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Unlocking Buyer Types: On-Demand Webinar Now Available

Missed the live event or eager to dive back into the insights shared by industry expert Dara Shareef? We are thrilled to announce that our webinar, "Casting a Wide Net When Pursuing an Exit - An Examination of Other Buyer Types," is now available on demand!

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How PPP Loans Affect Your Ability To Sell Your Business – We Now Have Guidance

In this webinar, Clinton Johnston, Managing Director at Benchmark International, will share Benchmark International's collective insights from the various transactions we have closed for clients with outstanding PPP loans both before and after the issuance of the SBA's October 2nd guidelines regarding PPP loans and changes of ownership. 


Click Here To Watch The Webinar: How PPP Loans Affect Your Ability To Sell Your Business - We Now Have Guidance 

 

We have also included handouts that go along with this webinar for you to download and view at your convenience. Please see the handouts below:


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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?

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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

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Upcoming Webinar: 12 Biggest Mistakes Sellers Make in the Term Sheet

Date:
Tuesday, February 12th at 10:00am - 11:00am EST

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Details:

Maximizing value isn’t only about the headline price. It’s about getting the deal right, using your leverage when you have it, and knowing where you stand in the deal at all times. 

Sellers lose more money at the Term Sheet stage than in any other part of the process. Buyers know the ins and outs. They know how to best use the Term Sheet and the process that surrounds it to make their offers look better than they might end up being. For sellers, this is typically the least understood part of the company sale process. This experience gap is unfortunate for sellers because it results in not only lost value but at times the loss of the entire deal; a loss that comes after a great deal of financial and emotional investment. 

For sellers to truly maximize the value of their business in a sale, they must look beyond the headline number that usually appears in the first paragraph of the Term Sheet and understand the other key value drivers in the rest of the document. If the headline number was the only key term, Term Sheet’s would be one paragraph long. This quick introduction will concentrate on the 12 most common sell-side errors in the Term Sheet process.

Hosts:

Clinton Johnston
Managing Director
Benchmark International

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Webinar: Life After the Business Sale: How to Stay Wealthy

November 6th, 2018 at 10:00-11:00 am EST

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In this webinar, we will be tackling the really fun topic, the one that is really in every seller’s mind - what to do with all that money you get from the sale of your business. Our Benchmark International host, Clinton Johnston, will be joined by BNY Mellon Wealth Management’s Christopher Swink, a specialist in assisting business owners with their transition into passive investing as part of the sale of their business. Most business owners have grown their personal wealth primarily or exclusively from re-investing their income into their business. In this way, their money has made money for them. Once the business is sold, former owners must come to learn new ways of having their money make money for them. Some of the specific topics we will discuss include:  

  • What returns can a former business owner expect to earn on their cash?
  • How can a wealth manager help me either before I decide to sell or while selling?
  • How important is timing my sale to my overall standard of living after the sale?
  • Is getting some of my cash from the deal later as opposed to at closing really a bad thing?
  • What will my life look like after the sale?
  • How can I draw a safe but sufficient income off of my sale proceeds?

Hosts:


Clinton Johnston
Managing Director
Benchmark International


Christopher Swink
Senior Director
BNY Mellon Wealth Management

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Register for our webinar: Multiples. Multiples of What? Fixing the Other Half of the Equation to Maximize Your Valuation

Date:
Thursday, October 11th at 10:00am EST

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Details:
It seems that almost every business owner understands how the concept of a business valuation based on “multiples” works. But it also seems that they focused on the multiples side of the equation to the detriment of the other side. 

EBITDA x a multiple = Enterprise Value 

With just a bit more attention on that EBITDA piece of the equation, values can sky rocket. With a better understanding of that side of the equation, surprises can be avoided. And with some preparation, business owners can capture the value their multiple deserves. 

Please join the conversation between our Managing Director Clinton Johnston and our Senior Associate Fernanda Ospina as they discuss both the big picture and a handful of details that are essential to understanding the first, and too often overlooked, part of this equation. Fernanda joins our frequent host to bring her insights into the financial nuances of the dozens of transactions for which she has provided her accounting and financial expertise in recent years. Some of the points they will cover include: 

  • What games do buyers play with defining EBITDA? 
  • What period of EBITDA matters the most? 
  • How do we present the financial history of the company in the best possible light? 
  • What are considered legitimate “add backs” to EBITDA? 
  • How do you defend add-backs? 
  • What do I need to do to prepare for the buyer’s “quality of earnings” analysis?
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Webinar Video: Now that the Valuation is Set, Here’s Where You will Win or Lose the Deal Part II

 

 

If you joined us for part one of this webinar last month, you already understand why coming up with the valuation is only one of many key deal points you will need to secure in order make your exit a success. In part two we examined another six key issues, this time focusing in on those that come even later in the process; after deal fatigue has set in and you feel like you can’t possibly have anything left to fight about or give away. 

1. Winning the net working capital fight 
2. Your indemnification of the acquirer 
3. How the disclosure schedules protect you 
4. Can reps and warranties insurance assist you? 
5. The inevitable non-competes 
6. Meet the Grim Reaper of your sale process - Delays 

If you missed part I, it can be found here (http://bit.ly/2nTsPk7) and we encourage you to take an hour to get caught up to ensure you get the most out of part II. 

