businesses need to fill positions. Job creation is a sure sign that a business is doing well and that the owner feels optimistic about their business.

Selling a company is the entrepreneurial dream. With recent reports showing record numbers of small business owners exiting, I was curious about how entrepreneurs fare in the post-exit period. What they told me might surprise you.

Entrepreneurs who have built businesses with years of blood and toil often find that selling to a good firm doesn't happen overnight. Indeed, it takes three to five years of careful preparation, including doing such things as maximizing cash flow and putting in place the next generation of leaders.

Massive data breaches at huge companies get most of the attention--keeping corporate boards and affected consumers up at night--but hacking attacks on small businesses can also cause nightmares and put the local restaurant chain or mom and pop shop out of business.

Entrepreneurship For Transitioning Warriors, when a veteran considers buying a business there are many factors that must be understood. One of those is the changing market for businesses. Prices and values rise and fall just like with other commodities. It is important for veterans to understand these price and value changes. Factor the changes into the decision-making process of whether and when to buy an existing business rather than starting from scratch.

There's a great online tool for those interested in buying or selling a small business. BizBuySell.com, based in San Francisco, is the internet's largest business-for-sale marketplace. It offers an online marketing platform to list and, hopefully, to sell businesses. The site also features an extensive franchise directory as well as a business-valuation tool.

Building a business from scratch is tough, but taking over a popular institution can be even tougher. For Chris Henry, purchasing one of the oldest-run, family restaurants in San Francisco posed both a challenge and an opportunity to restore a historic building to its former Fishermen's Grotto glory.

A major economic trend is unfolding with barely a ripple of attention: Boomer business owners are approaching retirement age and an army of these entrepreneurs are, or will be, putting their companies up for sale.

A business valuation is a calculation of what a business could potentially sell for. It factors in the seller's discretionary earnings with a multiplier that varies by industry, both tangible and intangible assets, and the business's current liabilities. An accurate business valuation can be used to negotiate a favorable price during the sale of your business.

So say the latest numbers from BizBuySell, the online marketplace where owners sell restaurants, bars, dry cleaners and more. The number of small business transactions across the U.S. hit record levels in the second quarter with 2,534 closed transactions, according to the company's Q2 Insight Report.

It has been a good year for business sales. According to broker data compiled by BizBuySell.com, there were 2,534 closed transactions through the first half of 2017, which represented a 31 percent increase in sales over the first half of 2016. Since July 2017, the report reads, nearly 5,000 businesses have been sold.

A major economic trend is unfolding with barely a ripple of attention: Boomer business owners are approaching retirement age and an army of these entrepreneurs are, or will be, putting their companies up for sale.

The latest report from BizBuySell shows that the count of business sales continues on pace to set records for restaurants sold and businesses sold this year. Their data shows 2,534 closed transactions occurred in the first half of the year a 31% increase over the same time last year. Twenty-two percent of those transactions were restaurants. If that pace continues, 2017 will easily surpass 2016 which was in itself, a record breaking year.

Strong, charismatic business leaders inspire employees and customers. When such a leader leaves a small business, it can create a vacuum which can throw the entire operation into chaos and jeopardize the revenue streams the business depends on for growth and profitability.

As an online entrepreneur, you can start from scratch and build an online business from the ground up. Figure out your niche. Set up a website. Build an email list and market to it. Write blog posts and other content. Create products or promote affiliate products - or use the drop shipping model.

Dealing with "Bad" Customers, How to Get a Good Night's Sleep, The Growing Gig Economy and Other Things Entrepreneurs Need to Know

The first thing that business owners want to know when selling their business is how long it is going to take. They may have debts that need to be paid or a pending retirement that they want to get to right away. The truth is there's no simple answer to this question because there are a lot of variables involved. The hardest part is finding a buyer, which can go fast or slow depending on how the market is at the moment. But if you have a list of contacts who may become buyers, then you will speed up the sales process immensely.

For many small business owners, one of the smartest growth strategies is through the acquisition of another business. Acquiring an additional business can offer increased capabilities, such as new niche products or technologies, a larger market share, cost cutting, and many other advantages.

Having a well-financed business that doesn't rely on bad sources of debt goes a long way to making a company attractive to buyers and ensuring that it fetches an attractive valuation. But, the choices that produce a good balance sheet don't happen overnight; it takes years of preparation to ensure the best possible sale years later.

The robots are coming. It sounds like a line from a B-grade science fiction movie, but the rise of robots is a reality for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Automation technologies are making their way into the workplace and the ramifications for both employers and employees are huge.

As Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill write health-care legislation behind closed doors to replace the Affordable Care Act and prepare to send it to a vote , they are losing support from a key constituency: business owners across the United States.

While it's the dream of many to open a small business, some get into small business and realize it isn't for them. Still others like the challenge of starting small businesses, but prefer to sell once the business is up and running. In either case, here's what you need to know before buying a small business.

Online Business for Sale Websites Reviewed. Searching the Internet to gather key facts on the many alternative online business for sale sites can take up much of your valuable time.

