Tag: business strategy

The Benefits Of Keeping Your Key Person And Key Group!

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Business Growth and Transition, Company Wealth, evaluations, Executive Benefits, Income from your business, Inside Sale, Key People_Or Group, Life Insurance Types, Strategies of growing business, Tax Free Income

 

Recently, I wrote an article about the “Quintessential Employee” and covered all the benefits of having a key person in your company. 

The Education of the Quintessential Employee! 

Some of the attributes of the key person are:  

  • Creates more business value by freeing owners to focus on other profitable tasks 
  • Purchasers of a business want to have middle management in place 
  • Builds reputation and culture 
  • Key people tend to impress other employees as a good example 
  • Key people, as described, are also likely future purchasers of the business, or 
  • Likely to run the business while the owner enjoys life, but still has the control and wealth 

For the full article, download The Benefits Of Keeping Your Key Person And Key Group

Enjoy the download of the full article. The link in the article will download immediately the option of receiving the report.

Download The Article

The Education of the Quintessential Employee!

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Business Growth and Transition, Executive Benefits, Selling Your Business

My friend of fifty-four years, George, is a very remarkable person. In a recent conversation I had with him, I realized that George defines the “quintessential employee.”  Why? He makes the “quintessential employee” easy to spot. Just follow him around when he works.

As George was telling me about his history with his company, he related how the company owner came to visit him unexpectedly to thank him for his service of 29 years. When I asked him why he thought the owner appreciated him, he described for me all the things he did over that period. 

Consequently, what George told me was the definition of the “model key person.” A person that every business owner wants, and needs, in their organization. 

You can spot a model employee in a heartbeat because:

They are the first ones to come to work. They almost never take time off. They volunteer time when needed to cover for others. They learn more than they must and are eager to learn. They are so good at their job (s) you would think that they were the owner. 

Key employees like George are valuable for the owners because, they always make life easier for the owners. Key people bring so much to the table, and are the most valuable asset in a company. 

Intrinsic rewards examples in the workplace

Below are some intrinsic rewards that may affect your workforce. Fostering these activities and feelings in the work environment could help your team grow and thrive. A key person exemplifies these values. 

  • Completing meaningful tasks
    • Letting employees be selective
    • Gaining a sense of competence
    • Making noticeable progress
    • Feeling inspired to be more responsible
    • Being an important part of an organization or team
    • Feeling accomplished
    • Feeling pride

I have frequently suggested to many business owners that they groom talented people in their firms who have the take charge values and attitudes which parallel the owner’s. They normally get it, want it, and can do it. 

A key thing an owner can do is to surround themselves with like-minded and value driven employees and build from there. The key person has the values of the owner, and the key person influences other workers over time. They set the example of the company’s culture and the value of the owner and the company. 

Two Questions:  

  1. How do you find such a person? 
    1. How do you keep them? 

Finding is the hard part, keeping is the easy part.

Finding the right person really comes down to the culture which the company portrays to the public. Like Costco or Trader Joe’s, who have the reputation of a wonderful place to work. They continually enhance their reputation of wonderful places to work. By having a well-known culture, companies attract like-minded individuals. Also, having the sense of value, the company can immediately filter applicants who apply for a position. Knowing the company values, is a built-in filter and a screening tool for the company when hiring. Question: “Can this person develop into a key person”? And “Does this person have the values that represent this company?”

Small family businesses can build that type of culture by hiring based on value, creating good compensation, benefits, giving respect to workers, positioning them in the right seat, (also taking them out of the seat if it does not fit, and putting them in another seat the is more appropriate), respect for the workers, along with other factors. 

Retaining employees can be accomplished through benefits, time off, respect, vested benefits, ownership interests, and several other ways. 

The importance of developing and keeping key people cannot be overlooked. 

  • Creates more business value
    • Purchasers of a business want to have middle management in place
    • Builds reputation and culture
    • Key people tend to impress other employees as a good example 
    • Key people, as described, are also likely purchasers of the business, or
    • Likely to run the business while the owner enjoys life, but still has the control and wealth

My suggestion to many small business owners over the years has been to find ways to build a key group as quickly as they can and to build the group around the values which the owners have. 

If you have an interest in learning other ways of keeping your key people, this video will be of value. 

Case Study #3. Corporate Executive Equity Plan (CEEP)

For A Free White Paper called, “Wealth Without Taxes”. Click

If you didn’t think you had to plan- Get ready to in 2022!

