How To Buy A Business In 2023: A Complete Guide

13 min read

The purchase of a business involves making a significant commitment; nevertheless, if you go through with an existing business, you will have the chance to become an entrepreneur without launching a brand-new enterprise from the ground up. More than 500,000 enterprises are sold annually, and it is anticipated that this figure will skyrocket over the next few years as millions of baby boomers begin retiring and selling the firms they own.

Launching a new firm can be fraught with challenges and expensive overhead that can be avoided by buying established business. This is one reason why business buyers are so drawn to this option. Locating a business for sale and concluding the transaction can be drawn-out and difficult.

Find out everything you need to know How To Buy A Business And to prevent buyer’s remorse after making a purchase so that you may get started on the path to owning your own business before you start the road. Using our checklist, we will walk you through the process of buying an existing business. We’ll also go over the benefits and drawbacks of how to buy a business when you’re just tossing around the idea. We’ll wrap things up by discussing how to buy a company- when you’re ready to finalize the transaction and take possession of the establishment.

Checklist For Buying An Existing Business

If you are dead-set on purchasing a business, you must conduct adequate research to ensure that the business you buy is a good fit for your skills and interests. Investing in a business that you have a strong interest in developing further and taking to the next level is the simplest approach to put yourself in a position to achieve financial and professional success. But enthusiasm isn’t enough to guide your decision; you also need experience and the ability to ask the right questions when purchasing a company to make an informed decision.

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The following items should be on your checklist when buying an existing business:

Determine What Kind Of Business You Want To Buy

How to buy a business ; Determine what kind of business you want to buy

Condense your list of passions, interests, abilities, and experiences into a manageable number. You will be more satisfied with your life if you invest in a small business that is congruent with your current interests and in which you already have some experience.

For instance, if you’ve worked as a line cook in a restaurant for several years, you could have concluded that you’d like to own your restaurant someday. Or perhaps you’ve been working for a firm that’s now up for sale for a significant amount of time, and the business is now being sold. If this is the case, no one is better qualified to purchase the company than someone familiar with it to the same degree as you are.

Even while you could be tempted to purchase a business based solely on its financials, that is, the return on investment that can be anticipated, it is essential that you find a way to connect yourself with the non-material aims that the company has. After all, the degree to which you are informed and familiar with the business’s model, products or services, consumers, industry, and trends will determine the degree to which your fresh ideas will be original and successful.

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Search For Businesses That Are Currently Up For Sale

You can take many approaches to locate the ideal company that is currently up for sale and satisfies the requirements you have established. A few examples are as follows:

Marketplaces for businesses that are conducted online, such as bizbuysell.com, which is the most extensive platform of its kind and features more than 45,000 active listings.

  • Advertisements found on Craigslist.
  • Advertisements were published in the classified sections of newspapers under the heading “Businesses for Sale.”
  • By inquiring with other proprietors of small businesses that are part of your network.
  • Participating in business networking events such as meetups or industry conferences to ask questions of other business professionals.
  • Collaborating with a commercial broker.

Because business brokers are legally obligated to represent the seller, you should exercise caution when disclosing certain information (such as the extent to which you are willing to bargain). On the other hand, a broker can help you understand what kind of business you want, prescreen businesses to eliminate all failing companies, keep negotiations civil and intelligent, and assist you with all the necessary paperwork. Additionally, a broker can assist you in keeping smart and civil during talks. When a sale is completed, real estate brokers are entitled to a commission, typically paid for by the party selling the property.

Identify The Reasons Behind The Selling Of An Established Business

How to buy a business  ; Identify the reasons behind the selling of an established business

There are many different reasons a business owner can decide to sell their company. One of those reasons could be something as unremarkable as retirement or another lifestyle choice. Alternatively, there can be a more troubling reason, such as an issue that is more fundamental to the business. Suppose you are thinking about purchasing an established business. In that case, you will want to be aware of the specific reasons why the owners of the companies you are contemplating purchasing are no longer able to make them profitable.

You need to talk to the people who now own the business to find out what difficulties they’ve faced, how they’ve attempted to solve those difficulties, and how successful those efforts have been. Whenever you chat with the present owner, you should ask yourself, “Do I have what it takes to meet these difficulties with new or better solutions?”

Always be on the watch for the following:

A badly conceived and executed business plan (there is simply no demand for the offered product or service).

  • Competitors who are light years ahead of their opponents.
  • Existing business debts.
  • Problems caused by the location
  • An issue pertaining to the brand.
  • Problems with inventory (the cost of production is too high, low quality is losing the business clients, storing the inventory is problematic, there is no supply and demand balance, etc.)
  • Poorly maintained equipment, cannot be upgraded because it is both antiquated and prohibitively expensive.

Make it a point to learn as much as you can about the past triumphs and failures of the present firm, as well as the obstacles it has and the opportunities it will have in the future. Talking to the proprietor about these issues is essential. Still, you should also discuss the matter with other parties, such as current clients, current workers, residents who live in the region, businesses that are located nearby, and so on. They will provide an objective assessment of how well the company is performing, free from the influence of the seller attempting to persuade you to purchase the business.

