Why Businesses Do Not Sell

It would be nice to live in a world where every business-for-sale was sold at top dollar. While there is no such thing as a perfect business free from all defects, there are a number of problems that can hinder a sale that could be remedied, if given enough time. This article lists ten of the reasons which are often cited as contributing factors in an unsuccessful sale or a completed deal for less than potential value.Business intermediaries need to be up-front with their seller clients, educating them on the challenges faced, and the likely impact that one or more of these issues will have on completing a successful transaction.1. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONSa. Valuation/Listing Price:Arguably, the price a business is listed at is one of the critical elements to a successful sale. An owner’s emotional attachment to their business, coupled with an inexperienced business intermediary’s desire to obtain the listing and please the seller, can be a recipe for disaster. Overpricing a business will deter knowledgeable buyers from establishing communications. Additionally, it will be extremely difficult to defend the valuation when a business has been priced unrealistically. The typical outcome is that the listing will languish in the marketplace and recovery becomes more difficult. Once on the market for months on end at the wrong price, the process in re-pricing and re-listing creates a whole new set of challenges, the least of which is maintaining credibility.b. Unrealistic Terms and/or StructureDeal structure, asset allocation and tax management must be addressed proactively and early in the process. Often the Buyer and Seller place all of the focus on the sale price at the expense of the ‘net after-tax results’ of a business transaction. In most cases, a seller could achieve a deal that provides a greater economic benefit when an experienced Tax Attorney/CPA assists with structuring the transaction. In addition to structure there are a number of other issues that could be problematic, including:

Seller insists on all cash at closing and is inflexible in negotiating other terms.

The buyer’s unwillingness to sign a personal guarantee

The lack of consensus on the Asset Allocation

Seller insisting on only selling stock (typically with a C-Corp)

Inability to negotiate equitable seller financing, an earn-out, or terms for the non-compete

2. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORSFor a successful sale to occur, a business owner must have the right team of advisors in place. An experienced mergers & acquisitions intermediary will play the most critical role – from the business valuation to negotiating the terms, conditions, and price of the sale as well as everything in between (confidential marketing, buyer qualification, etc). Aside from the M&A advisor, a business attorney who specializes in business transactions is critical. Once again, “who specializes in business transactions”. Any professional who has been in the industry for more than a year will be able to point to a transaction that has failed because the lawyer that was chosen did not have the specialized expertise in handling business transactions. Additionally, a competent CPA who is knowledgeable about structuring business transactions will be the third key role. While a business owner’s current legal and tax advisors may have the best of intentions in assisting their client with the business sale, if they are not experienced with mergers and acquisitions it would be highly recommended to evaluate alternatives. In some cases, there is one shot when an offer has been received and it is therefore imperative not to attempt to make a deal that is out of reach and impossible to complete.3. DECREASING REVENUES/PROFITSThe majority of buyers are seeking profitable businesses with year-over-year increasing revenue and profits. When a business has a less stellar track record with varied results or possibly declining revenue and/or profits, complications with the business sale are likely to occur. Not only will decreasing profits and revenue impact the availability of third party funding but it will have a material impact on the business valuation. While buyers traditionally purchase businesses based on anticipated future performance, they will value the business on its historical earnings with the major focus on the prior 12-36 months. For those businesses which have deteriorating financials, the seller should be able to articulate accurate reasons for the decline. Both the lender and the buyer will need to obtain a realistic understanding of the underperformance to assess the impact it is likely to have on future results. In cases where the seller is confident that the decline was an anomaly and is not likely to repeat itself, structuring a component of the purchase price in the form of an earn-out would probably be necessary. In other circumstances, when there are two or more years of declines, the buyer and lender will question “where is the bottom?” and what is the new normal. In this situation, a decrease in valuation will be inevitable. Cash flow is the driver behind business valuations and business acquisitions. The consistency and quality of revenue and income will be one of the key focal points when assessing an acquisition. It all relates to risk. Those businesses with dependable recurring revenue generated from contractual arrangements will generally be in greater demand than businesses who produce income based on a project based model.4. INACCURATE OR INCOMPLETE BOOKSOne of the most critical components to a successful business sale is for the business to maintain accurate, detailed, and clean financial statements that match the filed tax returns. Not only will these financial statements be the basis for the business valuation but they will also be the criteria for whether the business will qualify for bank transaction funding. Too often the business is managed as purely a lifestyle business that is focused only on short term owner compensation, without regard to building long term value. In these cases, the owner has taken very liberal personal expenses that may not be able to be added back when deriving the adjusted earnings. Given the importance these documents represent, a business owner should ensure that the books are professionally managed and up to date. Records that are messy, incomplete, out-of-date or containing too many personal expenses will only give prospective buyers and lenders reasons to question the accuracy of the books. Last but not least, businesses that have a ‘cash component’ will need to report 100% of this income for it to be incorporated in the valuation.5. CUSTOMER CONCENTRATIONBusinesses that have a handful of customers that produce a large percentage of the company’s revenues, will probably have customer concentration issues, especially if one client represents greater than 10% of sales. It is important for a business owner to recognize that a business which lacks a broad and diverse base of customers possesses a higher degree of risk for a buyer as the loss of any one of these large clients could have a material impact on the future earnings. As a result, customer concentration will have an effect on the valuation, deal structure, and salability of the business. Vendor and industry concentration can also pose complications when selling a business. Specialization can be a competitive advantage for a business and assist in winning contracts. However, this same narrow industry focus could be a detriment if it is perceived that the business does possess a broad supply chain and ample options to source products and materials.6. THE OWNER IS THE BUSINESSIt is not uncommon for the owner to play a significant role in the operation and management of the business. This is particularly true with smaller enterprises. Where this situation can present a problem is when the owner is not only the face of the business but also deeply involved with all facets of the company – sales, marketing, operations, management, marketing, and financial. If there are no key employees and there are few written processes and procedures, the business lacks a dependable and repeatable work flow. When it becomes evident that the business cannot operate effectively without the owner’s hands on involvement and personal know-how, it becomes problematic. Of equal concern is the relationship the owner may have with the customers of the business. If the customer does business with the firm largely in part of the relationship with the owner, this situation will create customer retention concerns and possible transition problems when the business is being sold. In summary, buyers want a business that can operate independently from the current business owner.7. THE OWNER(S) IS AGING AND HAS SLOWED-DOWNIt is not uncommon for a business owner to become complacent after running the company for an extended period of time. Becoming tired and lacking the previous ‘fire in the belly’ has a way of spilling over into the business fundamentals. The number of trade shows that the business participates in decreases, the travel and new customer sales calls that routinely took place on a daily basis in the early years, have been paired down. The investment spending on equipment upgrades, vehicle replacement or marketing programs have been cut back. Innovation has come to a grinding halt and the business is on auto pilot. The financials have luckily held steady but for how long? An owner who has become burnt out almost unavoidably transmits their lack of zeal and drive to their staff and clients in a number of subtle ways. The net result is the company’s performance slowly begins to deteriorate. Unfortunately, this situation can become even more pronounced when the owner finally makes the decision to sell the business and mentally checks out at the worst possible time. Transferring ownership can be viewed by some as a highly emotional process, and the decision to sell at the right time is often ignored until the issue is forced upon the owner (failing health, divorce, disability, etc.) and usually at a fraction of the former valuation.8. INDUSTRY IS DIMINISHING OR THREATENED Over the last two centuries there have been a number of industries that have developed and grown significantly. In this same time frame, many new industries have been created while others have become extinct. The future outlook for a given industry will have a direct impact on the valuation and marketability of the business during a sale. Businesses facing obsolescence or mired in a shrinking industry will face an uphill battle when it comes time to transitioning or selling the company. Maintaining a diverse offering of products and services that are relevant to the market, not just today, but also with an eye to the future, will enable a business owner to avoid this situation. Not only will this assist in mitigating the impact from declining sales but also demonstrate to a prospective buyer that the business has a clear path to grow in the future.9. CHOOSING THE WRONG LENDERFrom loan application approval to transaction funding is a process in business transactions that can take six weeks or more, that is with an ‘experienced’ business acquisition financier. Many deals have fallen apart during this time frame because the buyer became aligned with the wrong financial institution. There is nothing worse, for all parties involved, to find out four weeks into the process that either the loan terms previously promised were not correct or worse, that the bank underwriter declined the loan.In the field of business acquisitions, not all banks/lenders are the same. There are conventional loans, SBA backed loans, and there are lenders that provide cash-flow based financing and others that only provide asset based funding. One bank may turn down a borrower for an SBA 7a loan while another institution will readily accept it. Every lender has its own unique and frequently modified lending criteria. Therefore, buyers need to ensure they are working with the right lender from day one, or valuable time is wasted causing the deal to be compromised, or lost to another, better prepared candidate. Buyers should consult with the business intermediary representing the sale to determine which lenders have reviewed and/or pre-approved the transaction for funding. Obviously, buyers who are prequalified from the start and verify that the bank’s lending criteria conforms to the type of businesses they are evaluating, will be the best positioned for a successful acquisition.10. COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ISSUESFor some businesses the saying “location, location, location” cannot be more important to the value of the company. Typically, this will pertain to retail businesses. If the physical location is of major importance, the business buyer will seek assurances that they can either purchase the real estate or be able to sign a long term lease. On the flip side, the business could be located in a part of town that has fallen on hard times or could be located on the owner’s personal property, both situations necessitating that the business be relocated. Also, some businesses are not easily relocatable without affecting the current customer base. All of these circumstances add another layer of complexity to the transaction.Additionally, the type and size of facility can also have a material impact on the sale. If the facility is not large enough to provide the enterprise a sustained growth path, a buyer could become disinterested. Another situation could be the value of the property. If the current owner purchased the land/building a decade or two earlier and the financials or recast do not reflect a current FMV rent/lease payment, valuation problems will occur.Business transactions involving the sale of commercial real estate can be hampered by the Environmental Site Assessments (ESA’s) – Phase 1 and Phase 2. Property that is contaminated can be very costly to clean up and will have an impact on the closing. When this situation arises, it will be important for the buyer and seller to have a clear understanding of the costs to resolve the issue, which party is responsible, and whether a price offset will be warranted.Other complicating factors involving commercial real estate include zoning changes that require a property to be brought up to new codes, and clear definition of who bears responsibility and the cost of this process. Last but not least, the agreement by the landlord with either a lease assignment or offering a new lease at comparable rates.SUMMARYMost small business owners have spent the majority of their life building their business. It is not uncommon for a business seller to become so emotionally attached to the company that they look past some rather glaring problems that a business intermediary, a lender, or prospective buyer will immediately recognize. It is natural for a seller to want to obtain the highest price possible for their business. There is so much bad information on the web related to multiples and business valuations that this should not come as a surprise. M&A Advisors need to be honest and direct in educating a business seller on the challenges faced in a potential sale, the range for a realistic transaction price, as well as creative terms and structuring options that might be utilized. Being a people pleaser and ignoring any potential problems will only provide the seller with unrealistic expectations. In the arena of business negotiations there are few if any “pleasant surprises”. Dealing with issues up front rather than late in the sales cycle process should be the golden rule.