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Uncategorized

Over the years I have observed the inability of many business owners to plan their business and personal estate effectively, for one reason or another. Any excuse doesn’t matter, the bottom line is many (great majority of business owners) don’t have adequate estate and business financial plans. I have often referred to them as “plan by default”, as opposed to a “designed plan”. Guy Baker is were I first heard the terms this way. Very adequate considering the subject.

As you can see in the illustration below, when you consider the exposure of $5 million estate after exemption credits are use, you have the additional loss of the stepped up cost basis. There is a tax ratio of 74% vs. 12% in 2022 if some of the proposals go forth.

Image the business owner who has a high value property which has deferred gain locked in, and the results of that property when at death it is passed to the children?

Here is one of the reasons why business owners should pay attention.

zoom in.

Business Owners Essential Planning Tools! Part 2!

Featured by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Business Growth and Transition, Buy and Sell Agreements, Company Wealth, evaluations, Executive Benefits, Funding your Buy and Sell, Income from your business, Inside Sale, Key People_Or Group, Life Insurance Types, Passive Ownership, Selling Your Business, Team, Valuation, Value drivers

Good planning can often begin with owners transferring ownership interest to family members, without giving up control of the business. This type of planning sets the stage for the future passing of the baton and can be highly effective.

The long-term plan of business transition can also focus on who can run the business operations once the senior guard leaves the business. Just because a family member has worked in the business, it does not mean they can run the business effectively.

Business Transition And Succession Planning requires many years to develop the right plan. It starts with finding the right employees to train for the job, and the right people to run the business (this includes family succession situations).  

I have found that “Passive Ownership” can be a particularly good possibility for many business owners. They stay in control and slowly give away the duties over time while running the business, but at the same time slowly disengaging from the business. It gives them time to help prepare the junior successor for the job.

The procedure for “Transition Planning” is critical for a long-lasting understanding amongst the family members, both in and out of the business. Without clear communication to the family members, conflict and bad feelings may occur. 

Business Succession Planning  (Click to receive full report and guide; R-1)

  • What would happen to the business if one of the partners died? 
    • Who will buy your interest in the business?
    • Will the company, shareholders, or the heirs keep the right to own the shares. Are the party’s mandated to buy your shares? 
    • Where will the capital to buy the shares come from? 
    • Do you want the deceased shareholders/beneficiaries to have the choice to run the business? 
    • What is the funding mechanism to buy the business? 
    • How is the life insurance structured to help fund the purchase price?
    • Is the same true for a disability? If so, what is the definition of a disability to trigger the sale. Is the disability funded?
    • What are the rules if a partner wants to sell to a 3rd party? 
    • Is there a “put” right; to have the company buy the shares of a disputed share holder? 
    • What are doing concerning incentives to key employees?
    • How are you supporting retirement through the company? 
    • What are you providing in executive compensation to the key people active owners, and officers of the business?

There are many more questions that need to be answered. The elements of your business succession plan will normally be in your business succession agreement and incorporated in the operating or stockholder’s agreement.

CLICK TO Request our Full White Paper and Business Guide Free request (R-1)

Operating Agreement:  

An agreement which regulates the company and manages the relationships between the members of the company.

Buy-Sell Agreement

An agreement between the business owners to buy and sell interest in the business at a specified price upon a “triggering event”, such as death, disability, divorce, voluntary withdrawal, non-voluntary withdrawal, bankruptcy, and retirement.

This document is important and serves to obtain a fair price for the stockholder and a path for a smooth transition for the parties involved.

Type of Buy and Sell agreements:

  • Cross purchase: This is between stockholders to buy departing stockholder’s shares
  • Redemption agreement:  The entity (business) buys the shares
  • Hybrid/ a combination of above: A “wait and see buy and sell”[1]

Provisions in the buy and sell agreement

The sale price of the departing owners’ interest and how it will be paid

  • Installment
  • Sinking fund
  • Cash 
  • Life insurance[2]

Other Methods To Transfer Property:

Although the buy and sell agreement is an effective method to transfer property, other methods, such as ESOPs, compensation plans, and pension plans have a place in funding.

There are other areas and issues in your business planning that need to be addressed at some point and redefined over time.

The valuation of your company should be done by a qualified and certified appraiser. Business owners seem to think they know the value of their business, however, in more cases than not, they are incorrect.

