A Glance at the Selling Process

Does the thought of selling your business seem overwhelming?
At Bridgepoint we take care of the details; however, we have compiled a high level summary below titled, "A Glance at the Selling Process", which provides insight into what takes place throughout a typical business sale.

Not only will you become better informed on the process, but also on the benefits of having a Broker work for you.

Timelines

On average, it takes 6-9 months to sell a business from engagement through to closing. Valuation & Business Profile Preparation - 2 months, Locating and qualifying buyers - 4 months, Due diligence and closing - 3 months.

Broker's Opinion of Most Probable Selling Price

This is a comprehensive report that utilizes various valuation methodologies to arrive at an opinion of value for your business. Financials are recasted to show full income potential to a buyer, increasing the possibilities of achieving maximum fair value for your business. You, the business broker, and other necessary advisors work together to determine an optimum asking price for your business.

Marketing

There are two main documents used to market a business:

• Confidential Business Profile - a detailed overview of a business
• Blind Profile - a one page document containing highlights of a business.

It is typically used to generate a general interest in a business and it protects the identity of a business.

A marketing plan is customized for every business based on the type of business and most likely buyer. Various forms of advertising may be used to generate interest in a business, with the goal of exposing the business to the most buyers while adhering to your confidentiality parameters.

Finding the Right Buyer

A Broker's role is to sift through the "serious buyers" and the "tire kickers" as this ultimately protects the confidentiality of the seller. All buyers are screened for their capacity to manage the business and buy the business based on the most likely funding structure.

Targeted searches are conducted to find buyers with a strategic fit. We have connections to Buyers from various groups, such as: Immigrants, First Nations, and in province/out of province individual and corporate buyers in acquisition mode. These connections increase the probability of getting multiple buyers interested in the business to increase value.

Offer/Close

This is where the preparation of an offer and deal structure are formally put on paper. Negotiations occur at this stage which are guided by the Broker, and if successful, the closing of the deal commences . Buyers will go through a due diligence phase and the Broker will oversee this process to answer questions as efficiently as possible to allow the deal to proceed to closing. Time is of the essence to ensure the potential deal closes.

Transition Plan

This plan will serve as a key roadmap to transferring business relationships to the new owner. These relationships could be with customers, suppliers, employees, and anyone else integral to the successful operations of the business. As a Broker, we will work with you to construct this exit plan, which gives confidence to the new buyer that they can successfully run the business.