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Upcoming Webinar: Now that the Valuation is Set, Here’s Where You will Win or Lose the Deal - PART II

If you joined us for part one of this webinar last month, you already understand why coming up with the valuation is only one of many key deal points you will need to secure in order make your exit a success. In part two we will examine another six key issues, this time focusing in on those that come even later in the process; after deal fatigue has set in and you feel like you can’t possibly have anything left to fight about or give away.

  1. Winning the net working capital fight
  2. Your indemnification of the acquirer
  3. How the disclosure schedules protect you
  4. Can reps and warranties insurance assist you?
  5. The inevitable non-competes
  6. Meet the Grim Reaper of your sale process - Delays

Register and save your seat! 

If you missed part I, the video can be found here and I encourage you to take an hour to get caught up to ensure you get the most out of part II this month.

Date & Time: 
August 30th, 2018
10:00 am EST

Host:
Clinton Johnston
Managing Director
Benchmark International

 

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.

Schedule a call to speak to an Analyst

Americas: Sam Smoot at +1 (813) 898 2350 / Smoot@BenchmarkCorporate.com

Europe: Carl Settle at +44 (0)161 359 4400 / Settle@BenchmarkCorporate.com

Africa: Anthony McCardle at +2721 300 2055 / McCardle@BenchmarkCorporate.com

 

ABOUT BENCHMARK INTERNATIONAL

Benchmark International’s global offices provide business owners in the middle market and lower middle market with creative, value-maximizing solutions for growing and exiting their businesses. To date, Benchmark International has handled engagements in excess of $5B across 30 industries worldwide. With decades of global M&A experience, Benchmark International’s deal teams, working from 13 offices across the world, have assisted hundreds of owners with achieving their personal objectives and ensuring the continued growth of their businesses.

Website: http://www.benchmarkcorporate.com
Blog: http://blog.benchmarkcorporate.com/ 

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Webinar Video: Now That the Valuation is Set, Here's Where You Will Win or Lose the Deal

 

 

M&A Webinar: Now that the Valuation is Set, Here’s Where You will Win or Lose the Deal

Many sellers think they have reached the finish line once the buyer has been selected or perhaps when the letter of intent is executed. Even those who know they haven’t reached that line often believe all key elements of the transaction have been ironed out and all that remains is the “technical” part. To better understand many of the material issues that remain open after the letter of intent is executed, this webinar will walk participants through a wide array of those open issues. 

  1. Stock versus asset deals, which is really better?
  2. Tax elections = dirty words
  3. Monetizing the real estate portion
  4. Protecting yourself with employment and consulting agreements
  5. Seller notes and earn outs – never say never
  6. Escrows, who needs them?
  7. Winning the net working capital fight
  8. Your indemnification of the acquirer
  9. How the disclosure schedules protect you
  10. Can reps and warranties insurance assist you?
  11. The inevitable non-competes
  12. Meet the Grim Reaper of your sale process- Delays

You can also watch it here on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/282908864

Hosted By:
Clinton Johnston
Managing Director
Benchmark International

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Upcoming M&A Webinar: Now that the Valuation is Set, Here’s Where You will Win or Lose the Deal

July 26th @ 10am EST

Register Now >> http://bit.ly/2Nvampu 

Many sellers think they have reached the finish line once the buyer has been selected or perhaps when the letter of intent is executed. Even those who know they haven’t reached that line often believe all key elements of the transaction have been ironed out and all that remains is the “technical” part. To better understand many of the material issues that remain open after the letter of intent is executed, this webinar will walk participants through a wide array of those
open issues. 

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Upcoming Webinar: What to Expect When Selling Your Business

June 26th @ 11:00am EST
Register Now > http://bit.ly/2xZBVU8
 
Selling a business is perhaps the most complex exercise a business owner can undertake in their lifetime. Too often, attorneys, buyers, and others take for granted that the seller has an understanding of the steps, the risks, the timing, and the other aspects of the process. In this webinar we will lay out the key aspects of the sale process from start to finish in a format tailor-made for the uninitiated owner. This will be an entry level discussion requiring no prior deal experience, no legal background, and no knowledge of accounting.  Specifically: 
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Webinar: Deal Structures – How to Get What You Want... Register Now!

Register now: http://bit.ly/2FWWS0O

Details:
Join Benchmark International, the creative deal structure experts to learn more about using various M&A deal structures to help achieve your goals in a Transaction. Based on our vast experience, we have completed transactions with creative deal structures to help maximum seller’s Transaction Value and address concerns during the M&A process. You will have peace of mind knowing that your concerns are common concerns that our deal teams deal with on a daily basis.

 
We will discuss various deal structures as we work through real-life case studies of actual Transactions to help give you an idea of various structures that might help you achieve your goals if you are considering selling.
 
We will discuss how to use structure to accomplish the following:
• Rewarding your employees for their hard work and service
• Growing your business with someone else’s capital
• Multiple shareholders with different goals
• How debt affects ownership post-close

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