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Benchmark International Facilitated The Transaction Between CFA, Inc. And Bowman Consulting Group Ltd.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between CFA, Inc. and Bowman Consulting Group Ltd.

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated The Transaction Between MT Global Freight Solutions, Inc. And HBx Capital Management

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between MT Global Freight Solutions, Inc. and HBx Capital Management.

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated The Acquisition Of Salesforce Integrator Mirage Computer Systems GMBH (“Mirage”) By Unaric Holding Limited

Mirage, based in Aulendorf, southern Germany, was founded in 1995 by Dieter Härle. The company is a specialist in generic computer telephony integration (CTI). The focus is exclusively on CTI solutions for Salesforce. Mirage’s solution is a software application that connects Salesforce with a phone system to gather information, make protocol calls, and generate workflows.

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Benchmark International Opens Newest Location In Los Angeles

Benchmark International is thrilled to announce the launch of its first office in Los Angeles (USA) dedicated to servicing all of California.

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Benchmark International Opens Newest Location In Denver

Benchmark International is proud to announce that we have opened an office in Denver, CO, to better serve the lower-middle market in the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Northwestern regions of the United States—all areas that have historically been underbanked. 

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated The Transaction Between M&M Extendo And Adrian Steel Of Idaho

Benchmark International successfully facilitated the transaction of M&M Extendo (also known as Extendobed), an aftermarket automotive manufacturer specializing in truck bed slide trays and extenders. The company supplies standard and customizable truck bed slides, extenders, and accessories to fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and working professionals.  

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated A Transaction Between CDM Group, LLC And Aubrant, LLC

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a transaction between New Jersey-based CDM Group, LLC (“CDM,” DBA EPIC Software Development) and Minnesota-based Aubrant, LLC.

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What Is A Sustainable Growth Rate?

As a business owner, it is important to have a solid understanding of what a sustainable growth rate (SGR) is, and why it matters to the valuation of your company. 

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Higher Education Industry outlook

Through the year 2023, the global higher education market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 12%. There are several factors driving positive growth in this sector, from the high demand for technological innovations to the surge of internationalization. 

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Telecommunications Industry Outlook

The telecommunications industry will be undergoing some new transitions this year, most notably due to the rollout of fifth generation (5G) technology. Global telecom revenue is forecasted to grow up to three percent through 2019.

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Retail Industry Outlook

While ongoing geopolitical uncertainties could present challenges in 2019, the overall outlook for the global retail industry remains optimistic. In the world’s top retail market, the United States, retail sales are predicted to grow more than 3 percent to exceed $5.5 trillion. But for the first time ever, China is expected to outperform the U.S. in retail sales. China is forecasted to see a 7.5 percent growth in retail sales this year, reaching $5.6 trillion.

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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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What Funding is Available to Grow my Business?

When you are ready to take the steps to grow your business, you need to determine the funding you can receive to help make it happen. Many different funding options are available, but how do you know which is right for you?

The first method that comes to mind for many people is borrowed funds. There are multiple options for gaining funding through lenders, including Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, traditional bank loans, micro-loans, and online business loans. SBA loans and traditional bank loans typically take months to secure and the repayment terms can run up to twenty-five years with interest rates varying. Micro-loans and online business loans can take less time to secure but they carry higher interest rates than bank loans and may have pre-payment penalties. Additionally, even if you get a loan, business growth is not guaranteed. If the borrowed funds are not used wisely, you can end up paying back money with interest that never helped you make any additional money in the first place, just digging you further into debt.  

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

Another method of funding is retained earnings. This approach uses a combination of operating cash flow and profits left in the business to fund your growth plan. Using retained earnings avoids adding debt and interest payments. You also stay in full control of your company by not involving outsiders in your business. However, use of retained earnings can be a very slow process if you must wait and build up the funds you need. You also run a major risk of not having the finances necessary to keep your company operating from a healthy perspective. 

Private equity is a way to acquire funding by selling shares in your company to outside investors. Through this long-term growth strategy, you avoid getting involved with a bank and you minimize your risk. With venture capitalists or angel investors, you also gain the benefit of added expertise and personal interest in the success of the business. One aspect of using equity capital is that shareholders will be expecting a return on their investment. This could result in the consideration of a merger with another company or having the company acquired by a larger company. 

