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How To Reduce Owner Dependence Before A Sale

Build your dream team.

An important step in reducing your company’s dependence on you is to create your management dream team. Assembling the right people to take over the reigns can shift the burden off of you far before the time comes to sell. Make sure your team members know that they have your confidence by giving them more responsibility. This also means that there can be less reliance on you moving forward. Another significant benefit of having a stable and experienced management team in place is that it makes your company more appealing to buyers and ensures a smoother transition period.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options? 

Create documentation.

Before selling a business, it is imperative that your processes and procedures are fully documented. When you outline howthings work and whythey work, it can be key to your organization’s appearance of professionalism. Not having a proper roadmap to your operations could be a deal-breaker for prospective buyers, as they will want to follow guidelines that they see are proven effective or adapt those guidelines accordingly.

Having proper documentation in place also means that your management team can make informed decisions in your absence should you just want to vacation for a couple of weeks. It will also be needed to keep everything running smoothly when it is time to transition the company in the event of a sale.

Creating this documentation may seem like a tedious task that you may feel too busy to do, but remember that it is critical to reducing your company’s dependence on you and will ultimately pay off in the long run.         

 

Plan your exit strategy.

As a business owner, it is critical that you have a plan for your exit from the company. A sound exit strategy will allow your business to transition smoothly into the right hands. This forward planning will ensure that your business stays on track and is achieving your goals. After all, if you have not set any goals, how can you expect to achieve them? These goals will be crucial in increasing the value of your company prior to a sale. Your management team should clearly understand these objectives so they can work with you on the path to shared success, and eventually, without you.

Establishing an exit strategy can be complicated and somewhat intimidating, which is why most savvy business owners partner with an experienced broker such as Benchmark International. Our specialists will work closely with you to establish an exit plan that is tailored to your specific needs and helps take the guesswork out of the process. We can even help you find the right buyer because we have powerful connections around the world.

Exit planning can reduce your company’s dependence on you and arm you with confidence for when it is time to sell. Instead of worrying about where to start, just start by
giving us a call.
Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

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6 Indicators that it Might be Time to Sell Your Business

You may not have considered selling your business and moving onto the next project, as perhaps it is growing at an acceptable pace and you have no pressing reasons to sell. Nevertheless, it may be worth considering an exit if you can identify with any of the following:

 

 Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

 

Your Business is Making you Exhausted

There are a number of reasons why your business could be making you exhausted. Perhaps you only started it for the money and you don’t love what you do, or the lifestyle of an entrepreneur hasn’t met your expectations. Whichever way, you feel apathetic towards the business and dealing with it is tiring.

While you have no need to sell, if you feel burnt out by your business it is worth considering doing so – you are doing the business no favours by sticking it out as the business could suffer as a result of not having someone at the helm who wants to drive the business forward.

 

Business Growth

If your business is steadily growing, then it may be a good time to consider an exit. A buyer is likely to pay over the odds for your company if it is on a growth curve as they can reap the rewards later down the line.

Equally as attractive to a buyer is a business operating within a growth industry. Even if your business is not seeing the growth, if the industry you operate in is thriving, a buyer could be interested due to the opportunities available.

 

You’ve Received an Offer You Can’t Refuse

A buyer has approached you and offered to buy your business for a handsome sum of money. You weren’t thinking of selling but, as you might not receive an offer like this again, this is perhaps a good indicator that you should sell.

Nevertheless, it’s always beneficial to take your business to market even in the event of such an offer, because if one party is willing to offer this for your company, then there’s no reason why others wouldn’t value your business the same, or maybe even higher.

 

You Want to Take Advantage of Low Capital Gain Tax

Capital gains tax is at historically low levels; therefore, it is a good time to sell. While this is not the only reason you should sell, if you feel yourself identifying with other reasons on this list, then now may be a good time to take advantage of this.

 

You’ve Been Offered a Better Job Opportunity

This might seem strange – you are your own boss and now you are going to be an employee. However, there are many merits to being an employee – for example, a regular, and probably better, income and being free from the demands and liabilities involved in running your own business.

 

You Don’t Have the Correct Skills to Grow the Business

As a business grows, more and different skills are required to keep the business growing than when you initially started. For example, you might be a great salesperson, which was extremely beneficial when setting up the company but, now, leadership is required in different areas. You could possibly learn these skills, or employ more people to take on these new leadership roles, but if you feel like you don’t have the energy to carry on with the business, this may be another indicator that it’s time to move on.

 

 Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

While the above points may be a good indication that it’s time to move on, it’s unlikely that one of these alone will compel you to sell. Instead, you might decide to sell because of a mix of these reasons, coupled with other factors such as economic conditions. When this time does come, Benchmark International can help by discussing your exit strategy and assisting you in finding the best buyer for your needs.

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated The Acquisition Of M.C. Communication, Inc. To ModOp LLC.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the sale of M.C. Communications to ModOp LLC. MC Communications, is a creative services marketing firm established in 1986 in Dallas, Texas. The buyer, ModOp, LLC., is a digital marketing firm with locations in New York, Miami and Los Angeles.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

For Three decades, M.C. Communications has provided full service, integrated advertising, public relations and social media marketing. M.C. Communication’s portfolio includes a variety of clients in industries like manufacturing, energy, insurance, government, finance, retail, health, security and entertainment.

ModOp, LLC., is a creative strategic design agency that shapes brands through powerful storytelling, stunning design and insightful problem solving.

Benchmark International’s Transaction Director, Luis Vinals, commented “We are beyond thrilled for Mike and his team at M.C. Communications. Having an excellent cultural fit is the key to all successful partnerships and we believe that many doors will open for the team at M.C. Communications and for ModOp LLC., as they move forward.

