Selling Your Business

Don't Just Sell To Anyone

You've spent a lot of blood, sweat and tears growing your business. It's like a child. You want a buyer that treats it like they raised it too. When it comes to the intricacies of your business, no one knows it better than you. That's why it's important to ask questions like:

"What are your plans with my employees?"

Let's face it, most small business owners treat their employees like family. When growing a small business, many different hats have to be worn. The overlap of responsibilities causes constant growing pains and forces everyone to learn to trust each other like family.

You don't want a buyer to look at any of your employees as a number. You want a buyer that looks forward to improving the lives of the employees as the business continues to grow.

"Why do you like my business?"

A few small business owners build a business just because they want to. Most have to build a business out of necessity. The individual that builds one out of necessity likes their business initially because it provides them a living. Over time any owner will develop an attachment to their business, simply from the exorbitant amount of time and energy put into it.

You don't want a buyer that just wants your business to make a buck. You want a buyer that sees the unique qualities of your business that make it special.

"What are your qualifications to run my business?"

The thought of running a small business for many is daunting. Not you. You took the opportunity by the horns and ran with it. Whether you were highly qualified to run your business in the beginning or not, you sure are now.

You don't want a buyer that doesn't know your business from Adam. You want a buyer that at least has experience in running a small business successfully and can continue to build an experienced team around it.