Having A Team Of Financial Experts Will Help You Plan Your Business And Your Estate.

My suggestion is to create a team of advisors who can meet periodically and report on the status of the business to the “team”.

I have found this to be a valuable tool as everyone gets on the same page in the planning process and understands what the owner wishes to accomplish. 

Over the years I have created the team consisting of the CPA, attorney, banker, investment, insurance and other professionals who come together and review what the status of the planning is up to that point for the business owner. Normally, the team consists of the professionals who have a relationship with the business owner and are currently doing planning for them. Unfortunately, each professional has their own agenda, and rarely knows what the other professional are doing for the business owner.,

In most cases this is the first time the advisors have communicated with each other. I have always thought this was in the best interest of the business owner and was prudent to use these resources. Putting the business owners’ advisors in the same room once a year could be the best planning strategy, they can employ. 

The Bottom-Line Thought

The solutions and strategies are in abundance to solve the issues. The problem is defining what the owner wants in their plan.

CLICK TO Request our Full White Paper and Business Guide Free (CODE R-1)

[1] A combination of the redemption and the cross purchase. Usually, the stockholder or trust owns the life insurance on the partners.  Normally driven by tax issues and positioning.   

[2] Life insurance is normally the least expensive way of funding the death benefit when compared to alternatives. The life insurance can also play a role in providing funds to help stockholders purchase interest in the company. 

You Saw It Coming And I Saw It Coming, We Both Saw It Coming…But we still bought it!…

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Uncategorized

After fifty years of running a tremendously successful planning firm, WORKING ONLY eighty days a year, I can make this statement with full confidence!  

Every business owner deserves success and financial independence when they give all they must to build a business.  NO issue here.  If done correctly they will enjoy financial independence and an abundance of leisure time which I call “your beach”.   

What gets in the way of preventing a business owner from becoming financially independent and finding their “own beach”, are two things:   

First Reason: The business owner has their hands in everything. Nothing gets by them.    They work eighty hours a week and wonder why they have no time for themself or families.   They believe you must work “hard” (to them that means anything that keeps them busy).   While they are doing insubstantial work, they are neglecting the important work (The Business and Financial Key Elements to Their Business).   

Second Reason:  Archaic and falsehood beliefs that business owners “bought into”, such as.  

  • Your inventory and your receivables are like money in the bank,  
  • You must work hard in the early years so you can slow down in the later years 
  • Take every dime you have and invest it in your business 
  •  You need to invest in your business in order to grow 
  •  Every business needs time to grow 
  •  You can’t grow fast 
  •  Borrow as much as you can 
  •  It’s a lot of money, but it’s a write off 
  •  When you go into business you initially spend more money than you want to 
  •  You need to invest in your business   
  • Plow all your profits back into the business   
  • You don’t need to give your key people additional benefits 
  • “It’s easier for me to do it, I’ll do it the right way” attitude 
  • If I train someone to do it, they may leave me and start their own business 
  • You don’t need a business valuation just use a simple formula 
  • I have all the systems in my head, we don’t need a document 
  • I’m not worried about leaving the business, they will figure it out 

Falsehoods, and archaic business principals   do more to destroy businesses than a bad economy.   If you don’t fix this situation, no matter how hard you work; YOU WILL NEVER GET TO YOUR FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE AND “YOUR BEACH”.   It’s that simple!  

But the good news is that you can correct these problems by using a technique that has worked for me and my business clients for over fifty years.    It’s called the “ONE PAGE BLUEPRINT SOLUTION”, and it only takes TWO HOURS A MONTH (two lunch breaks) to implement and correct the two major reasons why business owners can’t become financially independent and find their “own beach.”    

To help you learn more on how you can eradicate the two reasons, I am offering a free copy of my eBook called, “Unlocking Your Business DNA”, (Cracking the code to a better business, bigger profits and more time on the beach).   THIS BOOK WILL help you understand the principals discussed.  Limited supply.  To receive your FREE EBOOK, CLICK.

* Book can be purchased on Amazon; Kindle and Paperback. All profits go to Wounded Warrier Project.

**Full Steam Ahead (title; You Saw It Coming)

Finally, A Way To Work On Your Business Without Giving Up Working In Your Business!

Featured by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Business Growth and Transition, Buy and Sell Agreements, Income from your business, Inside Sale, Selling Your Business, Value drivers

Give Me Two Hours A Month, And Your Problems Are Solved!