 

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Webinar: How to Appeal to the Broadest Range of Buyers when Selling Your Company

When selling your business, dealing with the various types of buyers present in today’s market is both a curse and a blessing. It’s a blessing in that, aspects of your business that may not appeal to a certain buyer type may appeal to, or at least not be an issue with, other types of buyers. But a hundred different curses almost offset this large benefit. What do different buyers prioritize? How do you appeal to two or more different types of buyers at the same time? How do different buyer types run their decision-making processes? Which buyer types should you pursue? How do you even know what type of buyer you are dealing with?

Register for Webinar

In a world with only one type of buyer, the company sale process is greatly simplified. They might all like to hear the company’s story the same way. They might look at the financial statements the same way. They might all operate on the same timeline with the same seasonal variations. And, they might even be susceptible to being found in the same place from time to time. But, what is currently driving the robustness of today’s M&A markets are in fact the imbalance between the number of buyers and the number of sellers in the arena. And this, in turn, is largely driven by the increasing diversity of buyer types now competing with one another for that limited supply of opportunities.

In today’s market, one of the worst moves a seller can make is to market to only one type of buyer or, even worse, run a process expressly excluding one or more types of buyers. The success of any current sale process relies on a much more sophisticated approach to marketing, than was the case a decade ago - one that catches the interest of all buyer groups simultaneously and excites them for the opportunity to investigate further. The first step in exploiting this development is to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and priorities of the various buyer types. This webinar will start with this analysis and then move quickly onto strategies for playing to various buyer characteristics.

Host:
Clinton Johnston
Managing Director
Benchmark International

Register for Webinar

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3 Benefits of International Mergers and Acquisitions

If you are thinking of growing your business on an international level, it might be worth considering partnering with another company through a merger or acquisition, due to these three benefits: 

New Markets

International expansion allows access to new markets and a greater reach to more of these consumers, thus increasing sales. While this can be achieved by establishing a branch or subsidiary, a merger or acquisition could save time and money spent on starting a business from scratch.

Partnering with a company in a smaller country can be particularly fruitful, as the smaller the country, the larger the access to its market.

 

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

Diversification

An advantage of an international merger or acquisition is a wider range of services or products can be explored. This helps a business in diversifying their assets, protecting the bottom line against unforeseen circumstances. For instance, companies with international operations can offset negative growth in one market by operating successfully in another. Companies can also utilise international markets to introduce unique products and services, which can help maintain a positive revenue stream.

For example, Coca-Cola diversifies through global operations and recently reported increased sales in China, India and South Korea, which benefited Coca-Cola worldwide.

Obtaining Access to a Talented Workforce

One of the conditions for merging with, or acquiring, another company is to retain the staff and integrate them in the new company, which are legal requirements imposed by national and international regulations. The benefit is that international labour can offer companies unique advantages in terms of increased productivity, advanced language skills, diverse educational backgrounds and more.

If the above appeals to you it might be time to contact an experienced mergers and acquisitions specialist to talk through the next steps. 

 Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

WE ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE

Call Benchmark International today if you are interested in an exit or growth strategy or if you are interested in acquiring.

 

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A Seller’s Guide to a Successful Mergers and Acquisitions Process

The Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) process is exhausting. For most sellers, it’s a one-time experience like no other and a marathon business event. When done well, the process begins far in advance of the daunting “due diligence” phase and ends well beyond deal completion. This Seller’s guide summarizes key, and often overlooked, steps in a successful M&A process.

Phase I: Preparation – Tidy Up and Create Your Dream Team.

Of course, our own kids are the best and brightest, and bring us great pride and joy. Business owners tend to be just as proud of the company they’ve built, the success of their creation, and the uniqueness of their offering. Sometimes this can cloud an objective view of opportunities for improvement that will drive incremental value in a M&A transaction.

For starters, sellers must ensure that company financial statements are in order. Few things scare off buyers or devalue a business more than sloppy financials. A buyer’s Quality of Earnings review during due diligence is the wrong time to identify common issues such as inconsistent application of the matching principle, classifying costs as capital vs. expense, improper accrual accounting, or unsubstantiated entries. In addition, the ability to quickly produce detailed reports – income statement; balance sheet; supplier, customer, product, and service line details; aging reports; certificates and licenses; and cost details – will not only drive up buyer confidence and valuations, but also streamline the overall process.

Key in accomplishing the items above as well as a successful transaction is having the right team in place. Customarily, this doesn’t involve a seller’s internal team as much as his or her outside trusted advisors and subject matter experts. These include a great CFO or accountant, a sell-side M&A broker, a M&A attorney, and a tax and wealth manager. There are countless stories of disappointed sellers who regretted consummating a less-than-favorable transaction after “doing it on their own.” The fees paid to these outside subject matter experts is generally a small part of the overall transaction value and pays for itself in transaction efficiency and improved deal economics.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Phase II: On Market – Sell It!

At this stage, sellers that have enlisted the help of a good M&A broker have few concerns. The best M&A advisors are very hands on and will manage a robust process that includes the creation of world class marketing materials, outreach breadth and depth, access to effective buyers, client preparation, and ongoing education and updates. The seller’s focus is, well, selling! With their advisor’s guidance, a ready seller has prepared in advance for calls and site visits. This includes thinking through the tough questions from buyers, rehearsing their pitch, articulating simple and clear messages regarding the company’s unique value propositions, tailoring growth ideas to suit different types of buyers, and readying the property to be “shown.”

Most importantly, sellers need to ensure their business delivers excellent financial performance during this time, another certain make-or-break criterion for a strong valuation and deal completion. In fact, many purchase price values are tied directly to the company’s trailing 12-month (TTM) performance at or near the time of close. For a seller, it can feel like having two full time jobs, simultaneously managing record company results and the M&A process, which is precisely why sellers should have a quality M&A broker by their side. During the sale process, which usually takes at least several months, valuations are directly impacted, up or down, based on the company’s TTM performance. And, given that valuations are typically based on a multiple of earnings, each dollar change in company earnings can have a 5 or 10 dollar change in valuation. At a minimum, sellers should run their business in the “normal course”, as if they weren’t contemplating a sale. The best outcomes are achieved when company performance is strong and sellers sprint through the finish line.

