As a business owner, you will eventually reach a pivotal moment when you consider selling your business and making an exit. This decision could be the most significant financial transaction of your life. Naturally, you’ll want to secure the right buyer, achieve the highest value, and negotiate terms that align with your priorities. You’ll also want to ensure a smooth sales process that minimises disruption to your operations and your team.
M&A brochure for SMEs
However far along in your business journey you are, it’s never too early to be thinking about an exit plan.
Professional advice is essential when selling your business
At Wilson Partners, our Corporate Finance Team is poised to apply its industry-leading practical and commercial expertise to your deal, supporting you at every step of the journey.
Whether you’re selling your entire business or just part of it, you should talk to us as early as possible, allowing our experienced team more time to identify the optimal route to market, ensuring you get the best deal possible.
The sell-side advisory process
We begin by understanding your objectives, exploring all viable options, and collaborating with you to ensure your business is in prime position for sale. Once we’ve agreed on the sales strategy and target valuation for your business, you can confidently entrust your business to us. Some of your options for an exit deal could include management buyout (MBO) or employee ownership trust (EOT), both of which involve staff members buying the business; a trade sale, which involves one business buying another; or a private equity sale, where an angel investor, private equity firm, or venture capitalist purchases equity in the company.
We’ll identify and evaluate potential buyers, leading negotiations until the deal is completed. With our own specialist tax advisors, we’ll be able to structure the deal with optimum tax efficiency.
What’s my business worth?
When it comes to selling your business, knowing what it’s worth will probably be one of your most pressing questions. Understanding your business’s value is crucial as it can help you formulate a plan for the future, guiding your decision on when to sell. We will establish an accurate valuation of your business based on market insight, current data, and a comprehensive understanding of your business.
Why get a valuation?
Going to market to establish a price point for your business can be expensive, and it may not always be appropriate or desirable. This is because it allows the buyer to set the price. Without a current valuation, it’s challenging to determine if offers are reasonable and reflect the business’s true value.
A valuation from Wilson Partners, coupled with advice and guidance throughout the selling process, will ensure you achieve a satisfactory and reasonable outcome from the sale of your business. We’ll keep your interests at the forefront throughout every stage, drawing upon our award-winning experience in corporate finance services.
Download our FREE guide to selling your business
Business valuation calculator
Get a guide-price valuation for your business in minutes. Answer a few questions about your revenue, sector, and growth, and receive an indicative valuation based on current market multiples.
*Valuations are indicative only and are not legally binding. Please see full disclaimer upon submission.
Dan James, Wilson Partners
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Useful insights
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Selling a business is often the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. For many entrepreneurs, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, so achieving the best outcome is paramount. While some may be tempted to go it alone to save on fees, this…
Typical routes to selling a business
Selling a business is a significant milestone that requires careful consideration and planning. The process can vary widely depending on the size and type of business, as well as the objectives of the seller.
Selling my business: What is my business worth?
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FAQs
Most business valuations are based on the market approach, which involves looking at similar businesses that have been sold and adjusting their value based on details about your business. An advisor can give you a proper valuation that takes various factors into account.
Lots of different factors could affect the value of any given business. These include the quality of the management team, supplier concentration, customer concentration, contracts in place, exposure to the political and legal environment, and much more. Different factors will apply to each individual business.
A financial model shows where the management team or vendor believes the business can get to in the two to five years after the sale. This is often valuable information for potential buyers, and can be an important factor in the sale.
Working with an adviser well before a planned business sale allows you to structure your business to maximise the value that you can achieve when you do exit. This includes cleaning up finances (think of it as doing due diligence on yourself to ensure there are no obstacles that could hinder the sale process or reduce the value), getting a suitable management team in place, establishing contracts with clients and suppliers, and creating a financial model that demonstrates the potential to an incoming buyer.
Owner-managers and entrepreneurs often face the challenge of aligning their expectations with the reality of the market. If it is your first time going through such a process, your expectations may be influenced by anecdotal evidence or high-profile sales reported in the media. This is another reason it is vital to work with experienced M&A specialists, who can ensure you have a sound understanding of the potential value of your business.
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Our people
It’s all about the people! We work hard to maintain our unique culture and recruit those who share our passion for client service, the value we can add to those around us and our never-ending quest to develop ourselves and our clients.
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We’re highly experienced dealmakers and we have completed countless successful transactions in our time, from fundraising and MBOs to mergers and acquisitions.
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