Posted in Become a Business Owner, Buyers Articles

Sometimes it seems like a good idea. A hard about-face in life. Choosing to buy a business in an industry that interests you, but one where you’ve never spent a single, solitary second. How exciting, right? A whole new chapter of life – a new adventure.

Don’t do it. Here’s why.

Life as a business owner is tough. Really tough. It’s long hours, lots of responsibility and constant challenges. That toughness translates into rewards if you have the grit, experience and passion to be a successful entrepreneur. Notice we included the word experience. We’re not saying you need to have owned a business before. The romantic notion that the only requirements for success as a business owner are grit and passion just isn’t reality.

The reality is taking over a small business as the new owner comes with a sharp and steep learning curve. There are so many aspects of owning and running your new business that you will have to learn – quickly. How the operating procedures work and why they are the way they are. The nuances of your new staff. What needs to be where and when. How to place orders. How to manage inventory. How to stay on top of licenses, taxes, payroll. The list is long. What you don’t need in this mix is trying to learn an entirely new industry. If you want to be successful you’re going to have an exponentially easier time taking over a business where you have some real, practical experience. 

Here’s an example. Say you went to school to be an accountant, then you spent some time working as the accountant for a small manufacturing company. Like most people you’re a fan of a good happy hour and have always had a daydream of owning a tiki bar on the beach. When a 200 seat beach bar near you goes up for sale, you put in an offer and are able to work out a purchase contact with the seller. After closing on the sale you struggle with your now 24/7 work schedule. You’ve never worked anything but a classic 9 to 5, so having to open the bar at 10am and stay until 3am every day is rough. The huge staff you’ve inherited to run this large establishment are a constant source of drama you’ve never had to contend with. You fire one employee and then 9 more quit, including your weekend bar back. Now you’re juggling trying to fill the schedule and trying to hire someone who will actually show up to be the bar back on Saturday nights. So for 5 Saturday nights in a row you’re the one hauling kegs and refilling ice. And you didn’t realize how fast you’d go through lemons so you’re driving around at 4am looking for a 24 hour grocery store because there isn’t any time to order from your vendor and get lemons by tomorrow. Then your line cook calls in sick so you have to jump in and work the line for 3 days, cooking food you’ve never cooked at what seems an insane pace – much to the displeasure of your customers who keep sending the food back. 

If you’re someone who has experience in the restaurant industry, that scenario probably seems pretty normal. You know what it’s like to work late shifts and have to jump in and cover for people who’ve called in that night. You’re familiar with the drama that exists in every food industry staff. You understand that a 200 seat anything is huge, and not for anyone who’s a rookie. You know what food cost is and you understand what a bar needs (lemons) to function properly.

The point here is you really need to know what you’re getting into before you make the life-altering decision to buy a business. The only way to really know what owing a business is going to be like is by working in that industry at some point in your life. Our accountant from the example above could have bought a small manufacturing business or a small accounting firm and done quite well. Instead they are immediately overwhelmed and quickly burned out.

Don’t do this to yourself. Talk to a business broker about the practical experience and education you have. You might be surprised by the business and industry options available that would compliment the things you’ve done in the past. Set yourself up for success, not burnout.

Are you rethinking buying a business you know nothing about and want to know what industries and businesses would fit with your experience? Did you buy a business cold and have a story to share? Contact us or leave any questions or comments, we would be happy to help.

Michael Monnot

941.518.7138
Mike@InfinityBusinessBrokers.com

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Posted in Sellers Articles

It happens. You own a small business and something gets in the way. A recession. A pandemic. A family emergency. Whatever the root of your business woes – it sometimes gets to a point where your only choice is to lock the doors and walk away.

It doesn’t have to get there. If you plan ahead you can sell your business and get a return on all of the investment you’ve made long before you have to make any fatal moves.

A big, big caveat here. It takes time to sell a business, even one deeply discounted out of desperation. Most buyers aren’t going to want a train wreck – so if you foresee a struggle approaching it’s better to cash out before the situation becomes unfixable. If you’re feeling nervous about the future of your business talk to an experienced and qualified business broker now. Tell them what’s happening and ask if it’s time to list or if your exit strategy can wait a bit longer.