Phase III: Due Diligence – Time Kills Deals!

Once an offer is received, successfully negotiated with the help of an advisor, and accepted, due diligence begins. While the bulk of the cost for this phase is borne by the buyer, the effort is equally shared by both sides. It’s best to think of this phase as a series of sprints and remember the all-important M&A adage, “time kills deals!” Time kills deals because it introduces risk: business performance risk, buyer financing, budget, or portfolio risk, market risk, customer demand and supplier performance risks, litigation risk, employee retention risk, and so on. Once an offer is received and both sides wish to consummate a transaction, it especially behooves the seller to speed through this process as quickly as possible and avoid becoming a statistic in failed M&A deals.

The first sprint involves populating a virtual data room with the requested data, reports, and files that a buyer needs in order to conduct due diligence. The data request can seem daunting and may include over 100 items. Preparation in the first phase will come in handy here, as will assistance from the seller’s support team. The M&A broker is especially key in supporting, managing, and prioritizing items for the data room – based on the buyer’s due diligence sequence – and keeping all parties aligned and on track.

The second sprint requires excellent responsiveness by the seller. As the buyer reviews data and conducts analysis, questions will arise. Immediately addressing these questions keeps the process on track and avoids raising concerns. This phase likely also includes site visits by the buyer and third parties for on-site financial and environmental reviews, and property appraisals. They should be scheduled and completed without delay.

The third and final due diligence sprint involves negotiating the final purchase contract and supporting schedules, exhibits, and agreements; also known as “turning documents.” The seller’s M&A attorney is key in this phase. This is not the time for a generalist attorney or one that specializes in litigation, patent law, family law, or corporate law, or happens to be a friend of the family. Skilled M&A attorneys, like medical specialists, specialize in successfully completing M&A transactions on behalf of their clients. Their familiarity with M&A contracts and supporting documents, market norms, and skill in selecting and negotiating the right deal points, is the best insurance for a seller seeking a clean transaction with lasting success.

 

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

 

Phase IV: Post Sale – You’ve Got One Shot.

Whether a seller’s passion post-sale is continuing to grow the business, retire, travel, support charity, or a combination of these, once again, preparation is key. Unfortunately, many sellers don’t think about wealth management soon enough. A wealth advisor can and should provide input throughout the M&A process. Up front, they can assist in determining valuations needed to achieve the seller’s long-term goals. When negotiating offers and during due diligence, they encourage deal structures that optimize the seller’s cash flow and tax position. And post-close, sellers will greatly benefit from wealth management strategies, cash flow optimization, wealth transfer, investment strategies, and strategic philanthropy. Proper planning for post-sale success must start early and it takes time; and, it’s critical to have the right team of experienced professionals in place.

The M&A process is complex, it usually has huge implications for a seller and his or her company and family, and most sellers will only experience it once in a lifetime. Preparing in advance, building and leveraging the expertise of a dream team, and acting with a sense of urgency throughout the process will minimize risk, maximize the probability of a successful M&A transaction, and contribute to the seller’s success and satisfaction long after the
deal closes.

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Five Reasons Why It’s Worth Investing in an M&A Adviser When Selling Your Business

You have come to a point in your business life where you have decided that it is time to sell and move onto the next project. Of course, you want to command the best price for your business and explore all the opportunities available. As such, you have considered an M&A adviser to help in the process – but is it really worth it? They could help you generate more value for your business but if you factor in the fee for engaging their services, will you make any more money?

Then again, there are many advantages to hiring an M&A adviser, which are not just limited to value. If you have thought about hiring an M&A adviser, but are unsure of the benefits, consider the below:

 Ready to explore your exit and growth options?


They can Minimise Distractions During the Process

You know your business the best and if you are knowledgeable about the M&A process you could facilitate the transaction yourself – although this doesn’t mean you should. After all, an M&A transaction takes a significant amount of time and the time you have to spend on the transaction could end up being detrimental to business performance. As the value of a business is more often than not linked to financial performance, you need to focus your efforts into making sure the company is performing the best it can be, rather than focusing on the transaction itself.

 

They can Source a Larger Pool of Buyers

If you’re thinking of selling your business you may have an idea of the acquirers you want to approach. This is good, but an M&A adviser constantly networks with various strategic and financial buyers on a national and international basis in various industries; therefore, they have a very large pool of acquirers at their fingertips to contact about the opportunity. Not only is an M&A adviser’s pool of acquirers large, it is also varied, which means they can think outside the box and a lucrative deal could be sourced cross-sector. Another benefit of generating interest from a large pool of acquirers is you are more likely to have multiple competing bids, strengthening your negotiating stance.

 

They can Negotiate a Favourable Deal

As mentioned, an M&A adviser can help to create a competitive bidding environment which can lead to a better deal being negotiated; however, this is not the only way an M&A adviser negotiates on your behalf. Often, deals are not for 100% cash so an M&A adviser will negotiate a deal structure so both parties can reach a compromise and agreement. This can be very beneficial for you if, for example, you have just secured a large contract where earnings will increase over the next year, as, if the deal has been based on a multiple of current earnings, then you will not be correctly compensated for the contract you have secured. Therefore, an M&A adviser will negotiate a deal which will maximise value beyond the purchase price.

 

They can Protect your Interests

It is in your best interest to keep the sale of your company confidential – if it gets out that you are selling this could potentially alienate employees and customers and give your competition the upper hand. By yourself, when approaching potential acquirers, it is difficult to protect the identity of the company as it’s not easy to solicit interest without disclosing who you are. An M&A adviser, on the other hand, will have interested parties sign a non-disclosure agreement before they are given any information about the business, including the name of the business and the owner. At this stage, it is also important to gauge whether the company you are approaching has the finances to purchase your company – again, this is something which is difficult to do without compromising confidentiality.

