A vendor-funded (or “owner-funded”) management buy out can be a great solution for business owners who want certainty when it comes to the sale of their company. You can decide when you sell, you’ll trust the buyer(s) and are far more likely to get the price you want and need. But a VF-MBO isn’t without risk. […]
Culture and Values: the fundamental building blocks of a business
Having worked in 4 different law firms in my career I had a sense (a very vague sense) that each of those businesses had their own distinctive culture. To an observer without an intimate knowledge of the people who worked in each business they would all have seemed pretty similar. The simple truth is that […]
Profiling your ideal customer: the importance of psychology to successful selling
My lightbulb moment: the realisation of a wonderful new way of planning for succession through which we might help business owners particularly those who loved what they did and were reluctant to let go. Turning such an idea into a product or service that could be successfully sold at a price that works financially was […]
Eight reasons to choose a vendor-funded management buyout
Motivate your team Used in the right way planning for a VFMBO can be a great way for you to help your employees to think like business owners. It also empowers you, the business owner, to step back and think like an investor. Sell your business to a trusted buyer The buyer is your team, […]
Our next succession planning workshop – 1st May!
As business owners we all have something in common: we have to accept that we cannot run our businesses forever. What do you want for yourself and your business? Have you considered all of the options? Will your business be ready for you to leave when the time comes? Our succession planning workshops offer an […]
Our Succession Planning Journey: The Start
In June 2009 we had launched our ecommerce website through which we were selling share scheme packs as well as on the site of a legal publisher. We soon came to realise that it was those who did not buy the online document pack but instead telephoned looking for advice on share schemes who had […]
Common problems with a Management Buyout
If a third party sale isn’t on the cards, a Management Buyout could be a great alternative option for your succession plan. What a great scenario – selling to the team you have built who you know and trust. So what can go wrong? Money! So you know what price you want for your business […]
From Invention to Innovation: Our Succession Planning Journey
Ideas are ten a penny: the real challenge is can you take your great idea and turn it into a profitable product or service that can drive the growth of your company? My historical hero is James Watt, the engineer who in the late 1700s invented the condensing chamber to the steam engine. It meant […]
Selling your Business: The Importance of your Team
Selling your business is something you might only ever do once. Careful planning and preparation will, of course, be key but you should never underestimate the importance of your team – not only to help you get a third party sale across the line, but also their importance to the purchaser. That purchaser could be […]
Between Exchange and Completion – What Can Possibly Go Wrong?
Most property transactions proceed first to exchanging contracts. This is the point at which both the buyer and the seller are committed to the sale and purchase. Neither party can withdraw without having to pay damages to the other. However, that is not the point at which ownership of the house or office or whatever it […]