In my book, “Unlocking Your Business DNA”[1], I discuss a system called, “The One Page Blueprint Solution”, or “OPBS”.    This system is designed to help business owners solve specific problems in their business, effectively, efficiently and without giving up time to work in their business.  It is a way to finally have business owners “work on their businesses” and solve business issues important for the success of their business.    

The OPBS does many things, among them:

  1. Prepares the owner for the planning session in advance.
  2. Organizes what needs to be discussed.
  3. The business owners control the agenda discussed. 
  4. Covers the elements which need focus. 
  5. Allows owners to work at their own pace.
  6. Creates brevity in your planning, leaving more time to work in your business. 
  7. Planning time is 1-3 hours a month which 60% of the time involves a self-study review. 
  8. Issues get resolved very quickly.  
  9. Many other benefits…

I use 15-20 key areas that I feel most business owners need to address if they wish to maximize their business growth and create the highest potential value for their business.  Here are two of 15 as examples of what is needed in the planning. 

This is an example of two of the many areas of planning.  I work with about 15-20 areas.  Not every company needs to fix all the areas, however, over time without reviews, areas of planning which were up to date at one time, can lose their effectiveness when not fine-tuned.

The Sale of Your Business to The Outside: 

  1. This could be in two months or thirty years; it is different for each business. In this planning session there are several areas the business owner needs to focus on. 
    1. Systemized business
    1. Put business in growth mode
    1. Delegate to middle management and upper management
    1. Lock the key group into the company
    1. Attract several potential buyers 
    1. Receive maximum cash for the sale
    1. Prepare to leave when you want to leave (maybe stay only if you want to stay)
    1. Plan to do something the rest of your life
    1. If you start early, you can control the whole process
  2. Tools needed: 
    1. Value Drivers
    1. Systemizing the business
    1. Golden Handcuffs for management and stay documents, (disclosure, competition, non-compete)
    1. Controlled Auction for the sale
  • #Sale of your Business from Inside the business or to your family! 
  • Make sure the new owners can run the company without you 
  • Lock in non-owners’ managers
  • Delegate your responsibilities to management
  • Due diligence to make sure you don’t end up with the business after the sale
  • Put business in growth mode
  • Guarantee income stream from the sale
  • Minimize taxes to you
  • Minimize taxes to the seller
  • Have a lifetime plan
  • Teach employee to be employers

Tools needed:

  1. Market Value Drivers 
  2. Systemizing the business
  3. Golden handcuffs for management team 
  4. Well Designed transition Plan

With the help of “zoom”, phone conferences, and the cloud, we can discuss an array of topics without parties leaving their offices.  Our designed meetings are previewed before our discussions so questions can be prepared about the subject matter.  (This creates a great give and take of the subject) 

It is my opinion that business owners should review all the key areas of their business periodically to make sure they stay “a fine-tuned machine” and maximize their future potential value of growth.  

If you wish to participate in a one-minute business assessment, to see how ‘fined tuned” you are; 

 LESS THAN A MINUTE SURVEY

Trust me: (it takes one- minute to do).  I will send you a FREE report card and summary of where you may want to focus for your business efficiency.  ALSO, along with the completion of the survey, I will send you a copy of my newly published book: “Unlocking Your Business DNA”.

[1] You can purchase this book at Amazon-kindle and paperback. Profits go to “Wounded Warrior Foundation”

Single Appraiser vs. Multiple Appraiser Choices

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Buy and Sell Agreements, Company Wealth, evaluations, Funding your Buy and Sell, Selling Your Business, Uncategorized, Valuation, Working On Your Business

This month I wrote about multiple and single Appraiser choice.  My friend Ed Pratesi was nice enough to give me some of his thoughts, which I definitely respect due to his experience and training.   Ed, thank you for this contribution.

Ed Pratesi wrote:

I read with interest your comments on Single Appraiser vs. Multiple Appraiser choices that owners have for a BSA. I agree in part with your assessment that the single appraiser choice is preferred but I do have a number of caveats and suggest that before the number of appraisers needed is secondary to choices made before this decision. Let me explain my thoughts:

Firstly, the choice of number of appraisers almost always works, whether one, two or the three step approach – except when it doesn’t!

Prior to the determination of the number of appraisers needed is preceded by what I refer to as the education process that a business appraiser must take the owners through in order to develop an agreement and a process that will likely be triggered when an unanticipated or unfortunate event has occurred.