 

They Add Valuable Resource

They say ‘first impressions are the most lasting’ so when it comes to selling your business, it is important that a potential acquirer’s first impression is first rate. An M&A adviser can assist with this through their proven processes that help businesses to market themselves as the complete package. As well, engaging an M&A adviser can add credibility to potential buyers as they can see that you are serious about conducting a transaction, which can save time and improve offers.

 

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Preparing for Due Diligence: Sell-Side

Due diligence is a buyer’s detailed investigation into the matters of your company in preparation for a possible sale transaction. For many business owners, this is one of the most dreaded parts of selling their business. After a letter of intent (LOI) is signed and a price range is agreed to, buyers have the right to dig into the business to ensure that they know what they are buying, and to identify any potential risks of owning the business. While buyers and sellers have different objectives and motives, both parties benefit from a thorough and efficient processes. Whether your company is pursuing a capital infusion or positioning itself for an acquisition by a strategic or financial buyer, due diligence is a critical component of every investment.  It’s an intrusive process and, like everything else about the sale of your business, you need to be prepared.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

When a potential buyer assesses your company, they will want to fully understand the essentials of the business such as organizational information, financial records, regulatory matters and litigation, employment and labor matters, and many others. When your company is well-prepared for the exit process, long before it is anticipated, not only will it make the company look more attractive to potential buyers but it will also maximize the value and expedite the transaction timeline. If not properly prepared, this can result in an incredible demand on a company and its resources, give a buyer the perception that the company is disorganized, and create operational difficulties within the company.

Below are four ways to prepare for due diligence and secure the deal you want:

Start with a Due Diligence Checklist

Most buyers will provide the target company with a due diligence checklist but, before receiving that list, sellers should ensure that common checklist items are available, up-to-date, accurate, and organized. The data needed for the due diligence process should be in order and ready to be uploaded to a virtual data room within a couple of days of initiating due diligence. This is not only necessary in the event of an acquisition, but it is also a valuable discipline to maintain as the company grows.

Invest in Professional Accounting Practices

The due diligence process is dependent upon the strength of the seller’s accounting system. It is essential that the company’s financial reports present potential buyers with a clear story, allowing them to fully evaluate the company’s earning potential. Buyers will be concerned with all of the target company’s historical financial statements and related financial metrics, as well as the reasonableness of the projections of its future performance. A business’ financial records should be clearly stated and easy to follow. If not, this could create confusion, misunderstanding, and devaluation.

Planned transactions have failed, even though the business itself was healthy and growing, when the financial reporting was outdated, inaccurate, or incomplete, and the buyer could not trust the data. Accurate financial statements are also necessary for the seller to support the business valuation. What assets does the business have? How profitable is the business? What is the working capital? What are the growth trends? All of these are major factors in the valuation of the business, so the data representing them needs to be accurate and precise.

To avoid issues, it is recommended that, before going to market, a seller contacts an independent accounting firm to review or audit the company’s financial statements. This will help to ensure that the company financial data is accurate and complete, will instill a sense of confidence from the buyer, and will more likely result in an efficient and successful due diligence process.

Engage Qualified Representation

A team of good professional advisors is crucial to a successful sale of a company. These advisors will steer sellers in terms of what they need to do to get their company ready for sale. Tap into these resources because they will have dealt with enough transactions to know what you should be focusing on to ensure a successful sale. Some recommended professional advisors include, but are not limited to, a M&A broker, an accountant, a tax advisor, a M&A lawyer, a wealth advisor, an investment banker, and a trusts and estate lawyer, if needed. With advance planning and the help of good advisors, a seller can ensure that his or her best interests are fully represented, common pitfalls are avoided, and the transaction will run smoothly and efficiently.

Responsiveness to Requests

During the due diligence process, potential buyers will seek to comprehensively understand the business practices behind a company’s earnings. It is the sellers job to guide the buyer through the learning curve. Respond to the buyer’s due diligence requests in an organized, detailed, and complete manner. If there are requests for missing data, respond punctually. This responsiveness allows the seller to gain credibility with a buyer, and provides buyers additional comfort with the quality of the business they are buying.

Conclusion

Due diligence is a vital and complex part of M&A transactions. Preparing beforehand can help a company position itself for higher valuations, stronger negotiations, and better outcomes. Understanding the importance of due diligence to both parties in a transaction, planning in advance, enlisting the support of specialists, and investing the time to run a thorough due diligence review early in a transaction will help prevent unwelcome surprises and potential liabilities for both parties.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

Author
Kayla Sullivan 
Associate
Benchmark International

T: +1 813 898 2350
E: Sullivan@benchmarkcorporate.com 

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Should I Start a Business or Buy One?

Maybe you are a lot like Sam. Sam has been working at a job that he doesn’t love, going to work each day and feeling unfulfilled.  Sam would really like to quit and go into business for himself but he has a wife and a child to support.  This leaves him with a big decision to make; should he start a business or buy an existing one?  As Sam does his research, he discovers the many factors that will influence his decision.

Sam, like many of us, has a family to support so most important to him is to have sufficient income to continue supporting his family.  Taking on the risk of possibly not generating any income for several years with a startup is not a realistic option for Sam.  Since starting up is not an option for Sam, buying an existing business will allow him to have the necessary cash flow from day one as he will be taking a salary directly from his business.  In addition, depending on the way he chooses to acquire his new business he will be able to keep investing back into the business so it can continue to grow.  While Sam understands that there will be many headaches and long days because of his new business owners he will be free to be his own boss.  Furthermore, this new business will likely relieve a lot of the financial stress that he currently has as his family’s expenses continues to grow. 