Don’t Let Them Tell You Different: Your Inner Beauty Is Undefinable

Defining beauty isn’t easy. In fact, for every culture, it means something slightly different. A tribe in Africa treats female beauty to mean a curvy, voluptuous woman, while society in America wants their women to be thin as nails. As different as priorities and perspectives of outer beauty in each culture may be, one thing is the same – inner beauty stems from confidence, inner peace and a positive mindset.Inner beauty isn’t about the face you want to have or attaining the body you’ve always dreamed of having; it’s about being happy with what you already have. Don’t you love your petite nose, slanted eyes, or dimples? If not, you should because true outer beauty begins and ends with true inner beauty. Love yourself – and all of your many unique qualities – and as a result look beautiful to the rest of the world, too.Inner Beauty Stems From ConfidenceWhen you feel good inside, you look good on the outside. Has a co-worker on Monday morning every remarked on your “glow” after having a relaxing weekend away from work and your many work-related responsibilities? It wasn’t their imagination. Your “glow” arose from rosy skin, and a relaxed vibe from the stress-free couple of days away from the office. And when that happens, you radiate a new, happier self. Like magic, you’ve gotten more attractive to each and every person you meet, and all thanks to an inner beauty, due to acceptance and confidence that translates to your outer self.Inner Beauty Stems From Inner PeaceDespite what you may think, you’re not your most beautiful when you’ve just had your hair professional done, or when you’ve just treated yourself to buying a designer dress to wear out for the night. You don’t look your best when you spend hours putting on make-up or only after working off that recent weight you gained last month.Instead, you look your best when you’re at peace with who you are, and where you are in life. Western culture has told us many things about beauty, all of which suggests that in order to be our most beautiful self we must weight this amount (no more, no less!), buy this cream, inject this anti-aging laser treatment, or show up wearing these designer brand of shoes. However, we don’t need to fulfill society’s silly standards of beauty. Instead, we can create our own.Inner beauty isn’t so easy to attain, because one of the key aspects of achieving it is first achieving inner peace. Are you feeling at ease about yourself, or uncomfortable in your skin? True inner peace (not some flittering thought, but a constant state of calm and peace about yourself) can come in many forms such as accepting your “flaws” as part of what makes you, you. It can come in the form of liking who you see in the mirror (no matter how much you want to change). It can be knowing yourself inside and out; believing in yourself and your dreams, and never letting anyone else tell you who and what you’re capable of. Are you feeling at peace about who you are, and what you’re here to do? That inner peace will undoubtedly shine through in your skin, your smile, and even the way you walk.In addition, your inner beauty will send a vibe to all those you meet that you’re positive, happy and peaceful about yourself and the world. And who wouldn’t be attracted to that?Inner Beauty is Attainable With the Right MindsetAnything you want in life can be achieved with the right mindset, and when you have the right mindset, you’ll always exude beauty. If you’ve ever felt empowered after writing a short story, gave a speech to others who felt moved by what you had to say, or felt as though you are unstoppable after running a marathon, that’s the power of your mind at work.Inner beauty comes from many sources, but one of the quickest ways to feel good about yourself and everything you stand for is through a positive, clear way of thinking. Love who you are, and your beauty will always follow.

