The Business Broker’s Blog
A resource to help you sell your business successfully
In our Blog, we aim to bring you a variety of articles to help you further down the road to selling your business successfully, from
our view on the general economy and its current impact on business mergers and acquisition activity, to our spotlight on the issues
faced by SME businesses and the help available. We also highlight our “Business of the Month” and give advice
on how to prepare your business for optimum sale.
We hope this is a useful resource for you and would appreciate your feedback. As always, please do contact us if you have any questions
Fri 24th January 2014
Multiple of Earnings Valuation for IT support and telecoms businesses
So far in our E-Tutorials to-date, we have looked what drives sales, mergers and acquisitions of IT support and telecoms businesses and the motivations of both buyers and sellers. Now we will look at the first of two theoretical methods of assessing the value. Method #1: Multiple of Earnings The multiple of earnings valuation is...
Fri 10th January 2014
How to value your IT support and telecoms business?
Article updated 19th June 2023 Few people these days can manage without using some form of IT. Whether it’s for streaming their favourite shows or running a business, staying connected via IT or telecoms is essential. According to the latest figures, IT support services firms are expected to increase turnover in 2023 compared to 2022’s...
Wed 18th December 2013
What would potential buyers of your IT support / telecoms business be looking for? Where is the value?
Article updated 19th June 2023 Latest research shows that the number of businesses sold in the UK is at record levels. And even though there may be financial uncertainties, strong businesses continue to attract buyers. The strength of the business’s sector is a key aspect for business buyers. IT support and telecoms businesses are in...
Fri 06th December 2013
Who would buy your IT support / telecoms business?
Article updated 19th June 2023 No matter where you are in the world, the types of people who buy businesses are, typically, the same. And those looking to acquire companies tend to fall into four categories. While the type of buyer varies according to the size and nature of the company, the four categories are:...
Fri 22nd November 2013
Why sell your IT support and telecoms business?
(Updated February 2023) It’s wrong to think that business owners only sell companies when they are in trouble. In fact, the best time to sell is when a business is doing well. Business owners should be considering selling when the company is at the top of its game and has room for growth. In the...
Mon 11th November 2013
Introducing our E-Tutorial for IT support & telecoms business owners
Have you ever wondered how much your ICT business is worth? Hornblower specialises in the sale of IT support and telecoms companies and we would very much like to share our knowledge of the sector with you. We have therefore prepared an “E-tutorial” specifically for IT support and telecoms businesses. The first edition is entitled “Why would you...
Thu 31st October 2013
Growing your business through acquisition & Maximising your exit
Choosing when to sell in order to maximise your exit value The reasons why a business owner might choose to sell are varied but there is usually a clear rationale for doing so. Often it comes down to capital requirements: either that additional financing will be needed to take the business forward but is not...
Tue 15th October 2013
Selling a business – 4 common myths
In meeting and talking with business owners, we often come up against certain preconceptions when it comes to selling a business. So we thought we’d put some of the common ones together in a list and share our thoughts. 1) I can sell my business myself Some business owners believe that they can sell their...
Fri 27th September 2013
Who is buying businesses?
In our last two articles, we have looked at the most common reasons to sell a business and the best time to retire and exit from a business. This month we look at the other side: buyers. Who is buying businesses? The type of buyer will vary according the size and nature of the business,...
Thu 25th July 2013
What is the right age to retire?
(updated September 2022) What is the best age for business owners to retire? Many business owners expect that when they reach a certain age, they can simply sell up and retire. But a recent study by business adviser BDO found that 15% of SME directors in the UK are over the age of 66 –...
Tue 16th July 2013
Why do business owners sell their businesses?
The reason for sale is one of the first questions asked by buyers and it can have a major impact on the sellability and value of a business. If the reasons do not stack up, it can give the perception that the seller is selling because the business is in trouble. In deciding whether to...
Thu 27th June 2013
How to negotiate the best deal when selling your business
When setting up your company, the idea of selling your business will be a long way in the future. But there will come a time when you want to sell and you’ll want do negotiate the best deal. No matter the reason for selling up, if you’re not allowing time to prepare and plan, you...
Wed 17th April 2013
How to sell your business internationally
Have you considered selling your business internationally? While there are lots of potential buyers in the UK, your company may achieve a better sale price if you sell to an overseas business. The world’s economy has been interlinked for many years now, which means you have more options available. In fact figures show that more...
Wed 06th March 2013
Merger opportunity: Change management consultancy
We are currently working with a client who has a business transformation / change management consultancy, and who wishes to exit his business in order to retire. The company has a highly desirable high profile customer base and generates good profits; however as with many small consultancy based businesses for sale, there are several issues...
Wed 19th December 2012
Is property investment a good reason for selling your business?
Selling your business when you’re ready to retire is something you might expect an entrepreneur to do. But for some business owners, boredom or a desire for change means they decide to sell. According to an article by Cranfield University’s David Molian, a bored entrepreneur ‘is a dangerous beast’. He says, “They are dangerous because...
Wed 12th December 2012
Which businesses will sell well in 2013?
The festive season at the end of another year is often a time when business owners take their heads out of day to day operations and reflect on their future, both personally and for the business. For some this will mean planning their retirement or simply deciding to change course and finally focus on that...
Wed 05th December 2012
Selling the family business
Selling the family business: A means of passing the family asset to the next generation without them having to take over the business Owning and running a family business has many advantages both personally and for the business compared with other enterprises. Having family members as key personnel in your business presents many benefits such...
Wed 28th November 2012
The 7 most costly mistakes you can make when selling your business
Avoid the disastrous mistakes that can make your business simply unsellable or drastically reduce the price you achieve. Discover the keys to achieving the optimum deal value when you eventually decide to sell your business. Mistake # 1: Not understanding the value of your business Asking for the wrong price is the most common...
Wed 21st November 2012
The Best Time to Plan Your Exit Strategy
There are many reasons people decide to start their own business. For many it is a desire to leave employment, or perhaps the opportunity to take redundancy, and to exploit the skills they have acquired, often over many years, for their own benefit. Usually the last thing on their mind at this point is an...
Wed 14th November 2012
Two directors, two views on how to manage the business. What do you do?
This is a situation we often come across, where the two directors have differing views on how to take the business forward. Typically one wants to re-invest in order to grow the business, and the other needs to continue taking income to support his/her lifestyle; or perhaps the business needs to diversify but the two...
Wed 17th October 2012
Two directors, one wants to retire. What do you do?
Two directors, one wants to retire, the other is still young with plenty to give. What do you do? This is a situation we often come across, where a company is run by two owner directors. When one of the directors decides he/she wishes to retire or simply leave the business due to a...
Wed 10th October 2012
World Market Turmoil Impact on SME M&A
What does the world economy have to do with M&A for SMEs? With a volatile stock market, the continuation of the Euro zone in crisis, US presidential elections and commentators commenting on a long slow recovery, you may wonder what impact does this have on business sale and acquisition activity in the SME market? We...
Wed 10th October 2012
Preparation, preparation, preparation
Preparing to sell your business The approach to the end of the year is often a time when business owners take their heads out of day to day operations and reflect on their future, both personally and for the business. When sellers first enquire, their initial questions are “what is the process?”, “how long does...
Mon 08th October 2012
Our first repeat client
This month saw us taking on our first repeat client. This is something that not often happens in the business brokering business. Most of our clients are either looking to retire, move abroad or do something completely different that does not involve the long hours that tend to come with the territory of owning and...
