Looking to sell your business? You're looking at stiff odds. According to Michelle Seiler-Tucker, a business broker and founder of New Orleans-based Capital Business Solutions, 60% of business owners who try to sell their businesses can't get a deal done. Seiler-Tucker has owned and operated eight successful businesses and has also sold hundreds of franchises and businesses. She claims to close nearly 98 percent of all offers she writes, and says on average she obtains a 20 to 40 percent higher selling price for her clients. She also wrote the book Sell Your Business for More Than it's Worth. Here's her advice. 1. Get The Timing Right:  Seiler-Tucker says the biggest mistake that most sellers make is that they do not plan their exit strategy from Day One. "Unfortunately many business owners wait until a catastrophic event has occurred in order to sell their business and when that usually happens the business is typically trending downward and it's not making as much money as it once was," she says. "The best time to sell a business is when your business is doing well." 2. Get Your Books in Order: Before attempting to sell a business for maximum value Seiler-Tucker evaluates...

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What has been touted as one of the most advanced cheese manufacturing plants in Australia is now on the market for sale. Located east of Melbourne near Gippsland, the plant enjoys great access to dairy farmers and milk supplies according to the company in charge of brokering the sale Business Brokers Victoria. Capable of large volumes of up to 35 tonne a week, the current vendors have also obtained an Export Licence giving its new owners an opportunity to manufacture and export cheese and other products nationally and worldwide. According to business broker Michael Keltie, the owner has been in the cheese manufacturing business for 60 years and has decided it’s time to retire. ``They have built up a great brand name with a trusted reputation,’’ Mr Keltie explained. ``This is a very technically advanced cheese manufacturing plant that has just been built and recently commissioned.The milk is delivered from the farm straight into the holding tank and right through the whole process of making the cheese, the product is never handled by human hands.’’ Mr Keltie said the property sits on one and a half acres and that the current building was ``huge’’ with opportunity for further ex...

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There are over 2 million registered businesses operating in Australia, according to the most recent ABS figures from the 2011-12 financial year. That’s the same as one in 10 people owning a registered business. That’s a lot of businesses! In fact, by the end of the 2011-12 financial year, the number had increased by 3.6%, but by the 2012-13 reporting period, business growth declined by 2.9%, with the Construction industry losing over 20,000 registered businesses. Made up of small and big services, public and privately owned, there are myriad opportunities for anyone to make it as a business owner, whether it’s managing a franchise in the heart of Melbourne, or a roaring trades service in the outer regions of Western Australia, which isn’t Mining! Traditional Industries Rule! Traditional industries typically make up the majority of registered businesses within Australia. Construction sits atop with over 16% of services being categorised under the traditional trade banner, while other areas, such as Professional Tech Services and Real Estate Services closely follow. In a lot of ways, it makes sense that these three businesses would account for almost 40% of the market, as they ...

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Running a business is often a challenging task. A change in both financial and personal situations can have a significant effect on the smooth functioning of a business. In such a situation, making a decision on whether or not to sell your business can be daunting. However, before you put up your business for sale, there are some things that you need to consider.Establish Whether You Really Want to Put Up Your Business For SaleThere has never been a definite method of determining if it is a good decision to sell your business. Rather, it is a matter of personal opinion. The number of businesses for sale varies continually, and one cannot pin point the best time to put their business on the market. There will be a number of things that influence your decision. It is vital that you consider the following three factors to help you with your decision:1. Identify the real reason behind selling your business:It is the most crucial part of the decision making process. When you put up a business for sale, it is important they are for the right reason.2. Seek advice:As soon as you have identified the reason for selling your business, it is recommended you speak to professionals, family a...

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When a business owner decides it’s time to sell their business, knowing all there is to know about its operations does not necessarily qualify them to complete a successful sale. Business ownership can be very rewarding and the opportunity to work at something that inspires you but when it comes time to part ways with their ‘baby’ it’s not always the owner that can execute a smooth exit with maximum profit. Licensed Real Estate Agent, Certified practicing Business Broker and Director at Beyond Business Sales, Catherine Kimpton said it was important to be able to access all the information available to you in order to make an informed decision. ``It is the broker’s job to represent a vendor in the market place, collate all of the information on their business and present it to the market,’’ Ms Kimpton explained. ``As a broker we advertise the opportunity and negotiate with prospective buyers in the same way as your Real Estate Agent would for your home to effect a successful sale and the best possible outcome.’’ Experts believe one of the biggest mistakes an owner can make is to not prepare the business for sale correctly, especially the finances. Ms Kimpton said the more p...

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We all know the scenario. We happen to walk into a business, look around and think: “Gee I would love to own this, I wonder if I can buy it?” It can be a tempting thought, particularly if you see shortfalls that can be remedied quickly. But how should you go about approaching an owner when you want to buy their business? First ensure you have sufficient finances in place. The best way to gauge this is to see what similar businesses are trading for and what metrics are used to set the price. Now that you know what you’re up for, it is time to approach the owner – or, even better, engage a broker or adviser to act on your behalf. realcommercial.com.au spoke to two experts and the first, John Higginbotham of The Collins Street Consulting Group told me: “It’s a more common story than you might imagine. I often tell people that 90% of businesses listed for sale are not worth having, the best buys are those that aren’t formally up for sale. “You have to start with extensive research to find out what the business is really like, who the owners are and what their motivations for selling might be. “If you approach an owner with a genuine interest in their business and an understand...

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