If your heart isn’t in it anymore, if your personal life needs way more of your attention than you can successfully give while still maintaining your business, if the metrics are telling you that you are no longer making enough for the business to sustain itself – it’s time to have that serious conversation. No one wants to admit defeat, but it’s better to admit defeat before there’s nothing left. 

Selling your business or walking away doesn’t mean your life as an entrepreneur is over. It just means this path isn’t the right one at the moment. You can take the proceeds from your sale and invest in a different business or you can take some time to deal with whatever issues forced you to leave. There are very few successful business owners who got it 100% right the first time out of the gate, so be realistic with yourself and don’t give up on your goals because this time something got in the way.

If you are past the point of no return and are left with just liquidating assets, you probably need to do that before the landlord takes over. Read your lease carefully to see where the line in the sand is – where the landlord has the right to lock you out. Once that happens anything inside that business now belongs to them.

The message here is failure happens, but failure doesn’t have to cost you more than it should. You can get back a return and move on to something else.

Are you a struggling business owner who isn’t sure if it’s time to pull the plug? Have you owned a business you should have sold and have an experience to share? Leave any questions or comments here, or feel free to contact us if you feel like it’s time for that serious conversation – we’re here to help.

Michael Monnot

941.518.7138
Mike@InfinityBusinessBrokers.com

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Posted in Buyers Articles, Sellers Articles

This one probably seems pretty obvious. Two people who are essentially strangers are trying to put together a deal for the sale of a small business from one party to another. There are seemingly endless moving parts and points to negotiate, so just getting to a closing table sometimes feels like it takes a herculean effort. All throughout this process everyone needs to try their best to stay objective and keep their cool – but with someone’s blood, sweat and tears being exchanged for someone else’s hard earned money it can be tough to stay emotionless and not be offended.

Then someone starts talking politics.

We all know how divisive political conversations can be. They upend family gatherings and have turned into brawls on the street. Why are we talking about them? A simple political comment can snowball and end a deal.

You don’t have to be madly in love with the person on the other side of your transaction. What you do have to do is get along with that person long enough to put a deal together, close that deal and then go through a training period on the other side. The relationship between a business buyer and a business seller is so delicate intermediaries (business brokers) are needed to keep the deal on track and act as a buffer between the parties involved.

Why then would a person trying to make a deal happen for themselves throw a political grenade on the whole process? Just don’t. It’s a bad idea.

Everyone is entitled to their own political opinions. What you don’t need to do is share those opinions in an already tenuous situation that has big ramifications if the two parties reach a point where they can no longer communicate.

Ok, but what if I’m not the one who is always bringing up politics?

If you really want your deal to happen your best bet is to ignore those comments from the other side. Change the subject, walk away and communicate through your business broker as much as possible.

Are you buying or selling a business and want to know more about how business brokers can act as a buffer in a business transaction? Have you been a part of a business deal that went south because of a political clash and have a story to share? Please leave questions and comments here.

Michael Monnot

941.518.7138
Mike@InfinityBusinessBrokers.com

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Posted in Become a Business Owner, Buyers Articles

Hurricanes. They’re an inevitability of living in Florida (or anywhere on the Gulf or East coast of the United States for that matter). If you’re in the market to buy a business, how much should hurricanes factor into your decision? It depends. 

If you’ve decided that Florida is where you’d like to end up then hurricanes will just be something that happens. Your house will contain hurricane supplies and you’ll watch the advisories from the National Hurricane Center whenever a storm approaches.

If you are considering businesses, then factoring in hurricanes will depend on where you’d like the business to be and how your business might be affected by prolonged power/utility/internet outages. For instance, if you are looking for a beach bar on a barrier island you’ll need to be sure you consider that a bad hurricane that makes landfall where you are might cause catastrophic damage to your business. If you would be more comfortable with a business located in a more inland zone, you’ll still need to see where your business location stands in terms of evacuation and flooding zones. You need to think about how you will keep your business functioning if you lose power, water and/or internet access for days or weeks on end. If you’re considering that same beach bar, what is your plan if the business loses power and you can’t run the refrigerators that hold your inventory? If you can’t run your point-of-sale system without the internet, will you just revert to paper accounting or will you have a hot spot on standby? The point here is although hurricanes are typically an infrequent problem – the damage they can cause is something you need to think about when you are choosing a business based on location (and you need to consider your game plan if a storm comes you way).

When a storm does approach, you should be ready – long before the weather gets ugly. If your business requires power to run refrigerated storage systems (for example) you should invest in an on-demand generator system long before your first hurricane season. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to gather and install hurricane protections for your business if you wait until everyone is panicking and the store shelves are empty. If you think you want to secure windows with shutters or wood, get those installed or ready to be quickly installed outside of hurricane season. You also need to prep your business early as you will need to give your employees time to storm prep their homes before the storm rolls in.

You should also ensure you have the proper business insurance should the worst happen. You will need insurance for wind and water/flood damage, as well as enough coverage to replace your equipment, inventory, etc. should you need to or want to rebuild. 

You should also be ready for the cascade of cancellations that typically happen when the forecast cone falls on your area, whether the storm ends up impacting you or not. You should also come up with a set of protocols – like when you’ll close up shop, how you’ll secure the business, what you’ll do post-storm and then go over that information with employees so everyone is on the same page at the start of every hurricane season.

Should hurricanes dissuade you from buying a business in Florida? No, not at all. Like earthquakes in California or tornadoes in the Midwest every area has it’s own unique natural disasters to consider and prepare for. Choosing a business in a hurricane prone area probably means that you’ve picked a business where there’s heavy tourist traffic (like the beach bar example) – so you need to weigh the potential for all the money you can make with the preparations necessary should a hurricane roll in. 

Are you thinking about buying a business and are worried about the potential for hurricane damage? Would you like to know more about what Florida businesses can do to prepare for storms? Please leave any questions or comments and we would be happy to help.

Michael Monnot

941.518.7138
Mike@InfinityBusinessBrokers.com

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Posted in Buyers Articles, Sellers Articles

What’s in a name? If we’re talking business names, then your name is your brand – the symbol of your reputation. As a business owner you should always have your eye on growth. Growth of your customer base, growth of your bottom line and perhaps most importantly growth of your reputation. 

What if that reputation has seen better days? Whether you’re currently a business owner who is considering selling or a buyer looking at businesses to purchase a very important consideration is whether a rebranding is in order. 

Business Sellers:

One of the first things a prospective buyer will do is pop your business name into an internet search engine and see what comes up. If you are thinking about selling your business, then this is something you should do for yourself long before you list your business for sale. What does your reputation look like? What does the community at large think of your business?

If your reputation isn’t the greatest (but is salvageable), then you need to work on changing that perception of your business. Take reviews and comments from former customers and try to make the changes that would turn any bad reviews into good ones. Many review sites will let you respond to reviews, and you should – to both the good and the bad. Customers want to know that their thoughts are being heard, so acknowledge anyone who took the time to review your business. Don’t attack customers with complaints – instead let them know they were heard and that you’ve made changes that would result in a better experience if they give you another chance. 

If your reputation is atrocious – then maybe a rebranding is in order. This might be the path you need to take if you’ve lost the majority of your customer base. However, renaming and relaunching your business only works if you make major changes. A new name on the sign and business as usual isn’t going to help. Update menus or inventory, swap out staff, change operating procedures – you get the idea. Revamp your business and then let your new, improved numbers shine when you list your business for sale. 

Business Buyers:

If you are a buyer, then you have to decide whether or not your will keep the business name when you take over. If the business has a good reputation within the community and you won’t be making any major changes (like turning a pizza place into a fine dining seafood restaurant), then you really should consider keeping the name so you can continue the brand presence within the community.

If the business isn’t well liked, then a name change is a great way to let the community at large know that big changes have taken place and create some curiosity that may bring customers back in the door. Just be careful with the name you choose. Your business name should make it clear what the business does, as well as give a good impression of the business at first glance.

Are you a business seller who wants advice about improving the reputation of your brand before you sell? Are you a buyer who wants to change the name of a business you are considering? Please feel free to leave us a comment or question here, and we would be happy to help!

Michael Monnot

941.518.7138
Mike@InfinityBusinessBrokers.com

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