Thursday September 15, 2011 at 10:00am
There will be few business owners who haven’t dreamt of being offered a multi-million pound inducement to sell their company. But for most it remains just that, a dream.
You can take some steps towards making that dream a reality however, once you’ve decided that selling your business is the right move for you. Business succession planning or exit is something many business owners put off, often to the point where it’s too late. My advice to every business owner is the same &....
Thursday June 9, 2011 at 9:23am
A good way to look at your business is as an investment. By this I mean it produces an income for as long as you own it (the dividend) and you want to maximise the proceeds when you eventually sell it. No different to a portfolio of shares really except you have all of your eggs in one highly specialised and personalised basket.
As with most investments the income from the investment is often overlooked as the much bigger number is the sale proceeds. However, for many the sale proceeds are sim....
Friday March 4, 2011 at 10:00am
With few tax-breaks available to business owners at the moment it is worthwhile knowing about one that is still very much still alive and kicking and can significantly benefit business owners planning to sell.
Entrepreneur’s relief was introduced in 2008. From 23rd June 2010 the first £5 million of gains that qualify for relief will be charged to Capital Gains Tax at an effective rate of 10 per cent. Gains in excess of £5 million will be charged at the normal 18 per cent or 2....
Friday November 26, 2010 at 9:33am
When many owner managers come to extricate themselves from their business – either by passing it on to a member of the family or deciding to sell – they suddenly realise how indispensible they are and how difficult it is to let go.
In the most profitable businesses we see, the entrepreneur has released him or herself from the business by systemising each part of the business and allocating responsibilities to other people within the organisation. This process of gradually delegatin....
Friday October 15, 2010 at 5:39pm
Thinking of selling up? There are 3 critical steps to take to make sure you maximise the value of your business.1. Prepare the numbers Get your business in sound financial order. Any potential buyer will want to see accurate financial information, including management information and KPIs. They will want to feel you have a handle on your business and that doesn’t just mean looking at the past, it means showing them future potential. Many buyers look for investments where they can make impr....
Thursday September 9, 2010 at 9:24pm
No doubt you have realised that times are tough at the moment. Customers are scarcer and they want to spend less or want more product or service for less money. The banks aren’t lending at the suggestion that you can easily borrow elsewhere if they say no. Their balance sheets are undercapitalised and lending targets have certainly shrunk regardless of what they say in public.
In such an environment it makes sense to move away from the seat of the pants approach to decision making. Gone ....
Wednesday July 14, 2010 at 11:28am
As accountants working with entrepreneurs and the owners of family businesses we come across all sorts of businessmen and women. Many run excellent businesses and build a legacy they are able to leave to their families alongside sufficient wealth for themselves to allow them to live a prosperous life in retirement. We’ve noticed however that those who succeed when it comes to exit planning take a very proactive and positive approach to business and strategic planning. Those who are less su....
Tuesday June 29, 2010 at 11:27am
Recent research from Coutts amongst some of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs highlighted that business owners are under-prepared when it comes to business exit. 46% of pre-exit entrepreneurs surveyed believed it would take less than a year to sell; the reality is it will take up to two years of planning before a sale completes.
Business owners admit to being naive when it comes to understanding fully the process of selling their business. Getting good advice from the right advisors is esse....