In never ceases to amaze me that owners will spend money on creating a business plan, invest in physical assets and talent and not spend enough time on one of the most important events that will occur in their lives – either their exit or a partners exit. My complaint is not pointed at the owners but at the appraiser called in to initially called in to assist in the valuation.

My point simply is the an appraiser needs to explain the valuation process, the valuation methods used to value a business, the applicability or not of the methods to the company, a discussion of the definition of value – (for example fair market value or fair value, more on this in a later discussion), a complete discussion of adjustments that appraiser consider in the valuation process, and what discounts could apply and the reasons for application of discounts.

This part of the valuation process is more consultative and sets the framework for the conduct of an initial appraisal and of the work product. Finally, once the appraisal is complete a meeting to discuss the results and the process is essential and should be prefeaced with scenario planning should a provision of the BSA be triggered.

The goal is to get buy-in on the process not just the number!

I hope I have addressed part of the discussion of the number of appraisers – more to follow if desired…

Ed Pratesi

Edward E. Pratesi, ASA, CM&AA, ABV, CVA

Managing Director | UHY Advisors N.E., LLC
6 Executive Drive, Farmington, CT  06032
D: 860 519 5648 | C: 860 558 0453 | F: 860 519 1982

epratesi@uhy-us.com |  www.uhyvaluation.com

www.linkedin.com/in/ed-pratesi-140b762

 

Single appraiser Buy and Sell Agreement!

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Buy and Sell Agreements, Company Wealth, evaluations, Funding your Buy and Sell, Selling Your Business, Valuation

An alternative to the multiple appraiser agreement, is the single appraiser agreement (SAA).  There are two single appraisers’ processes. I

  1. Single appraiser, select now and value now
  2. Single appraiser, Select and Value at Trigger Event
  3. Single appraiser, Select Now and Value at trigger event

The preference is #1:

However, #2,3 are stopgap processes which can be used.  As mentioned in both of these types, the value is delayed to sometime in the future. 

Postponement of the appraiser selection and initial valuation create substantial uncertainties and potential for disagreements   or disputes.

The SINGLE APPRAISER, SELECT NOW AND VALUE NOW OPTION

In the BSA, the appraiser is named and is engaged to provide an initial appraisal for purposes of the agreement.

SELECT NOW: At the creation of the BSA, the appraiser is named. All parties have a voice and can exercise their choice as difficult as it may be.

VALUE NOW:  The chosen appraiser provides a baseline appraisal for the purpose of the agreement.  In this method, it is recommended that the value be presented in draft and give each party a time period for consideration before entering it in the final BSA. 

VALUE EACH YEAR (OR TWO) THEREAFTER:  This provides great advantages:[i]

  • Structure and process
  • Known to all parities
  • Selected appraiser is viewed as independent
  • Values are seen before triggering event
  • Since a draft will be provided to the participants, they can review for corrections to the mutual satisfaction
  • The appraiser’s conclusion in known up front and is the price until the next appraisal, or until a trigger event
  • Because the process is exercised at least once, it should go smoothly when employed at trigger events, less time consuming and less expensive than other alternatives

The single valuation process also helps the estate planning process with the annual reappraisals which will facilitate the estate planning objectives of the shareholders. For example, if the planning calls for minority discounts, the supplemental valuations at the not marketable minority level for gift and estate purposes.

[i] This type of valuation process will accommodate most small companies as for many reasons listed above. 

 

Life Insurance Proceeds In Business Valuations

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Buy and Sell Agreements, Company Wealth, Funding your Buy and Sell, Uncategorized, Valuation

If life insurance proceeds are considered as the funding vehicle, then the proceeds of the policy received following the death of a shareholder would not be considered a corporate asset for valuation purposes.(1)

It would be recognized that it was purchased for a specific purpose of funding the buy-sell agreement (BSA). IF it were considered a corporate asset, it would offset the company’s liability to fund the purchase of shares, added back as a non- recurring expense.

Treatment 1: (used as a funding vehicle, not a company asset)

Example: A company with a $10m value, has two shareholders, owning 50% of the company. The company holds a $6m life insurance policy on each owner (assuming no alternative minimum tax issues).

RESULTS: At Shareholder #1’s death, the company collects $6m of life insurance benefits. The surviving partner will receive $10m company value, and $1m of net tax-free proceeds, a total of $11m value. The deceased stockholder receives the $5m for the business.

