THINKING OF SELLING
YOUR BUSINESS?
Do all you can to get
selling right first time
Your business is likely to be your most valuable asset. Selling remains the best way to realise the value locked up in your business.
It is an indisputable fact, most businesses who attempt a sale fail in their objective at first attempt.
Preparing your business for sale is vital. Many companies, however, go straight from day-to-day trading into a sale phase.
Without a preparation phase the risk of failing to sell your business is unnecessarily high.
Before commencing the business sale process, why not retain us to help you reduce risk?
We work alongside you as we progress through our four steps programme to help you first become sale ready, and then to sell for best value.
The pace of progress is entirely aligned to your own objectives and aspirations. Even a short exit planning phase can positively impact outcomes.
The process of selling a business is complex and demanding, preparation will result in a more valuable and more saleable business. Why not do all you can to ensure success?
“Acquirers perceive risk differently to current owners. Selling a business is a complex process which has many pitfalls for the unwary and unprepared. The pitfalls, however, can be mitigated or eliminated given time and an appropriate preparation plan.”
Steve Anstey, Managing Director, Fivefold Associates.
How can Fivefold help?
Follow our four steps to success.
Step 1.
Evaluating your market of buyers
We help you discover the answers to three critical questions first, which informs what to focus on during preparation for sale, and then when to sell. Critical questions:
• Who will buy my business and why?
• Is my business saleable and worth what I need?
• Is now the right time to sell?
The answers to these questions mean you will know your acquirer options very well. You will know their needs and wants. You will know what motivates them, what they value, how they perceive risk and can prepare for sale accordingly.
Step 2.
Creating a more saleable and valuable business
Equipped with direct acquirer insight from Step 1, we help you build value.
We use the acquirer market insight to ensure what the acquirer values and your business strengths align as closely as possible.
We focus on helping you do things which we know move value upwards, building a more valuable and saleable business.
Step 3.
Becoming due diligence ready
We help you assemble and order the ‘evidence’ – commercial, financial, and legal – to anticipate the needs of due diligence.
We review that evidence in much the same way your acquirer and their advisers will scrutinise evidence during due diligence.
Depending on the outcome of that review we recommend change where risk could threaten your sale or lead to a lesser value.
Step 4.
Selling your business
After the completing the first three stages, you and your business will be sale ready.
You will know who your buyers are and what motivates them.
You will have shaped your business, emphasising those things which drive value.
You will be fully prepared for the scrutiny of due diligence.
We will now manage your “live-to-market” stage and conclude your sale.