Many companies choose to use mergers and acquisitions strategies because the growth is more imminent. Instead of waiting years for the business to grow itself, merging with another company can double the company’s size, reduce competition, and increase profitability. Merging with another business also gives you the advantage of acquiring intellectual property and expanding innovation. 

Working with an experienced growth partner such as Benchmark International will help you figure out the best direction for you, whether it is a merger, an elevator deal in which you retain a stake in the business, a cash-on-completion arrangement, or a complete exit strategy. There is a range of options available depending on how you want to see your company transformed. The best strategy will also depend on the state of your company and the current market. It is important that there is careful consideration of the cultural fit between the two companies and a firm understanding of how to manage expectations. Having the right connections around the world in various sectors is also a key attribute you want in your representation because it opens up a wealth of opportunities. 

The right partner can maximize value and make your vision a reality for the business that you have worked so hard to build. Benchmark International can be relied upon as a leader in the global landscape to get you the results you deserve. Ready to explore your exit and growth options? 

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Taking Your Business to the Next Level

The art of starting a small business is a craft to which not every business person is well suited. It involves countless late nights, blood, sweat and tears, to turn an idea into a thriving small business. But, you’ve done that.  You’ve successfully turned a one-bedroom or small machine shop, and spark of inspiration, into a community staple with a name that will outlast your time in business.  But, you’ve also reached a point where your talents have been exhausted. And, you’re not sure what the next step is in taking your business to the next level.  Once again you have an idea, but this time you need outside help to turn that vision into a reality.

Many businesses reach this point at which they feel that they are unable to further increase the scope of their operations.  They find themselves turning away business or not able to expand into new and lucrative markets.  Perhaps, what is holding you back, it is a lack of cash on hand, or a deficit in managerial expertise.   Whatever the reason, bringing on additional investors is a key, and proven strategy through which a business is capable of gaining an infusion of needed capital and knowledgeable partners capable of taking a company to the next level.

Your passion is your business, and your clients have come to cherish your services.  Bringing in new partners with an influx of capital is an excellent way for you to continue doing what you love while growing your company’s client base and expanding the services you offer.  New partners may sound like dirty words you never thought you’d speak.  You might think of new partners as greedy investors who will come in and milk your business dry without care for the name brand and quality you are known for. 

That’s not always the case, and that’s where we at Benchmark International come in.  You can rest assured that Benchmark International will help you find new partners that care about your business as much as you do. Partners who can bring the capital and experience you need in order to keep your business growing and thriving. These new partners could bring in experience in managing larger organizations, or experience in advertising a small business to a new market, they might even have connections to customers who could grow your client base.

In engaging Benchmark International, you can expect our deal preparation and transaction teams to present your business to the market and find the perfect fit to take your business to the next level.  First, our deal preparation team will delicately craft marketing materials which accurately reflect the successes of your business and its potential for growth. After your approval of the marketing materials, the deal transaction team will take over and bring your company to the market.  Whether a trade buyer or a fellow competitor, the team will work tirelessly to find the right partner to help you grow your business.  This will ensure, that you take your business to the next level, without losing the heart of the business you painstakingly grew from an idea into a name synonymous with quality.

The process of staying onboard after a sale of your business or an injection of new capital is typically referred to as an elevator deal.  For more information on how elevator deals function, please see.

Author:
Patrick Seaworth
Senior Associate
Benchmark International

T:   +1 (512) 861 3314
E: Seaworth@benchmarkcorporate.com

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I want to buy a business, where do I start?

Many individuals or companies feel that the best way to either enter an industry or expand within an industry is through buying a business. While this is often true, it is hard to know where to begin the process of buying a business.

Define your search criteria?

The first step to buying a business is comprise a list of features that you are seeking in a business. Similar to the car buying process. Do you want leather seats, a certain brand, navigation, power windows, etc? Narrowing your search criteria will help save you time, resources, and frustration.

Here’s a few questions you will want to be able to answer as you begin your search:

  • What size business are you seeking? This question relates to both revenue and profitability.
  • Do you want the owner to remain apart of the business post-closing? If so, for how long?
  • What geographical areas do you prefer?
  • What industry and sectors are of interest to you? Be as specific as possible. If you are looking to buy a marketing firm, what type of end customers do you prefer? Do you want the business to cater to government customers, healthcare companies, etc?
  • What is your budget?