Treatment 2: (A corporate asset)

Treating the life insurance as corporate assets for valuation purposes.

The proceeds are treated as a non-operating asset of the company. This asset along with other net assets, would be available to fund the purchase the of shares the of a deceased shareholder. Keep in mind that the expense of the deceased stockholder might be added back into income as a nonrecurring expense.  (2)

The treatment type can have a significant effect on the net position of a company or selling shareholder. There is also an affect in the ability of the company to purchase the shares of the deceased stockholder, and impact of the position of the remaining shareholders.

Company $10m, before $6m of life insurance. When you add the $6m into the value, the company value is $16m. The deceased shareholder entitled to $8m, the company pays $6m in life insurance proceeds and takes out $2m in promissory note.

RESULTS: The surviving owner, owns a company with 8 million and a note of $2 million.

Which treatment is fair? One owner ends us with $11m while the deceased owner, ends up with $5m. In treatment 2, the surviving owner has to carry a $2m debt to purchase the business. Two dramatic differences. A good reason, why the discussion should take place with your advisors.

More importantly, all parties should understand the ramifications of adding the life insurance proceeds in the valuation or using the life insurance as a specific vehicle to fund the BSA.

——————————

1. Mercer: buy and sell agreements for boomers

2. Non-reoccurring expenses: Non-reoccurring expenses can be somewhat more complex. These are expenses which is  specifically  designated on the company’s financial statements as an extra ordinary or one time expense.  The company does not expect to continue the expense overtime, at least not on a regular basis. Non-reoccurring expenses can be somewhat more complex. 

A Road Map For A Succession Planning  Essentials For Planning   Creating Your Team Of Advisors 

by YOUR BUSINESS WORTH, posted in Buy and Sell Agreements, Company Wealth, Income from your business, Tax Efficient, Team, Uncategorized, Valuation, Value drivers, Working On Your Business

Who Are They 

Their Role 
Accountant 
  • Develops financial statements 
  • Provides tax advice 
  • Assists in Estate planning 
  • Assists in Business value 
Attorney 
  • Negotiates agreements 
  • Tax Advice 
  • Prepares estate documents 
  • Advises on business structure along with implementation 
Management Team 
  • Manages the ongoing operation  
  • Operational advice and expertise for new owner 
  • Enables business continuity 
Business Appraiser 
  • Estimates fair market value of Business  
  • Provides the credibility of asking price 
  • Advice on how to maximize business value 
Business Broker 
  • Finds buyer and market insight for value 
Financial Advisor 
  • Facilitates and council’s family goals and value 
  • Plans for the future of the estate and distribution 
  • May have the capacity to help fund Buy and Sell Agreements and Deferred Compensation situations 
  • Offers financial advice to all the members 
  • Helps project future financial needs 
Banker-Commercial 
  • Financing options for acquisition 
  • Access to other experts that may be needed 
  • Supports the business transition before and after the acquisition 

Exit Options: 1 

  • Transfer the business to a family member; This represents about 42% 
  • Sell to partners or your employees (directly or through ESOP); This represents about 17% 
  • Sell to a third party; 19% 
  • Partner: 10% 
  • Wind down business -3% 
  •  Don’t know -8% 

Questions To Consider 

  1. Are there one or more family members who want to take over the business?  
  2. Does the family successor have the skills to operate the business and guarantee the return on your investment?  
  3. What are the qualifications and skills someone would need to purchase your business to guarantee the successful transition?  
  4. If you transitioned to your family member, how will your employees, suppliers and customers react?  
  5. What is the most tax-efficient way to pass ownership to family members?   
  6. Will you continue to have a role in the business? 
  7. How will this succession option impact the rest of the family? 

Selling to partners or your employees 

  • Which employees or partners are best suited to purchase your business?  
  • Do they have funds or access to funds?  
  • Will you have to finance part of the sale?  
  • Do they have the management capability to run the business successfully?  
  • Can the business take on debt for this transaction long term?   
  • Where will the purchase price come from?  
  • Do the purchasers have assets as collateral?   

Third party  

  • Who are likely candidates in your industry that would be interested in your business?  
  • Do you want to sell the whole business or only part of it?  
  • Will the potential buyer have the entire financial resources to purchase the business, or would you be prepared to partially fund their acquisition?  
  • What is the most tax-effective way to sell your business?