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Choose A Business That Matches Your Budget, Objectives, And Resources

How to buy a business ; Choose a business that matches your budget, objectives, and resources

You may have been thinking about various businesses until now, but now is the moment to zero in on the most viable alternative. The business that comes closest to fitting your requirements in terms of finances, objectives, and resources is the one you should prioritize.

The process of calculating the optimum size, location, sales, personnel, and other aspects of your prospective firm is a crucial phase in your plan to acquire a business. This step is significant because it will give you a scale to keep in mind when looking around for businesses to purchase. Determine how much of an improvement to a company you would like to see in the long run, and then calculate how much that will set you back financially.

You won’t just be shelling out cash; other costs are also involved. Consider the amount of time and effort you intend to consider to make the business your own. While some managers favor being “on” at all times and working side-by-side with their staff, others would instead delegate tasks and work toward the goal of owning numerous companies in the future.

The number of resources you will need to invest will, to a large extent, be determined by the people and processes currently in place and the level of industry experience you already possess. For instance, if you’re planning to buy a tech company but don’t have any prior experience in the industry, you’ll either need to put in the effort to teach yourself the ropes or bring on employees who already have relevant work experience.

Ensure That You’ve Done Your Due Diligence

How to buy a business ; Ensure that you've done your due diligence

Before purchasing a business, you must first complete what is known as “due diligence,” which refers to acquiring as much information and data as possible about the company in question. This is an essential step on the journey to becoming a business owner. During this time, you should engage with an accountant and a lawyer to ensure you have all the information required to proceed with your plans.

If you are the buyer, it is in your best interest to have a competent accountant on your team who can analyze the company’s financial statements. It is also to your advantage to have an experienced business attorney on your side to represent you in negotiations and to assist you in comprehending how the transaction will be handled.

Before you can even begin your due diligence, the seller will probably want a signed confidentiality agreement or nondisclosure agreement from you first. When you sign this document, you agree that you will not divulge any confidential information about the company discovered during due diligence. This safeguards the seller’s interests if, after evaluating all the documentation, you determine that purchasing the company is not the right choice for you.

You will need to compile and examine a significant number of business-related paperwork, including files, contracts, and financial statements; ideally, you will accomplish this with the assistance of a legal professional and an accounting professional. When conducting due diligence as part of the process of deciding whether or not to purchase a business, the following documents are required in their fullness:

Permits And Licenses For Businesses

First, check to see if the company you’re considering buying from has all of the necessary licenses and permits for running a business. When purchasing an existing business, verifying that the present owner has not violated any regulations governing business licensing is important. To continue operations, companies operating in some industries, notably heavily regulated ones such as child care and food service, must possess a current operating permit.

A Certificate Of Good Standing And Other Papers

When purchasing a sole proprietorship or a partnership, no formal “founding” documents may exist. On the other hand, organizational documents are kept on file by a legally recognized company entity, such as an LLC or corporation. Articles of incorporation are the equivalent of a limited liability company (LLC). Articles of incorporation are what establish a business as a legal entity.

Obtaining a certificate of good standing from your state’s secretary of state should also be possible. To ensure the business can operate in California, it must get this certificate.

Zoning Regulations

If you’re looking to buy a business in your neighborhood, be sure it doesn’t violate local zoning regulations. On the other hand, other localities impose rigorous regulations on where enterprises can be placed. This is especially true for companies like bars and nightclubs, which may not be desirable in a residential area.

Environmental Regulations

Is it true that this company has been illegally dumping chemicals into the neighboring reservoir and disregarding other environmental regulations? Before moving forward with the purchase of the company, you must confirm that the answer is unequivocally negative. Check again to see if this company complies with all the environmental requirements for small businesses in this area.

Letter Of Intent

When both parties have reached an agreement on a price point and regarding which business assets and liabilities will be included in the deal, the seller will submit a letter of intent, also known as an LOI, to the buyer as the next step in the process of purchasing a firm. The seller’s letter of intent (LOI) needs to include not only the price suggestion but also the terms and conditions of the business sale.

The letter of intent (LOI) indicates that the seller is serious about carrying the agreement through to its completion. When you have it in your possession, you will be better positioned to carry out the remaining steps of the due diligence process.

Other Important Documents

This set of documents will provide you with a significant amount of information regarding the company; nevertheless, there is most likely other material that you will want to investigate. It is expected that either your attorney or your accountant will be able to discover other documents that are unique to the company in which you have an interest.

For instance, you should request from the seller property documents a listing of equipment and assets, brand assets for use in advertising materials, an account of intellectual property assets, business insurance coverage, employee policies, and contracts, information regarding incorporation, and customer lists.

After completing the due diligence process, you will be required to conclude whether or not purchasing the company is the best option for you. Should you choose to move forward with the transaction, the sales agreement will be the glue that holds everything together.