Begin your search

There are many ways to uncover businesses for sale. You can search various websites, reach out to a Mergers and Acquisitions’ (M&A) specialist, or network to try and find deals that have not hit the market yet. Some buyers will approach business owners directly to see if they are interested in selling their business directly to the buyer.

Websites featuring businesses for sale often can be overwhelming. If you search several websites, you may see the same listing on multiple websites.

There are M&A specialists that work with buyers to find businesses for sale and others that work with sellers to find buyers. Some M&A specialists represent both buyers and sellers. If you are working with a specialist that represents both parties in a transaction, you will want to understand the intermediary’s incentives. It is hard to keep interests aligned if there are conflicts between the parties. If you are working with a sell-side M&A specialist, often times they will have exclusive listings meaning that you can only have access to that specific deal through that specialist. Also, a sell-side M&A specialist may take a commitment fee. This will show the seller’s commitment to the sale process.

Some potential buyers build a network to look for opportunities to purchase businesses or build their own database of potential businesses they would like to purchase and begin reaching out to those business owners. While this sounds like an easy process, do not be fooled by the amount of time and resources you will use trying to speak with the business owners and convincing them to complete a deal with you. Typically, business owners that are open to exploring the idea of selling will entertain a conversation but they eventually want to go to market to test the valuation. Often times buyers will get close to the end of a transaction but then the seller will decide not to sale. If you are willing to pay an amount that is acceptable to the seller then they often wonder if there is someone that is willing to pay more and if they have undervalued their business.

Begin to review businesses

Sellers will want a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place prior to releasing confidential information. This practice is very typical in the lower mid-market. As a buyer, you will want to have the opportunity to speak directly with the business owner. They will know their business better than anyone, and you will have specific questions that only the business owner will be able to answer. You will also want to visit the business' facility. This visit will tell you a lot about the company, its culture, and what type of liabilities you may want to explore further during the due diligence process. Once you find the perfect business, you will want to move swiftly to the next stage of the purchasing process as there are probably other buyers looking at the same opportunity and you do not want to miss out.

I found the perfect business, now what?

After you find the perfect business, you will need to comprise a valuation for the business. The valuation will be covered in a Letter of Intent (LOI) as well as the structure (how is the valuation going to be paid to the seller) of the offer and other high-level details. In the LOI, you will want to include the seller’s involvement post close, an exclusivity clause allowing you the exclusive right to review the opportunity, the requirements of due diligence along with a timeline, if possible, and the anticipated closing date. A LOI tends to include many more details but above highlights some of the details a seller will want to understand prior to agreeing to move forward.

The LOI is executed. Where do we go from here?

After a LOI is executed, due diligence begins. As the buyer, you want to confirm that what you think you are buying is what you are actually buying. You will want to understand the risk associated with the purchase of the business. You will also want to engage your advisors to provide legal advice for the purchase agreement and tax advice for the structure of the transaction. 

While purchasing a business sounds like a quick and easy process, it can take months, if not a year or two, to make the purchase. There are a lot of factors that you will encounter and unforeseen obstacles that stand in your way. An M&A specialist can help you navigate these obstacles and help you purchase a business within your desired timeframe. Whether you choose to seek to purchase a business on your own or bring in a M&A specialist, we wish you the best of luck with your journey. 

Author:
Kendall Stafford
Managing Partner
Benchmark International

T:  +1 (512) 347 2000 
E: stafford@benchmarkcorporate.com

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Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Plastic Revolutions, Inc. to Industrial Container Services

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Plastic Revolutions, Inc. to Industrial Container Services.

Plastic Revolutions, Inc. is a plastic recycling company that diverts post-consumer and post-industrial waste from landfills. The company receives plastic material in various forms from manufacturers, material recovery facilities, and brokers.

The acquirer, Industrial Container Services, is the largest provider of reusable container solutions in North America. The company offers the most complete container management systems available including reconditioning, manufacturing, distribution, used container collection and recycling services for all major industrial packaging types.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Given the current market standards, the Benchmark International team decided to focus on synergistic buyers for the client. This allowed Plastic Revolutions to obtain the best possible value in a transaction as both parties would benefit from the acquisition. The acquirer can now bring plastic recycling in house.