Like most people going into business for themselves, Sam will need to secure financing and/or attract investors to help him get started.  He quickly learns that banks and investors strongly prefer dealing or lending to a business that has a proven track record and strong historic financial performance rather than a higher risk start up business with so many uncertain factors such as high debt, or customer concentrations.  With the right guidance from a reputable M&A firm such as Benchmark International, Sam will be able to find financing to be on his way to fulfilling his dream of business ownership.

Like many young entrepreneurs, Sam is excited and motivated by the idea of growing a business.  He understands that there is a marketplace for businesses he is currently looking for and is much less interested in the grueling legwork and struggle of getting one up and running.  He knows that buying a business will give him an established brand that has been tried and tested along with any patents, copyrights and valuable legal rights that may come with that.  Having acquired a business, rather than starting one, will have be doing the work he is most passionate about from day one.

Sam’s wife Helen is a very active member in their community and their home is usually filled with family and friends. Like many of us, friends and family are very important to Sam and he wants to make sure he will still have time for those things and does not miss out.  Sam is especially enthusiastic about four children’s school activities.  He realizes that by buying an existing business, he will have an established vendor, customer base, goodwill, equipment and suppliers.  Things he would otherwise need to spend countless hours acquiring.  Sam will also have an experienced and trained staff in place ready to go that will know and understand the business so he can take a couple of hours and see his children flourish.  The seller has spent time teaching and training those people and Sam will reap the benefits of that.  From day one, he will have people in place who are able to help run the business and teach him things while he gets settled in.  Sam understands the target business and he knows that with a few tweaks and changes here and there it will be running the way he wants to in no time.  While at the same time being able to spend the evenings at home with his wife and kids. 

Business ownership may seem like a daunting thought but it really should not be that hard.  Sam’s experience shows us some of the things to think about when making such an important life decision.

So, what about you?  Are those advantages important to you as well?  Do you have a unique idea that may be easier to get off the ground by incorporating it into an existing business?  As we move into a time where more and more baby boomers are looking to retire and sell their businesses, the opportunities are endless for budding entrepreneurs.  Your time may be now!

And what happened to Sam you wonder?  Sam did make the decision to purchase an existing store rather than start his own and was very successful in growing it.  In fact, Sam Walton grew his Wal-Mart stores to be the largest retail chain in the United States.  What business will you grow? 

Author
Amy Alonso 
Associate
Benchmark International

T: +1 615 924 8522
E: alonso@benchmarkcorporate.com 

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Dustin Graham was interviewed by Business Day TV on “How to Value Your Business”

Benchmark International's Dustin Graham, Managing Director of the Cape Town and Johannesburg offices in South Africa, was interviewed by Business Day TV. The "How to Value Your Business" discussion can be viewed here: 

 

 

Is transformation important to your business?

Business Day TV is broadcast on Channel 412 on DStv and is available to over 10-million viewers in 9 countries across Southern Africa. It is one of three TV stations owned by The African Business Channel.

ABC is owned by SA’s leading financial publisher BDFM, publisher of Business Day and Financial Mail. BDFM in turn is owned by the Times Media Group, one of SA’s largest media houses. One of Business Day TV’s strengths is its access to content from this extensive network.

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Benchmark International completes Sale of MC2, INC to Stark Holdings America, INC.

Benchmark International has successfully negotiated the sale of its client, MC2, Inc. ("MC2 ") to Stark Holdings America, Inc. ("Stark"), formerly known as Stark Technologies Group, Inc., a New York corporation. 

Based in Sanford, Florida, MC2 is recognized as Florida's automated control and security systems leader, with more than 20 years of on-site experience. MC2 has successfully evolved into a premier provider of engineered, state-of-the-art direct digital control, energy management systems, security access control, and closed circuit television systems, and lighting control for customers in both public and private sectors. 

Under President Roy G. Hoffman Jr.'s leadership, the company has successfully expanded and continues to increase its service footprint throughout the state of Florida. With a team of more than 50 knowledgeable engineers and technicians trained in a variety of automation and security systems, the company is prepared to deploy professionally designed systems to meet customers' specific needs. MC2' s flexibility allows the company to offer proprietary and non-proprietary systems, including integration services to third party systems, offering complete low voltage building solutions. 

Mr Hoffman stated, "While Benchmark was involved throughout the process, their assistance on getting extra value built into the deal after the acquirer's initial valuation was received really demonstrated their unique expertise and command of the process." 

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

With more than 29 years in business, Stark is a North American provider of comprehensive intelligent building and energy management solutions. The company boasts over 250 employees and has been involved in projects across all 50 states, as well as 1 0 Canadian Provinces. While Stark continues to experience year-over-year revenue growth, the acquisition of MC2 provides Stark with an expanded geographic presence in the Florida market. 

"MC2 is a compelling addition to Stark's platform, and we are truly honored to have worked alongside the MC2 team toward this successful outcome", said Trevor Talkie, Senior Associate at Benchmark International. 

Leo VanderSchuur, Director at Benchmark International added, "Allowing both the seller and acquirer to prosper and benefit is always an ideal end result. On behalf of Benchmark International, I'd like to wish both parties the best of luck moving forward." 

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What to Do When You’ve Lost the Entrepreneurial Spirit

When you first started your own business, you were probably brimming with entrepreneurial spirit, otherwise the company would never have got off the ground in the first place. Now, however, you are feeling lacklustre towards your business, as the mundane tasks to keep the business going are taking over and hampering your entrepreneurial spirit. Here are four steps to take action and get your business moving forward again:

Feeling unfulfilled? Explore your options...

Delegate Tasks

As your business grows you might find yourself doing increasingly more menial tasks to keep the business going. To ensure you have time to focus on the business, these tasks need to be delegated. Granted, this is easier said than done as you might want to stay in control rather than train somebody else to do them; however, if you continue to do this you are working in the business rather than on it. To ensure that you are the visionary and troubleshooter that you need to be, delegate work – you’ll be able to work on the bigger picture and your employees will appreciate the trust and responsibility you give to them.

