Maximize Value by Staging your Business
Fast Track Results for Growing and Exiting Your Business
 For those who haven't seen a home-staging TV show or sold a house recently, staging can transform a home to attract a larger pool of buyers and ultimately a premium price. Business owners who decide to sell must realize that staging their business for sale will deliver a similar result.
However, unlike home-staging, staging a business for sale should commence at least one, preferably two to three years prior to beginning the sale process.
At The Vantage Group, we have worked with over 150 owners of privately held businesses structure their business to run without them, and prepare them to sell their businesses on their terms.
We focus on five areas when staging a business for sale:
Customer, Supplier and Product Diversity
If the business relies on too few customers, suppliers, products or services, buyers will view this negatively. A stable customer base that produces repeat sales is preferable to businesses that rely on constantly acquiring new customers or winning bids to maintain its sales levels. We look for any opportunity to infuse the business with more reliable revenue streams, and help our clients find alternative suppliers, expanded product lines and service offerings.
Strong Management
Buyers will examine the quality and extent of the management team and other personnel. We help you structure a business that can run without you by helping you develop an operations manual that defines a turn-key operation for a future buyer.
A Serious Marketing and Sales Strategy
The market rewards proprietary products, technologies and innovative services. At The Vantage Group, we have created tools to help our clients examine their current marketing position and learn the language of their customers. We’ll help you discover market niches, define your differentiation, strengthen your brand and put teeth into your marketing and sales strategy.
Financial Performance
Financial performance is a key driver of market value. Most privately owned businesses are operated to minimize taxes and support the owner’s lifestyle, with little thought given to the eventual sale of the company which doesn’t reflect true value. Our financial analysis tools convert complex financial data into plain language and understandable analysis. The reports use ratio analysis, industry comparisons, and trend analysis to depict the financial health of your company in plain language. This tool becomes the basis for improving financial performance in a number of areas of your business.
Facilities
The physical appearance of the business location is always important. We’ll look at your facilities with a critical eye to maximize value and give you the best curb appeal.
Turn-Key Tools and Manuals
There is a strong distinction between working in your business and working on your business. What we do is help you develop the operation procedures and management structure that will provide a turn-key operation to the next owner of your business. At the heart of this process is a business development process that has the power to transform your business into an effective organization that has increased value for a new owner.
Case Studies
We worked with a trucking company that was on the verge of bankruptcy. We helped the owner sell off two divisions of the business that were poor performers, focused the business on a market niche that commanded higher pricing, streamlined operations and developed a full operations manual. Currently, the business commands top dollar fees in its market, the business has no debts, the owner is highly compensated, and has a business that can run without him. He is now ready for a buyer and is being looked at by potential buyers.
We helped the owner of a software company diversify its client base from one customer dominating 80% of the business to now having no customers dominating more than 20%. Currently, the business is flush with cash, has no debts and has fortune 500 companies as part of its portfolio. At present, the owner has a well-structured exit plan with the employees buying his shares over an extended period.
The sale of a business is often a one-time event and among the most important financial transactions of a business owner’s life. Because the stakes are so high, thorough preparation and planning are essential to position a business to attain maximum value in the market. If you consider exiting your business within the next 1-3 years, we invite you to talk with us about how to maximize the value of your business. A FREE financial analysis is available to help you understand your current business situation and what you can achieve.
Business owners will ultimately exit their business. The goal is to do it on your terms and at a time that is of your choosing. Get on the Fast Track today to realizing the value your hard work deserves.
To find out more about our team of advisors, go to our Partners page. |