Regarding the deal, Transaction Director Leo Vanderschuur stated “It was a pleasure to represent Plastic Revolutions in this transaction, and 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.”

The President of Plastic Revolutions, John Hagan, stated that his experience with Benchmark International was top notch. "Benchmark was unbelievably helpful in assisting in the sale of my company. They explained the process and were in front of the pack the entire way to the finish line," he said. "I would highly recommend Benchmark to anyone wanting to sell their company."

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Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Central Window of Vero Beach, Inc. by Florida Window and Door.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Central Window of Vero Beach, Inc. by Florida Window and Door. Central Window of Vero Beach is a supplier and installer of windows, doors, and specialty screens for contractors and end-users.

Florida Window and Door and its affiliates have been in the replacement window business since 1983, and have successfully serviced over 80,000 residential and commercial properties throughout the Midwest, East Coast, and Florida. The company continues to expand its footprint through acquisition. Central Window fits well strategically with Florida Window and Door’s growth plan.

Wendy Labadie at Central Window stated that "Benchmark was very aggressive, in a professional way. The time is of the essencemindset proved to be beneficial to us. We would not have been able to find a qualified buyer without their vetting process.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Scott Berman, President of Florida Window and Door commented, “Central Window provides us the opportunity to acquire a business that has been in business for over 38 years with a stellar reputation and qualified staff. The company allows us to further expand our geographic footprint in the State of Florida. We look forward to the opportunity of growing this business and welcome the employees of Central Window to our company.” Mr. Berman also added, “Benchmark was extremely helpful in the process and allowed us to complete the deal on schedule as a result of their guidance.”

Regarding the deal, Transaction Director Leo VanderSchuur stated “It was a pleasure to represent Central Window of Vero Beach in this transaction and, on behalf of Benchmark International, we are extremely pleased with the outcome. Allowingboth the seller and acquirer to prosper and benefit is always an ideal end result.”

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Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the merger between Network Technologies, Inc. and Automated Systems Design.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the merger between Network Technologies, Inc. and Automated Systems Design. Network Technologies, Inc.

(NTI) is an IT infrastructure design and planning firm, specializing in technology cabling, audio/visual design and control systems, security systems and wireless networks.

Automated Systems Design (ASD), is a nationwide provider of design, engineering, installation, and project management for workplace technologies for customers in a variety of industries. 

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Jeff Cook, President and majority owner of NTI said “The Benchmark team was very professional, responsive and provided great guidance during our entire transaction process. Having Benchmark on our side, focusing on the details of the transaction process, allowed our management team to continue to focus on the day to day running of our business. I would highly recommend partnering with Benchmark for any small to mid-size business owner that is considering the sale or merger of their firm. We are excited to be part of the ASD team and look forward to providing expanded services and capabilities to our clients through the synergies of the combined companies.” 

We are very pleased to welcome NTI, led by Jeff Cook and Scott Dupuis, to the ASD family. The combined companies of ASD and NTI is a strong strategic fit that will provide our customers a fully integrated design/build organization. NTI's experienced management team and operational staff will be a strong addition to our organization and we look forward to integrating the team over the next few months. We believe the merged companies further our goal to expand our service offerings to both NTI and ASD customers throughout the US. We look forward to building on the success of both organizations and to continue to grow our customer base through the strong reputation of delivering projects on time and budget.said Kevin Kiziah, President and CEO of ASD. 

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Benchmark International Facilitates the Sale of GPL Landscaping to Rotolo Consultants

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the acquisition of GPL Landscaping to Rotolo Consultants, Inc.

Benchmark International acted as the representative for GPL Landscaping throughout this transaction. This represents Benchmark International’s fourth successful deal closing in the Landscaping industry over the last two years. Benchmark International maintained a close relationship with the client to obtain a good value for both parties.

“The landscaping industry has become a hot sector for lower middle market M&A,” said Benchmark International Managing Director Clinton Johnston. “The volumes and multiples we are seeing now, as well as the sheer number of repeat buyers and closed transactions, especially below the Mason-Dixon Line, could never have been predicted even as recently as five years ago. While there is an exciting quantity of well-funded potential acquirers, each is looking for very specific criteria and will only pay the value sellers are demanding in cases where an exact match can be found for their criteria.”

