Thinking About Selling?

Since 2005, ClearVision has worked with hundreds of companies offering merger and acquisition services from valuation improvement to final sale.

 

Why Is This Important?

Because in many cases, the odds aren’t in your favor. Here are a few statistics:

  • Only 20% of all of the businesses that attempt to sell actually complete the transaction. The rest are torn apart for pennies on the dollar or just shut down.
  • 75% of owners who do sell are unhappy with the sale one year after they exit.
  • 90% of all of the people who begin the search to buy a business never complete a transaction.

And, It May Get Worse

Once again, baby boomers are expected to have a big impact on the economy – this time on business prices – as over 7.7 million boomers are expected to exit their businesses by 2025.

The American Family Business Survey showed that as a result there is likely to be a glut of businesses on the market, that could, in turn, cause downward price pressures for most privately owned companies as the supply and demand curve will favor buyers.

Clearly, in this market, owners will have to have a competitive edge that will increase the attractiveness, value, and salability of their businesses. 

 

So How Will You Navigate?

Your trusted CPA, attorney, banker, and financial planner should all be part of this decision, but now it’s time to trust an M&A professional whose only job is to find you the best fit at the best price during one of the most important transactions of your life.

ClearVision and our M&A partners offer a powerful one-two punch:

ClearVision brings years of experience helping clients improve profitability and build a sound management team as key differentiators against the competition.  They also understand the emotional investment and integration it takes to successfully acquire or sell a company.

Our M&A Partners bring years of experience analyzing, marketing and negotiating successful transactions for their clients and they’ve perfected a process that significantly defies the failed statistics for most buy/sell transactions.

 

Who We Work With

We typically work with owners of privately held companies that have sales between $1 and $10 Million, are profitable, and looking to either acquire new companies or transition out of their current company through a third-party buyer, within five years.

We have experience in multiple industries, however we specialize in professional services, distribution, and manufacturing.

 

Sellers Programs Include

Valuations and Readiness Assessments – Before we determine a plan of action, we ask you to take our Readiness Assessment and provide financial information to establish a current valuation range for your business.  There is no charge for this service.

Based on that information, we then work with you to develop a road map to either:

1. Enhance your Company Value and Marketability

This step includes a written plan and coaching program to address any areas that need improvement to attract the right buyer, at the right price, and in a time frame you’re comfortable with.  The length of the program and investment depend on your needs and all recommendations will be presented in a written proposal. Learn more about Valuation Enhancement/Coaching Services.

Or, if you’re ready…

2. Take you to Market Immediately with our M&A Services

These services include:

  • Discovery Day where we ask meaningful questions to uncover all the goals you’d like to achieve through the sale of your business.
  • Market Test to review the current market strength for your industry.
  • Bank Test to determine the likelihood that banks will lend money to a potential buyer and the borrowing requirements.
  • A complete and accurate company valuation by a Certified Valuation Expert.
  • Written marketing plan to reach thousands of potential buyers. The plan includes several listing sites, email blasts to potential strategic buyers, and other creative ideas based on your industry and needs.
  • Professionally written marketing materials (blind offering and full marketing brochure)
  • Transaction Manager who vets and negotiates offers on your behalf and works closely with you and potential buyers to ensure the process moves forward.

 

For smaller companies

Due to our minimum brokerage fees, you may be interested in using an alternative approach to market and negotiate the sale of your company.  To address those needs we’ve developed a specific coaching program for owners whose company is valued at $500,000 or less.

The program guides owners through each step of the process including:

  • Writing the marketing pieces,
  • Vetting potential buyers,
  • Gathering the necessary documents for due diligence,
  • Negotiating skills,
  • Working with an attorney and CPA during the process, and much more.

This process takes between 6 and 8 months depending on the amount of time you have to complete each step of the process..

For more information about this program, please contact us.

 

Buyers Programs Include

If you are in the market to acquire a company, whether you are a first-time buyer, interested in strategically growing your capabilities or expanding your footprint, we are here to help.

Our Buyers programs are customized to your needs but include:

  • Needs Assessment to identify exactly what you are looking for in an acquisition.
  • Full search via our expansive database
  • Vetting process of potential candidates
  • Negotiations
  • Transaction Manager who will work closely with both you and the seller to ensure the process doesn’t stall

Fees

Our fees for any of these programs are competitive and will be presented in a written proposal.  All our programs are highly personalized and conducted with the utmost confidentiality.

For more information or to schedule your complimentary introductory appointment, please call or email me at dawn@clearvision.us.com.

10 Common Deal Killers

These are the ten problem areas when trying to sell a business. We have created a process that minimizes or eliminates every one of these deal killers to ensure a smoother transaction.

1. Valuation Issues

Unrealistic seller expectations because they truly do not understand the current market or what buyers find attractive in a company for sale.

2. Not Hiring the Proper Professional Advisors

A successful transaction will involve professionals like CPA’s and Attorneys. When those professionals do not have M&A experience, it can take much longer for the transaction to process causing fees to rise and/or “Deal Fatigue” where the buyer drops out.

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Seller Success Stories

dean-smithOnce we put the business on the market, we had incredible momentum due to the upfront preparation and planning. Throughout the process, our M&A team gave us great support and kept things moving forward.  We are proud to say we closed for more than we had been expecting!

~Dean Smith, former owner, Specialty Heat Treating, Inc.

Ouamy-peterseonr decision to sign on proved to be the crowning decision of our careers. Before going to market we had an analysis of what they predicted our after-tax proceeds would be.  The entire process was very professional and their deal structure was both innovative in its creativity and logical in its simplicity.

~Amy Peterson, former owner, Belding Tool & Machine

john-cusackI worked closely with the M&A team as they extensively qualified potential buyers. Their thorough process identified a mix of highly qualified individual financial buyers, strategic buyers, and even a local family office.  The eventual buyer was extremely professional and we were able to close in just four months.

~John Cusack, former owner, Westshore Design

cindy-locklinListening to the economists about the next 5 year outcome, I decided it was a good time to sell. Every step of the way, the staff went over and above and when it came down to it we had more than one serious buyer.  I’m absolutely happy that I sold the company.  The world is at my door step.

~Cindy Locklin, former owner, Busy Bea’s Services

norm-veldhossThey’re a professional company. They know their business and get into things that the normal person selling a company wouldn’t even think about that are important to a sale.

~Norm Veldhoss, former owner Superior Cutting Svcs.

john-stellemaOne of the first things we decided was, “let’s do it ourselves,” and that was an exercise in futility. But, the M&A team sold our business in three months and the return on investment was more than worth it. I highly recommend them.

~Jon Stellema, former owner Auto Lab

GET STARTED

I’m interested in learning more about how the ClearVision M&A process works and how it can help me reach my goals.

 

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