 

Work on Goals for the Year Ahead

If you have got to a point where you have grown from a start-up then it might seem like the largest hurdle has been overcome. Nevertheless, you need to keep this momentum going to watch the company flourish. To do this, it’s a good idea to have plans and goals for the upcoming year, setting aside time to break down your goals into smaller steps with these to be actioned monthly, or even weekly. If these tasks are scheduled, and you ensure they are actioned, then this helps to make sure these goals are accomplished.

 

Encourage Innovation

If the day-to-day has become monotonous and the business is plateauing then you might want to encourage innovation to take the business in a new direction. To innovate it is useful to listen to both your customers and employees, as well as encourage your employees to take risks and think outside the box. This way, new ideas can be created and prevent the business from stagnating.

 

Take Some Time Out of the Business

Taking some time out of the business can help you to recharge. Whether this be scheduling time for yourself each evening, making sure you take time off at the weekend, or going on holiday, taking time out can help you to take a step away from the business and refresh, helping to stimulate fresh ideas.

 

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Benchmark International successfully facilitated the acquisition of Schwab’s Enterprises of Northwest Florida by Landscape Workshop LLC

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Schwab’s Enterprises of Northwest Florida (DBA: Bayou Lawn Services) by Landscape Workshop LLC.

Bayou Lawn Services provides professional landscape maintenance and installation, irrigation installation and repair services to commercial and residential clients. Landscape Workshop is a full-service grounds management company that has been providing professional service and expert maintenance for outdoor commercial spaces for more than 30 years. Landscape Workshop’s goal is to help its’ customers achieve business goals, maintain property value, and attract customers and tenants. The company has the ability to serve properties throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, as well as parts of Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida.

Jim Allen, President and owner of Bayou Lawn Services said “The sale of Bayou Lawn Services was a difficult process that took quite a bit of time. Throughout the years I was engaged with Benchmark, I was presented many potential buyers. It’s funny that the buyer ended up being the very first company Benchmark brought to me at the beginning of the marketing process. I appreciate the dedicated and positive approach that the Benchmark team had during the entire process. Their ability to maintain buyers’ interest level through time played a large role in completing this transaction.”

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

J.T. Price, CEO of Landscape Workshop, said “We’re very pleased to have recently completed the acquisition of Bayou Lawn Services. Pairing Bayou Lawn Services’ employees and great customer relationships with Landscape Workshop’s management and professionalism will allow the customers in the region to be serviced better than ever before.

Benchmark International Associate Director David Steverson stated, “We would like to congratulate Bayou Lawn Services and Jim Allen, as well as the buyer, Landscape Workshop. This is a great transaction which will allow Landscape workshop to further expand their geographic presence in a key area of the Florida Panhandle. Once the LOI was signed this acquisition moved towards a closing extremely quickly. This is due in large part to preparation and professionalism of Landscape Workshop and McKinney Capital.

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Sale Between Device Access UK Ltd and IGES Institut GmbH

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Southampton based consultancy, Device Access, and Berlin based research and consulting institution, IGES Institut.

Founded in 2010 by Michael Branagan-Harris, Device Access supports medical device organisations across the world secure market access into the NHS.

The IGES Institut, founded in 1980, is the core of the IGES group. It is a research and consulting institution for health and infrastructure, conducting over 2,000 research and consulting projects since its establishment.

The acquisition allows IGES Group to continue its European expansion, servicing the growing global medical devices market in which Germany and the UK constitute core markets.

Following the acquisition, Mr Branagan-Harris will continue to be the CEO of Device Access and will additionally lead IGES’ UK business activities as Country Manager, in order to bring the countries’ two markets closer together.

 

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

 

IGES Director, Professor Bertram Häussler, said: “UK is an important country for the development and application of medical devices. Furthermore, it has traditionally been seen as a European beachhead for global companies to launch into Europe. The aim of this acquisition is to strengthen these connections and make them usable for all our international clients.”

Mr Branagan-Harris said: “Device Access and the IGES Group unite extensive knowledge of approval, market launch and reimbursement of medical devices, and their cultures fit outstandingly. The deal strengthens our respective market positions and build the potential for our growth in the European markets.”

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Is an ESOP right for your company?

As a business owner you may be asking yourself how to keep your employees motivated and focused on the long-term objectives you have put in place for your business or you may be asking yourself how to raise additional capital to grow your business. There is a way to keep employees focused and aligned with the company’s growth objectives.  Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I was always told that you better care of the things you actually own.  Ever been to a nice hotel room and left the beds undone? The point here is that if employees take ownership of the business, they will have the business’ best interests at heart.  One of the mechanisms used by many business owners as an exit strategy is an ESOP.  An ESOP allows the continuity of an existing business and can be a great way for growth and expansion.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or better known as an ESOP, is an employee benefit plan much like a 401(k) that allows your employees to take a real interest in the success of the company ownership. In other words, employees are allocated a number of ownership shares in a business this making them ‘owners.’ Traditionally, when the process of an ESOP begins, ownership shares are usually held in a trust until the employee decides to retire or leave the business, and at that point the company buys back the shares, keeping the ownership under one roof. The best part is the shareholders of your company wouldn’t be some outside investors that are only focused on their return, but they would be the people coming to the office everyday and putting in the work to make a difference. The success of your business will directly affect your employees/shareholders retirement plan, giving them an additional reason to increase productivity and profitability.

Now, let’s say your employees are doing great but you want to take your business to its next growth stage. You may go to a bank to obtain a loan, which will result in high interest rates for a number of years. Your second option may be to seek out a financial investor, that could potentially result in losing a majority or controlling stake in your company. When companies bring in investors, they will want to see a return on their investment as quickly as possible and this can cause unwanted changes in company culture or operations. Luckily, there is a third option, creating an ESOP. This would allow you and your employees to stay in control and maintain the corporate culture you have created for your business over the many years it’s been in operation.