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

GPL Landscaping provides landscape maintenance and installation services to commercial and high-end residential accounts located in Florida. Approximately 80% of revenue is based on recurring maintenance programs. An established bank of customers made them a positive prospect for potential buyers.

Rotolo Consultants (RCI) Is a well-established regional landscaping company. RCI has designed, constructed, and maintained many of the most innovative and beautiful landscapes in the southeastern US. Through the years, they have evolved from a small family nursery business to one of the largest, most respected firms in the industry. “We are very excited about the acquisition of GPL Landscaping. (The company) comes with an experienced management team that has been at the core of its success,” said Keith Rotolo, president and CEO of RCI. “RCI will now be able to offer our extensive landscape and construction scopes of work to a new client base while aggressively growing the existing landscape maintenance presence that GPL had established. We will continue to explore acquisition opportunities in northwest Florida as well as in our core markets.”

Benchmark International Transaction Director, John Deeks, stated, “This transaction was not without its bumps and delays. However, as we knew that this client represented a perfect fit for the buyer in terms of geography, commercial to residential mix, level of recurring business, and management practices; we knew this was the right deal for our client and the valuation offered by RCI would be difficult to replicate. As a result, we fought hard to keep this deal on track, reminding the buyer of this compatibility at every opportunity and fighting through some unusually lengthy roadblocks.”

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I Need Capital to Grow My Business, Where do I Start?

It takes capital to start a business and it takes capital to grow a business. However, when you have exhausted your personal reserves, what are your options? There are a handful of ways additional capital can be gained to continue the growth of your business. Simply put, there are four categories that most types of capital fall into when you’re looking to grow your business: your own revenue, debt, public equity, and private equity options.

Your Own Revenue

Most start-ups begin from your own pocket. This might be a good way to get the ball rolling, and you can hit up friends and family for additional funds along the way as well. As long as your business grows at a steady pace, this might even be a reasonable ongoing source of capital as it encourages organic growth. This capital pool allows you to stay in control and if the business changes, you can make adjustments accordingly.

Using your own revenue to grow the business allows you to remain in control, but it may take longer to reach your growth objectives. Opportunities could potentially be lost because there is not enough available capital to take on new projects. Additionally, if you spend all your time and money concentrating on growth, you may never get to see the full value of your work because all your profits are going back into the business.

Debt

All businesses have some sort of debt whether from a bank loan, credit card loan, or mortgage for a business property. You just need to decide how you plan to use debt to help your business grow. Using debt allows you to grow your business without giving away any of your ownership in the business. Taking on debt for new equipment, for example, will increase your company productivity and allow you to pay down the loan quicker.

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Something's Brewing in M&A: Craft Beer Gives New Perspective to the Industry

Who doesn’t love microbrews? The explosion of the craft-beer revolution has spread across the country.

Western cities, such as Portland, Denver, San Diego, Seattle, and Los Angeles are seeing a large increase in new jobs and establishments in small-scale breweries. This trend is spreading nationwide, and how do we explain this craft-beer boom? It’s relatively simple, the American breweries lack of distinct, indigenous brewing traditions in the past has been conducive to the rise of craft brewing. The small, independent, and traditional brewery adds to the eclectic style and diversity consumers are demanding. The niche styles of beer, particularly hoppy IPA’s, pale ales, infused blends, and specialty brews are leading the way. This changing landscape has created multiple opportunities for the M&A industry.

So, what does this craft beer boom mean to Benchmark International and the M&A industry? The sustained success of craft beer and the changing demographics of brewery ownership has led to more mergers and acquisitions and transactions than ever before. Since 2014, there has been more than one transaction per month. Global players, such as SAMMiller and InBev, are leading the way in the direct M/As of craft beers. What is more interesting in this recent trend of mergers, is the allowance of once previous competitors to combine styles and taste with new hosts to release new and creative craft beers. The rising popularity of craft beers has fueled industry growth and increased valuation multiples towards all-time highs over the last few years.

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Austin, Texas Proves to be an Engineering Hotspot

We’ve all heard it, the best measurement of a city’s growth is the number of cranes and projects going up. We’ve all heard buzzwords about Austin, TX being an “IT” city, but it’s not just Austin that is sprawling with new developments and high-rises. Stop and think about this type of buzzing activity throughout a 70 mile stretch from San Antonio, the home of the Alamo, to Austin-Roundrock. This, my friends, is the I-35 corridor, a stretch of interstate highway that connects San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin and Dallas. Almost everyone has benefited one way or another from the massive growth happening in the region. Better jobs, more activities for the young professionals, and an overall increased quality of life. The growth in the region has, of course, brought upon Central Texas its unique set of challenges that one does not think of
right away.