If you're thinking about selling your company in the next few years, have you considered the impact that changing economic conditions could have on business value? Better yet, have you considered what you will do to protect the value of your business if key economic indicators go south?

In 1992, Harriman, Tennessee's retail market was about to change drastically. For the first time, since its founding as a temperance town in 1889, it was allowing the sale of liquor. Laura Overstreet, a stay-at-home mom with a varied job history, decided to act on the opportunity.

Small business transactions got off to an impressive start in the first quarter of 2017, building off of and surpassing last year's activity.

Bob House joins Jim Blasingame to report on the survey his firm conducted showing small business owners were very much interested in abolishing Obamacare and accomplishing tax reform.

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has stayed the same since 2009. But with the majority of states already enforcing minimums beyond that amount, there's a growing debate about whether the federal rate is overdue for an increase.

Across America many small-business owners are cheering at the GOP win on repealing and replacing Obamacare. After years of debate, the House voted Thursday to repeal key parts of the Affordable Care Act and replace them with new provisions that change the way the federal government funds purchases of individual health plans and Medicaid.

Still struggling to decide whether that small business you have your eye on is a solid investment or a disaster in disguise? Then take a page from the playbook of CNBC's serial entrepreneur, Marcus Lemonis and start asking the right questions.

Dan Faggella, 29, grew his ecommerce business Science of Skill, to seven-figure revenue before he hired any employees, extending what he could do on his own through automation and hiring contractors.

From Panera to Checkers to Popeyes, the deals keep rolling in, and don't expect that to change anytime soon.

Shortly after taking office in January, President Trump signed an executive order cutting financial regulations, a first step at dismantling aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act. But what is Dodd-Frank? Is it hurting small business? Will dismantling it make a difference?

Small businesses remain hot commodities, with first-quarter sales of companies reaching the highest point recorded by BizBuySell.com. The internet marketplace tallied the number of transactions reported by business brokers nationwide.

According to BizBuySell.com, more than 7,800 small businesses were sold in 2016. That's up by nearly 9 percent from 2015. Good news, right? Unfortunately for many, it isn't always as smooth as walking off with a big check.

Small businesses in Michigan and insurance experts have ideas how Congress can fix the Affordable Care Act to lower premiums, reduce costly regulations and make the system work better for businesses under 100 employees.

President Donald Trump is making good on his campaign promise to renegotiate trade deals. And, he has the strong support of both small business buyers and sellers.

LaRonda Hunter, a business owner in Fort Worth, Tex., views the Affordable Care Act as a literal job killer. Fearful of triggering the law's employer mandate, which requires businesses with 50 or more workers to offer health insurance or pay penalties, Ms. Hunter has held off on expanding her small chain of hair salons.

Randy Bradley, owner of Burger Kings in Iowa and Missouri for the past 27 years, said he is rooting for the House Republicans proposal to replace Obamacare, especially the Trump-endorsed American Health Care Act's (AHCA) plan to eliminate Obamacare's employee mandate provision.

After consecutive months of steady growth, the BizBuySell Q4 2016 Insight report revealed a record 7,842 closed small-business transactions were reported in 2016, the highest yearly total of small- business sales since BizBuySell first started tracking data in 2007.

At the start of 2017, the minimum wage increased in 19 states across the country, and two more states plus the District of Columbia are scheduled to see wage hikes later this year. Rising labor costs are a fact of life for many small businesses, and a financial reality that can affect business value.

It's only been a little over a month since Donald Trump was sworn in as President and a new survey by BizBuySell, one of the largest online business-for-sale marketplaces, reveals that almost half of the small business community approves the Trump presidency.

The second half of 2016 was filled with change, from the election of Donald Trump to the injunction of the widely debated new overtime regulations, permeating the small business environment with uncertainty.

Small businesses - those with fewer than 500 employees - are the economic engine of America. There are 28 million small businesses in the United States with upwards of 555,000 in Washington state, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To hear business owners tell it, a top goal of selling or transferring their business is to get the full value for it so they can fund retirement. Most also understand that a transition strategy is important for them and their business.

Donald Trump has set a blistering pace during his first two weeks in office, making good on many of the promises that led to his Electoral College victory in November. Entrepreneurs and business owners are now turning their attention to the impact a Trump administration will have on small businesses and the economy in general.

Exit?stage left! That's what a lot of business owners are saying - and doing. In fact, sales of small businesses reached record levels in 2016. A total of 7,842 closed transactions were reported this past year, the highest annual total of small business sales since online business for sale market place BizBuySell first started tracking data in 2007, according to the company's quarterly Insight Report published this week.

Sales of small businesses rose more than 8 percent last year, a sign of increasing confidence in the economy. That's the finding of a report by BizBuySell.com, an online marketplace for small companies.

Many aspiring leaders take conventional routes to the top in business: They get on a C-suite track at a large company, climb the ladder to partnership at a consulting or investment firm, or launch their own start-up. But there is another career path that has become increasingly popular in recent years: buying and running an existing operation-or what we call acquisition entrepreneurship.

When the recession hit in 2008, it specifically hurt small business owners, with many struggling just to keep their doors open. But for Daniel and Jenny Ramirez, it actually opened a door for a new career.