Entries by Paul Wildrick

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Which Is Better, a Financial Buyer or a Strategic Buyer?

If you decide to sell your business to an outside acquirer, you’re going to have to decide between a financial and a strategic buyer—understanding the different motivations of these two buyers can be the key to getting a good price for your business. A financial buyer is acquiring your future profit stream, so they will […]

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The Build vs. Buy Equation

If you’re wondering what your business might be worth to an acquirer, there is a simple calculation you can use. Let’s call it “The Build vs. Buy Equation”. At some point, every acquirer does the math and calculates how much it would cost to re-create what you’ve built. If an acquirer figures they could buy […]

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The Biggest Mistake Owners Make When Selling

One of the biggest mistake owners make in selling their company is being lured into a proprietary deal. The Definition Of A Proprietary Deal Acquirers land a proprietary deal (or “prop deal”) when they convince owners to sell their businesses without creating a competitive marketplace. Acquirers running a proprietary deal know they don’t have any […]

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Learning From Acquisitions That Fall Apart

John McCann sold The Bolt Supply House to Lawson Products (NASDAQ: LAWS) at the end of 2017. McCann’s strategy involved learning from the acquirers who knocked on his door. He invited would-be buyers into The Bolt Supply House and listened to what they had to say. He was not committed to selling, but instead wanted […]