How to Get a Mortgage With Bad Credit?

If you have a great credit rating, you won’t find it difficult to get a mortgage. Almost every lender will be more than happy to serve you. On the other hand, if your credit rating is low, you will face a hard time getting a loan to finance your new home.

Your credit reports and credit rating is quite important for creditors to find out if you are a good or bad candidate for a mortgage loan. Aside from this, the assessment of your creditworthiness allows lenders to get a better idea of the amount of money they can lend you with confidence. In other words, this can assure that that you will make the payments on time.

The credit reports and scores will help a lender know if you have paid back your previous loans without any missed deadlines. If you have had a lot of late payments, or payment delinquents, chances are that you have a poor rating. The mention of any of these can be a red flag to your prospective lenders. Since the goal of the lender is to make lots of money, they may take you as a risk.

Unfortunately, if you have changed your habits, they will still review your past to get an assessment whether it will be a good idea to do business with you. Similarly, if you have a credit score in the range of 750, the lender will still consider your debt usage. If your reports show that you have taking loans quite often, they may find it a bit too risky to grant you a loan.

First-Time Home Buyers

If you are a first-time homebuyer, getting a conventional home loan with poor credit rating can be a bit hard nut to crack. However, it’s not a goal that is impossible to achieve.

Tips to Qualify for a mortgage with Bad Credit

Given below are a few tips that you can use to improve your chances of qualifying for a credit rating. If you follow these tips, chances are that your application will be approved.

1. Make a Larger Down Payment

First, if you don’t qualify for a non-traditional loan, you can wait for a while and save money to make a larger down payment. The problem is that lenders consider borrowers with a bad credit score a great risk. Generally, lenders are willing to grant loans to lenders who can make at least 20% down payment. Therefore, if you can pay that much as down payment, you will be able to qualify.

2. Reduce Your Debt Usage

If you have poor credit rating and you are trying to get a loan, we suggest that you reduce your overall ration of debt-to-income. This ration allows a lender to figure out the amount of money you can afford.

3. Use Your Rental History

In most credit reports, you can’t find information about the user’s rental payments. But if you can, you can prove that you made all the payments on a consistent basis over the past 24 months. Aside from this, some other reporting tools can also. They may include RentTracki, Rental Kharma, and Rent Reporters, to name a few.

Before you go for a tool, we suggest that you do your homework to find out about the monthly charges and fees. Aside from this, you should find out if your private data can be protected and the steps you need to do if you cancel the service.

Keep in mind that these tools provide reports for only big credit bureaus. However, you can also find some that can send their reports to all of them.

4. Explain Your Circumstances and Credit Rating

Another good way is to write a letter to explain your situation. In the letter, you should mention the reasons of your negative points on your credit report. And you try to convince the lender that the mistakes won’t happen again.

Also, you should assure that that you are trying to handle the situation you are in. For instance, you can help them realize that you are looking for a job. Before talking to the lender, make sure you get documents to spell out the credit challenges you have been facing. Aside from this, if you can spell out the derogatory items on your credit history, you may be in a better position to get a mortgage.

When taking to the lender, make sure you are specific. You shouldn’t be afraid to provide details of your concerns and needs. This will save you from a lot of headache down the road.

Conclusion

Long story short, if you have a bad credit score but you are still looking for a lender to give you a loan for your first home, we suggest that you follow the tips given in this article. Make sure you also discuss the matter with your mortgage specialist or mortgage broker.