You’re probably thinking how does an ESOP create capital for my company. At a simplified level, the business will have to be able to borrow money from a financial institution to fund the transaction of buying company shares or shares of a current owner. Since this would be considered a loan, the business will have to pay back both principal and interest; however, the way an ESOP is set up is as a pension plan, if you speak to your CPA or tax advisor they might be able to guide you on how these contributions could alleviate your tax burden. In addition, to the contributions to repay the ESOP loan, your tax advisor might be able to illustrate that there are other tax benefits the company can benefit from. Some of these include, cash contributions to the ESOP for the purpose of buying shares from employees or even to build up cash reserves could be tax deductible. In S Corporations, the ownership held by the ESOP could be subjected to tax benefits, as the proportion held by the ESOP does not have to pay federal income tax. For example, if the ESOP owns 30% of the company, 30% of the profits from the business will not be included when paying taxes. There are restrictions on all contributions but these seldom cause an issue for the company.

You may be asking yourself, ‘why would my employees would want a stake in the business?’ ‘it’s just a job for them.’  Well the answer to this is that there are many benefits for the employees to participate in an ESOP. Just like most pension plans, the employee will not pay taxes on these contributions as long as they are working for the company. Instead of giving additional bonuses for hitting goals, which are taxed, you would be able to offer shares in the company and in the end will benefit them when they reach retirement. In a study in 2017, millennials that are in an employee stock ownership plan reported 33% higher wages, 92% higher net household worth, and 53% longer median job tenure.1

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

As a business owner who values the safety and well-being of your employees, before you decide on management buyout to increase capital or step away from your business, consider all the options on the table. Benchmark International a leading lower middle market M&A firm is able to assistance you in this process when making tough decisions on the future of your company. We are here to support our client’s objectives and make an easy and graceful transition as you prepare for the step stage of your life, no matter where that might be.

Author:
Nick Woodyard
Analyst
Benchmark International

T: +1 512 347 2000
E: Woodyard@benchmarkcorporate.com

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What if you’re a business owner in the process of transitioning your business or considering a transition? How do you handle it?

Picture this for a moment: you’re up to bat with two outs, two runners on base and the Florida Championship on the line.  Base hit up the middle scores one, possibly two, but if you pop up, ground out or strike out, it’s game over.

Is transformation important to your business?

If you could visualize yourself in that situation, chances are you’re feeling a little nervous.  Especially if you’ve never been there before.  What if you’re a business owner in the process of transitioning your business or considering a transition?  You’re up to bat with two outs and two runners on base – how do you handle it?  Ideally, we’d all like to confidently drill the first pitch deep into the outfield to win the game, but what happens when the thoughts and concerns about the transition and life after the transition get in the way?  Things might not work out as planned. 

In the decades of serving high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families, our team has worked with many who have made their wealth through the sale of the family business. Many of them were faced with a number of overwhelming thoughts and feelings: stress, anxiety, frustration, confusion and worry.  Here are some of the questions we’ve often heard:

  • Will this wealth be enough to sustain me and my family? How do I know?
  • What about taxes? What’s the impact to me?
  • How in the world am I going to invest this money to serve me and my family?
  • What about my legacy and charity – how does all this fit in?

Finding the answers to these questions requires preparation.  Unfortunately, many business owners are unprepared to address the complex financial decisions that need to be made for both themselves and their families both before and after the sale.  Many would rather wait and leave the planning to another day.  But a lack of planning and preparation has killed deals that should have closed, broken up families, and, in rare occasions, landed business owners in the hospital due to stress.

At BNY Mellon Wealth Management, we follow a collaborative, holistic, team-based approach to each business owner and family that we serve.  Leveraging the strength and expertise of our global firm, we help provide clarity by working with business owners to implement:
Wealth transfer and tax mitigation strategies

  • Pre- and post-sale cash flow optimization
  • Pro forma net worth statements and estate flow projections
  • Custom post-transaction investment strategies
  • Family governance and next generation education plans
  • Strategic philanthropy

Proper planning takes time, and having the right team of experienced professionals is critical to success.  Armed with an experienced team who can assist with planning and preparation, you too can confidentially step up to the plate and win the game. 

Author:
Christopher Swink
Senior Wealth Director
BNY Mellon Wealth Management
T: +1 (813) 405 1223
E: christopher.swink@bnymellon.com
Visit the BNY Mellon Website

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Benchmark International, has facilitated the sale of Integrated Legacy Solutions, LLC (“ILS”) to NXTsoft, LLC (“NXTsoft”).

Benchmark International M&A specialist, Benchmark International, has facilitated the sale of Integrated Legacy Solutions, LLC (“ILS”) to NXTsoft, LLC (“NXTsoft”).

Based in Trussville, Alabama, ILS offers image and data conversion migration technology for the financial services industry. The company specializes in data management through one of three methods: full data conversion into a new system, data migration into its flagship OmniView Browser™ or a blended approach that combines the two.

NXTsoft, located in Birmingham, AL, is concentrated in risk management, including solutions in cybersecurity, compliance, and data analytics. Like ILS, several of NXTsoft’s portfolio companies also provide high quality software solutions serving financial institutions. NXTsoft is backed by a team with a 25-year track record of successful technology start-ups.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

ILS founder, Kris Bishop commented, “I would like to thank the Benchmark International team for their dedication and persistence. Their team and hands on approach provided excellent marketing documents, broad coverage across various types of prospective buyers, and resulted in multiple offers over the term of our engagement”

Leo VanderSchuur, Director at Benchmark International, stated, “It was a pleasure to represent ILS, Kris Bishop and Jason Alfano in this transaction. On behalf of Benchmark International, we are extremely pleased with the outcome. Allowing both the seller and acquirer to prosper and benefit is always an ideal end result.”

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Will 2019 Be the Year of the Family Office?