No, it is not practically unaffordable real estate and rent. The biggest challenge lies in making these interconnected cities feel like home 24/7. Going home sure in the knowledge that the roads will be safe, our lights will turn on, and that water will flow when we take a shower after a long jog in Town Lake (Lady Bird Lake for you non-Austinites).


With the increased growth in population over last decade, the Central Texas region, that is known as the i-35 Corridor, has experienced its unique set of challenges. While home builders and apartment complexes make fortunes from overpriced property values, there is an unsung hero behind the scenes: the engineers who make all this growth possible. As mentioned previously, everyone expects their roads to be safe, their lights to turn on, and their water to run. In Texas, these are all major engineering feats. No, we’re not just flatland sitting on enormous oil and gas reserves. Central Texas is home to the Hill Country, one of nature’s gifts to the world; and as its name implies, it has plenty of hills.

So, how does one exactly get water to flow up the hill? Well, we didn’t know the answer either, and quite frankly, we still don’t, but some of the Benchmark International teammates live on top of hills. So, not having water up there would be a problem. Engineering firms in Texas have long solved problems before the growth spurt in Central Texas. The Colorado River dam for example, or the Houston Port.

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Why You Need an M&A Firm to Grow Your Business

You have worked hard to build your business from infancy and bring it to the success it has achieved thus far. Taking your business to the next level feels like the right thing to do, but your personal load is getting larger and larger, so how can you do that? You are nearly maxed out as it is. You knew starting a business would be hard and growing it would be even harder.

Should you sellout completely? Should you find a partner? You are probably beginning to explore your options. One option, that will make your job easier and help you find a partner who can take your company to its full potential, is using a mergers and acquisitions firm to help you find a buyer that will fulfill your vision for your business, through a strategic acquisition.

A strategic buyer is a buyer that acquires another company with optimal synergies to create an end business that is greater in value than the two companies standing alone. Often, these buyers will pay a premium for businesses as their goal is to gain more value than the intrinsic value of the company being acquired. In other words, the goal here is to make one plus one equal three.  

You might be thinking you can find a partner yourself and paying for outside help doesn’t seem very lucrative. This is where you are wrong. An advisor is essential to finding a partner who can help you grow your business in the way you want. Additionally, a mergers and acquisitions firm can negotiate on your behalf to make sure you gain the most from a strategic partnership or acquisition.

Finding the right type of partner is key. Using a sell-side mergers and acquisitions firm will allow you to have access to a myriad of potential buyers who can help take your business to its full potential. Moreover, a sell-side advisor keeps your needs at the forefront of all they do throughout the entire mergers and acquisitions process. Your best interest is their best interest, so this is an important aspect to keep in mind when looking for an advisor to help with the sale of your business.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

There are multiple ways to grow through strategic acquisitions. A strategic acquisition doesn’t limit you to looking at potential buyers only within your industry. You may find the best way to grow is to find a company that compliments yours. Your company may be the missing piece needed for a larger business to continue growing effectively, which gives you an advantage in sale negotiations.

Partnering up with a competitor or complimentary company within the same marketspace will also allow you to expand your professional footprint. A strategic buyer wants your business to succeed just as much as you do, and they see the value your business has to offer.

Of course, you want your business to continue being successful. Therefore, you need to continue focusing on its growth and investing your time into the business itself, not a transaction. You will save money short-term, but you will lose hours upon hours of time if you try to sell or merge your business on your own. Moreover, you could unintentionally fall behind on the business end of your operation, and this can negatively affect the value of your company, resulting in money lost.

Benchmark International is a mergers and acquisitions firm with decades of experience. We have closed over 500 transactions across more than 30 industries. We are a sell-side M&A firm always putting our clients first. We focus on selling the business for the highest value and find you a compatible partner, so you can focus on managing your business.

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Don't Kick the Can Down the Road

There are many things to consider when you are thinking of a potential exit, whether it be your own personal/business circumstances, the overall M&A market or potential tax implications.

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