Entries by Al Statz

M&A Advisor Tip: Expand the moat, reshape the hourglass

Acquisitions work best when they accomplish one of two goals: expand the moat or reshape the hourglass. Expanding the moat means leveraging your core advantage. The more you can strengthen that advantage, the wider the moat around your company, protecting it from competitive forces. As for the hourglass, its narrowest point is your company’s primary […]

Put Time into Planning Sale of Business

Over my 19 year M&A advisory career, I have met many business owners who spent more time planning their children’s wedding, their 50th wedding anniversary, or even their fantasy football draft, than they spent planning for the sale of their business. According to the quarterly Market Pulse Report, we know that when it comes time […]

M&A Advisor Tip: Confidence in Numbers

Most of our clients have CPA Compiled or Reviewed financial statements, and some go a step further with Audited statements. Reviewed financial statements are acceptable, and you can do even better with Audited statements a year or two before you sell. With validated financial accuracy, you increase buyer confidence, shorten due diligence, and help get […]

M&A Advisor Tip: Go ugly early

We have a common saying: “Go ugly early.” When you’re selling a business, put issues on the table right away. Whether you’ve just lost a customer, your backlog isn’t what it was, or you’re operating at capacity—be up front. Providing clarity around your business flaws serves two purposes. First, it makes the whole process more […]

Market Pulse Survey – Why business owners are selling

The following chart shows the reasons business owners decided to sell their businesses in 2020. As in the past, owner retirements led the way. These are the results from the Market Pulse Survey conducted in the 4th quarter of 2020. Each quarter, the M&A Source and IBBA (International Business Brokers Association), in partnership with Pepperdine […]

Spring cleaning is good for business

It’s time for spring cleaning, at home and at work. I only wish my clients did a regular Spring cleaning. It would make due diligence and the whole business sale process a lot smoother. Here’s what I mean: Clean financials: I harp on this a lot. Messy numbers and casual accounting practices create headaches when […]

Avoid the Mistake of Selling on Your Own

One of our former clients, Joe, reflecting on the sale of his company said, “only those of us that have toiled at it know what it really takes to succeed in this business.” How true. Until we risk our own capital and spend years building a team, perfecting products and processes and managing through multiple […]

Biden tax plan driving business owners to market

During his campaign, President Biden proposed tax changes that could have a significant impact on business owners. Any business owner contemplating an exit in the next few years should consider how potential tax changes could reduce their net proceeds from a sale. If Biden’s tax plans come to fruition, the capital gains tax rate could […]

Exit Strategies Advises Vege-Kurl on Sale to Private Equity group

Exit Strategies Group is pleased to announce that its client Vege-Kurl, Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality personal care products, has been acquired by private equity group Hemingway Capital. Founded in 1959, Vege-Kurl Inc. and its subsidiary Joar Labs is a private label contract manufacturing partner and formulator of high quality organically certified efficacious cosmetic, cosmeceutical, […]