For the last decade, private equity players have held the driver’s seat in looking at, winning auctions for, and acquiring lower middle market businesses in the United States. But early results for 2019 indicate this trend may be at an end. The family office has come to the fore and appears poised to become the dominant bidder and buyer in this market.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

Family offices are similar to private equity funds in that they take a pool of money and invest it across a range of companies seeking diversification to mitigate risk. But what’s more important are the differences between the two buyer types. These include:

  • Private equity funds have mandatory exit time frames imposed by their organizational documents and their agreements with their investors. A typical private equity fund has a life of about ten years so it must buy, grow, and then resell all of its investments in that time frame. Family offices, on the other hand, typically have no time horizon for re-selling. They are more often “buy and hold” acquirers.

  • Private equity funds primarily invest “other people’s money”. Family offices invest their own money. While a family office will typically have a management team working for the capital provider and that has the appearance of a private equity-style management company, the management team’s relationships, compensation, career path, and rigidity of investment criteria are each vastly divergent from those of private equity funds.

  • Private equity funds operate under some limitations as to the breathe of their investments - a tech fund can’t buy farmland – but they do seek diversification in very broad terms within these limitations. Family offices tend to have a narrower focus. They hew close to the Warren Buffet mantra that investors should only buy stocks within their "circle of competence." A family office that has made money in landscaping is likely only to look at landscaping businesses and if the family made its money in commercial landscaping, to only look at commercial landscaping businesses. As a result, they tend to come across to Benchmark Internationals’ clients as more knowledgeable about their business.

  • Also owing to their tighter range of interest and the fact that they do not have outside investor to whom they owe fiduciary duties, they tend to move faster, perform less diligence, and produce shorter contracts. Over the last ten years, as multiple have increased, private equity funds and trade buyers have ratcheted up their due diligence to levels our clients find very painful. This is understandable as higher multiple mean more risks for these buyers. But family offices seem more comfortable with this heightened risk and rely on their expertise in the narrower industry to alleviate the risk other buyers reduce via diligence.

  • Family offices also tend to use less debt in their deals than do private equity funds. Perhaps as a result of this fact, or maybe not, they tend to use their existing debt facilities to provide the extra leverage needed to put in competitive bids. As a result, the lenders due diligence is either greatly reduced or eliminated from the acquisition process. This also increases the speed to close and reduced the stress for sellers. When a private equity fund, or even a typical trade buyer, sets up a new transaction, they also set up a new lending arrangement and the bank providing the debt sends in its own diligence team to investigate the deal and the company being acquired. Double the diligence, double the fun!

  • Because a family office’s money is coming from one source as opposed to many, they tend to seek out smaller opportunities than do private equity funds. There are some very small private equity funds these days and there are also some rather large family offices now. But in general, the managers at a family office are more accustomed to dealing with smaller business, more owner-operated businesses, and businesses with less data to share during the due diligence process. As a result, our clients often find them easier to work with and have more interest in working with them on an ongoing basis following the closing.

  • Private equity funds often have a mechanism in place to have their “deal costs” covered by third parties. Deal costs primarily consist of due diligence costs, legal fees, and travel. It is not uncommon to see a private equity funds deal costs amount to over 5% of the transaction value. Family offices, on the other hand, have no one to turn to for their deal costs. This has two favorable results for sellers. First, they spend less on the process, making it shorter and easier. Second, their certainty of close is higher. While private equity funds can somewhat mitigate the costs of a “blown deal,” family offices only have one pocket to pull from – their own (or, in other words, their boss’s personal pocket).

  • The characteristic that is probably self-evident by this point is the higher certainty of close. Family offices know the market batter, they have less bandwidth to use time inefficiently, they have more discretion, they are less reliant on banks, and they don’t want to waste their own money on blown deals. They are thus more cautious, put in fewer bids, and call things off much sooner than other buyer types. In short, if they are proceeding, they are more serious than they average buyer.

  • They are harder to find. They do not have to register with the SEC. There is no secret club they belong to.  They are too short-handed to attend many conferences. Many even enjoy anonymity and don’t even have websites.

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

This last characteristic is what makes selling to family offices tricky. Any broker can produce a Rolodex of private equity funds. In fact, an impressive one could be produced from scratch in a matter of hours. Furthermore, because their focuses tend to be so narrow, the first 100 family offices in the Rolodex would probably not be a good fit for any given business but a similar list of private equity funds would probably produce a few interested buyers in most any growing business. A broker is either into the family office world or they are not. There is no break through moment in this regard. It requires years of dedicated effort to identify and establish relationships with these hidden gems. It requires dozens of researchers and outreach efforts.  It also requires having an inventory of businesses for sale that keeps these buyers interested. Brokers focused on larger deals and boutique brokers lacking global reach simply can’t devote the time and energy necessary to gain access to this strengthening pool of buyers. Only brokerages such as Benchmark International have the capability to do so and many of those with the capability have simply not made the effort.

Our family office relationships are continually growing and in 2019 these efforts have rewarded our clients handsomely.  Keep your eyes open. I bet you’ll soon start to see the Wall Street Journal talking about family offices and the rise of the family office.  When you do, remember that you heard it here first and Benchmark International is your gateway to those buyers.  

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Corporate Venture Capital Deals See an Increase in Capital Raised and Numbers

CBInsights has published its annual survey on 2018 corporate venture capital (CVC). Globally, 2,740 deals were completed raising $52.95 billion. This equated to an increase in capital raised by approximately 47% over 2017 and deals increased 32% over the same period. The average CVC deal size reached an all-time high of $26.3 million.

Looking at quarterly trends, Q4 2018 saw the highest number of active CVCs ever, with 429 CVCs investing in the quarter. This number represents 59% year-over-year growth, up from 270 active corporate investors in Q4 2017.

By sector, CVC investments in internet start-ups and healthcare companies increased significantly. While deal activity also increased in Asia, the most noteworthy increase came in the United States with 1,046 deals completed in 2018.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

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