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"Today, I'll put your listing on over 50 business-related websites. That means literally THOUSANDS of eyes will see it... tonight! "

Roger Civalleri, CBI, M & A MI
Call me today
310-539-8300
and let's talk about
Selling your Business!

These questions were taken from an article penned by Russell L. Brown about what a potential Business Seller should ask a Business Broker before listing their company with him. I found the questions comprehensive and compelling. Therefore, I have volunteered the following answers to help you to determine the advantages of placing your company listing with my firm and I highly recommend asking any/every potential listing broker these questions.

How many businesses have you successfully brokered in the past year?
In less than three years I have successfully brokered close to twenty companies personally, nearly half of these in the last 12 months. These companies range from very small to $11 million in annual sales. These are uniquely high numbers for a business broker. Our brokerage is the most successful office in the US. What’s more, I acted as a duel agent in ¾ of my personal transactions. I owe much of my success to the fact that I can find both quality listings and match them with qualified buyers that I have also attracted.. Being a duel agent allows me to act as a responsive intermediary to keep a transaction on a successful track to completion. My clients would confirm that this is one of the key services that I provided for them. (top)

What types of businesses have you successfully represented for sale?
I have personally represented a wide range of businesses including services, manufacturing, and retail. Our firm has experience in every nearly every arena, having successfully brokered nearly 250 companies over a five year period.

What's the range of business values that you've successfully brokered?
From an annual gross sales standpoint, I have represented companies who’s annual sales range from $11 million down to $95,000. (top)

What advertising methods do you use for finding a buyer for my business?

We employ every means available for the promotion of Businesses for sale. First of all we analyze the company from a total business perspective. Then we focus on the sellable aspects as well as we identify any negatives and prepare appropriate responses. Of course, a critical part of our services is to determine the market value of the company. Then we summarize the company in a profile that includes all pertinent representation to help a potential buyer determine whether it meets his buying criteria. Meanwhile, the company’s representations are backed up by documentation that I keep on file for eventual verification. This profile is then “sanitized” by extracting any information that could enable the buyer to determine who the specific seller is without contacting us and signing a confidentiality agreement. This “sanitized profile is then promoted via various means. First of all I have a personal database of over 1000 qualified buyers who have contacted me the previous 12 months. These buyers are gleaned to determine which of them match the criteria that the seller represents. Next the company information is introduced to the other brokers that belong to the Business Team that at one of our Wednesday morning meetings that have mandatory broker attendance. There are over 100 Business Team brokers in California. Each of these brokers also have their own personal data base of potential buyers and do their own sort of potential buyers. I have personally developed the best business brokering web site on the Internet which showcases all of our listings in a very user friendly presentation for both local and world wide viewing. Additionally, our Business Team website, www.business-team.com, showcases all listings, both local and national, as well. We also “flood” over 52 other “business for sale ” types of web sites who’s focus and content is designed to match up buyers with sellers. We also pursue more traditional methods of advertising including newspaper, trade journal and direct mailing campaigns, depending on the company, as well. (top)

Are you qualified to give me a Valuation?
RVC, I've added this question because it separates you from the other brokers. Now's the time to boast. Make it strong.

What valuation method do you use in helping me to establish a selling price for my business?
The size and type of business that is to be valued dictates the most appropriate means of determining market value. Remember, our evaluation is performed to establish an accurate “market” price. Our goal is to determine the optimum price for the company that returns the most to the seller without pricing it out of the market. We employ multiple evaluation methods including … My experience is that companies with a sell price under $3,000,000 and that are owned by one principal will often command the highest price and the most front end payment when is it is sold to another individual who wants to take that over owner’s ownership and move the company to the next plateau. Hence, a primary focus is to determine all remuneration (including all “owner add-backs”) that accrues to the individual seller because the sum of that true net income will be what the new buyer will actually make. The buyer’s criteria will focus on this “total return to owner” and his offer price will usually be based on a “multiple” of that amount. Since nearly all businesses are under $3,000,000 in sell price this is a very important valuation and one that I specialize in. Of course, we are professional evaluators and we are proficient in valuing any size company. (top)

What steps do you take to ensure the confidentiality of my business being for sale?

This is one of the most crucial responsibilities that we assume. Depending on the company’s circumstance it would be a potential disaster if employees, vendors, customers, bankers, or competitors got wind that a company was for sale. Therefore, we employ a very comprehensive process for insuring that anonymity of the company is maintained. First, the potential buyer signs a confidentiality agreement that is supportable in a court of law. Beyond that we require that the potential buyer submit a personal, financial, and profession profile so that we can limit disclosure only to those buyers who appear qualified for the specific acquisition. As mentioned above, all advertising material is “sanitized to maintain confidentiality.

How will you safeguard my business financial information from inappropriate use?
Information is provided to qualified buyers on a confidential basis only when appropriate and only at the appropriate time. The seller can dictate at what point information is made available and normally that is after he has met the potential buyer and he has reviewed the buyer’s profile.

What's your education and training background?
I received my Master’s Degree in Business from UCLA after receiving a Bachelors Degree in Economics (with a minor in psychology) from UC, Riverside. Business and particularly entrepreneurial business has been my focus since leaving corporate America to head up my own entrepreneurial ventures. I have since been the owner or president of eight companies. I personally initiated and consummated sales, purchases, and mergers in six of them. Hence, I have significant experience as both a business buyer and a business seller. This experience gives me a unique insight into the motivations and thoughts from the perspective of each party in the transaction. As a licensed business broker I have received professional training in all aspects of providing brokerage services, from business valuation, to business law, to the ethics of being a business intermediary.

What references from satisfied buyers and sellers can you provide to me?
From my extensive track record of successful transactions I have a long list of satisfied buyers and sellers that I will make available on request.

What steps do you take to ensure that you introduce my business to qualified buyers only?
Introducing only qualified buyers is in both the seller’s and in my best interests. I work only for a success fee (commission) that is paid at the close of escrow. Hence, wasting time on unqualified buyers is extremely self-defeating to me as time is the only inventory that I have and I cannot waste it in unqualified situations. Thus, I take great care in verifying buyer qualification before introducing that potential buyer to the seller.

Are you a licensed real estate broker?
I am a real estate agent in good standing, licensed to practice in the State of California under the auspices of the Department of Real Estate.

What are your fees for representing my business for sale?
I will be happy to discuss fees with you on a direct contact basis. My fee is based on a successful transaction only, with no commission paid until the seller closes escrow or the escrow’s equivalent.

What type of listing agreement do you want to enter into and how long will it take to sell my business?
We require an exclusive listing for a specific length of time. I look forward to discussing the agreement in detail on a direct contact basis.

Do you think I'll need to finance the business sale?
In most business sales the seller is the primary financier. Conventional bank loans are extremely rare for financing the sale of entrepreneurial companies. Fortunately the Small Business Administration provides a means of funding through local banks that I endeavor to use in nearly every situation. SBA backed loans usually represent the best front end financial return for a seller of a company.

What information do you need from me about my business?
In order to determine all of the information necessary about your business I need to perform an initial analysis of your company. However, a minimum package normally includes three years of year-end financial statements, a current interim profit and loss statement, three years of corporate or schedule C portion of individual tax returns, the building lease, if leased, and an itemization of assets that are included in the sale.

Take a look through our Sellers' Information pages, then take a look at our Database of currently open Listings.

Sellers' Information Pages: