Posts Categorized: Selling a Business

Avoiding The Commoditization Rat Race To The Bottom

Jean-Eric Plamondon was in the scrap metal business where the stereotypical operator is a shady character buying metal by the ton with a blow torch in one hand and a wad of cash in the other. Plamondon decided he wanted to do scrap metal differently and discovered farmers were keen to clean up their land…. Read more »

Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

If you don’t exactly understand what corporate social responsibility (CSR) means, don’t worry.  We’ll cover the main points you need to know.  CSR is increasingly seen as something that companies of all sizes need to be aware of, so let’s take a closer look at a few of the finer points. There are 4 basic… Read more »

The Snag Of Selling To Private Equity

Sherry Deutschmann got the money to start LetterLogic Inc. – a company that printed and mailed patient statements for hospitals – by having a yard sale. She made her first desk out of an old door. From these humble beginnings Deutschmann built LetterLogic into a $40 million juggernaut which she recently sold for more than… Read more »

When Disaster Strikes A Founder

Tom Pisello built Alinean, a consulting company which offered a set of tools to help salespeople express the value of picking their solution. The business was cruising with about half of its revenue coming from recurring licensing fees and the other half from consulting when disaster struck the Pisello’s family. Pisello’s wife succumbed to a… Read more »

Understanding M&A Purchasing Agreements

M&A purchasing agreements can have a lot of moving parts.  A recent article from Meghan Daniels entitled, “The Makings of the M&A Purchase Agreement” serves to outline a range of facts including that every M&A deal is different.  The article, which serves as a general overview, raises a range of good points. Components of the… Read more »

The Hidden Secret That Made This Company Worth A Ton

Ian Silverberg wanted to get into the health club business and approached a former employer about buying his gym. As Silverberg did his due diligence, he realized the club was sitting on a real estate goldmine that would all but guarantee his exit would be lucrative. Silverberg went on to separate the health club from… Read more »

Key Mistakes that Could Impact Your Sale

The old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” most definitely applies to any business owner that believes he or she will someday want to sell his or her business.  The bottom line is that every business owner has to transition out of ownership at some point.  In a recent Inc…. Read more »

Exploring the Offering Memorandum

Are you a business owner who is interested in selling?  If so, there are some strategies you should undoubtedly use.  At the top of the list is the all-important offering memorandum.  The offering memorandum, often referred to as a selling memorandum, is a straightforward but highly effective way to help you obtain the highest possible… Read more »

Finding Your Subscription Model

John MacInnes ran Print Audit, a printer and photocopier management software, for 20 years. In 2012, the company suffered a rude awakening when its biggest client – who made up more than two thirds of their revenue – dropped their monthly spend by 90%. MacInnes had to pivot… quickly. He evolved Print Audit to a… Read more »

From Billion Dollar Startup To Bankruptcy And Back Again

Back in 1996, Sunny Vanderbeck started Data Return, a business that provided website hosting to big e-commerce companies. They grew 40% every quarter leading to an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 1999 and an eventual market capitalization of $3 billion. Then the internet bubble burst. Customers started failing and Data Return’s growth flat lined. Despite the effect… Read more »