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Evaluate The Firm Price Using Earnings, Assets, Or The Market As A Whole

How to buy a business ; Evaluate the firm price using earnings, assets, or the market as a whole

This is the point at which many deals fail to materialize since buyers and sellers frequently place very different values on the same business, and a number of different factors influence a business’s importance.

In most cases, prospective buyers and sellers consult some form of pricing model before beginning talks to obtain a general estimate of the amount of money involved. During this phase, it can be quite beneficial to bring in an independent business valuation consultant to determine objectively worth. Valuation services, which may be accessed online or through word of mouth, cost approximately $3,000 to $5,000, but they can save you thousands more in the long run by coming up with an accurate estimate.

It is beneficial to have some familiarity with various approaches to valuing a firm, regardless of whether you intend to handle this task on your own or contract it out to someone else. One of them is earning approach. It is possible to value a company using the earnings approach technique based on its past, current, and future profits. The capitalized earnings and discounted cash flow methods are examples of this methodology.

It is possible to estimate future earnings and put a value on a company whose profits have been relatively constant in the past. Predicting how much a firm will make in the future is possible even if the company has not yet made a profit. Because the earnings technique relies on a prediction of future earnings, which may or may not be true, it has a drawback. Another approach is the asset approach, the worth of a company’s tangible and intangible assets, less its debts and liabilities, are calculated using the assets approach. Equipment and real estate are tangible assets, while patents, trademarks, and software are intangible assets. While the current market value of assets is considered, the future return on investment from such help is also considered.

Create A Budget For The Purchase

To buy a business, you must first agree on a price with the seller. Various methods exist for raising funds necessary to purchase an existing firm, some of which are tailored specifically for this purpose and others relatively conventional.

The following are a few options for financing a company acquisition:

Personal Or Family Funds Can Be Used

Existing businesses can be purchased if you have the funds to do so. This is more likely to occur if you buy a small business rather than a chain. To be safe, you should always check with your accountant before making a significant cash outlay. Make sure you don’t spend all your savings on a business, as running a firm requires money.

A large number of firms are also financed by borrowing money from family members. Consider the tax consequences of gifts and family loans if you choose this path. Get the money exchanged in writing and follow IRS requirements for family loans if you’re doing it amongst family members.

Seller Financing

Some vendors are willing to hold a note or accept staggered payments, much like a lender would be willing to do so. Consequently, customers may rest assured that they’ll have money each month (or years, depending on your plan).

If you plan to employ another form of debt financing in addition to seller financing, there are restrictions to follow. For example, if you’re also getting an SBA loan, the sellers must agree that they won’t be paid back until you pay off the SBA loan.

Additionally, some sellers may be ready to accept a reduced price in exchange for items they no longer need, such as furniture or a business car.

Partnership

As an alternative to purchasing a business on your own, you can form a partnership and divide the payments you’ll have to make while still owning the business.

Bringing on a partner when purchasing a firm is beneficial for cutting costs and bringing on someone with a more specialized background or set of skills. A partnership agreement should be prepared so that co-ownership is not a source of future conflict.

Close The Deal By Submitting The Necessary Paperwork

How to buy a business ; Close the deal by submitting the necessary paperwork

The closing of the deal is the last item on our to-do list for purchasing an existing business.

When you have finally located the ideal company, performed all of the necessary research, agreed on a reasonable price, and amassed the funds needed, you must ensure that you (or a broker) have all of the following documents, notes, and agreements in place before you officially buy a business:

Invoice Of The Sale

When you purchase an existing business, this document will prove that the company was sold to you. It will also help to officially transfer ownership of the business assets from the seller to you.

Lease

Make sure your future landlord knows you will take over the firm’s lease if you decide to do so. On the other hand, if you are negotiating a new lease, you should ensure everyone is clear on the conditions of the lease.

Vehicle Documentation

Do any of the company’s vehicles come with the purchase of the business? In that case, you could be required to transfer ownership of the car with the local DMV; in that case, you should be sure to obtain all necessary documents before the sale.

When you buy an established company, you must ensure that all patents, trademarks, and copyrights may be transferred to you, the new owner. This may require the completion of specific paperwork.

Consultation/Employment Agreement

This document must be created if the buyer continues to work for the company after the sale. If such is the case, be sure to file this agreement.

Laws Governing Large-Scale Transactions

Business inventory is the focus of bulk sale rules, which aim to prevent business owners from transferring ownership of the company to a third party to avoid paying their debts. To comply, prospective buyers must generally notify the local tax or financial authority of the forthcoming transaction.

Final Thoughts

Our discussion of the steps involved in how to buy a business or how to buy an existing business- has come to an end at this point. Knowing how to do something is vital, but knowing why you’re doing it is significantly more critical. Owning a business isn’t simply buying a business; it’s buying the freedom to operate your firm and set your course. Buying a business is an extensive choice, but it may be made easier with careful research and due diligence.

Don’t dismiss the concept of a business broker because of the costs they may charge—take a lot of time and write down everything you learn. Make sure everything goes according to plan, and you’ll be able to enjoy the process! You’ll know it was all worth it when you walk or log into your business for the first time.

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