Be Ready for Due-Diligence!Published November 3, 2019 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentOne of the great “mysteries” in transferring a business is the due-diligence process. Whereas business owners often have a fairly clear concept of a buyer interview and the transfer process, it’s the due-diligence process that makes many of them cringe. “Business owners are somewhat concerne... [read more]
Business Seller’s ChecklistPublished August 11, 2019 | By Gary Herviou, Vice President, Central New JerseySuccessfully selling a small business is a unique and challenging project, to say the least. The small business owner must have many things in place in order to have a high probability of an efficient transfer and exit from their own company. According to Achim Neumann, President of A Neumann &... [read more]
Is Greed in Business Good?Published June 9, 2019 | By Achim Neumann, President“Greed, for the lack of a better word, is good,” – famous words by Gordon Gekko in the movie ‘Wall Street’ in 1987 – greed, defined as the excessive desire for more than is deserved or required, for one’s own selfish interest and not for the greater good and often at the detriment ... [read more]
Smart Transition ManagementPublished May 12, 2019 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentMost entrepreneurs start a business because they know something about a particular industry, its practices, its products and services, and its customers. Generally, they believe they can do whatever it takes to match or beat competitors profitably and successfully. Many new businesses don’t su... [read more]
5 Essential Secrets In Selling A BusinessPublished April 7, 2019 | By Achim Neumann, President This month, we will touch upon five essential secrets to make a business sale to a new owner successful. “Needless to say, there are many ingredients for a smooth transfer, “says Achim Neumann, President, A Neumann & Associates LLC, a New Jersey based Mergers & Acquisitions advisory and... [read more]
Bad Documents To Sell A Privately Held BusinessPublished March 10, 2019 | By Achim Neumann, President Last month, we discussed the right timing to sell a business within the context of macro-economic cycles and the lifestyle preferences of the business owner, we want to focus this month on the right timing within a calendar year. “’Quite often, we see the New Year’s resolution put into... [read more]
The Worst Time To Sell A Privately Held BusinessPublished February 10, 2019 | By Achim Neumann, President“When is the best time for me to sell my company?’ – a question we have heard time and time again from business owners. “says Achim Neumann, President, A Neumann & Associates LLC, a New Jersey based Mergers & Acquisitions advisory and Business Brokerage firm, “And the question ... [read more]
ESOP as alternate exit strategyPublished September 9, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentQuite frequently, we are confronted by retiring business owners with the question, if it’s not more favorable to use an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) as an exit vehicle instead of selling outright to an investor. The aforementioned question is often motivated by one of two aspects, namely, ... [read more]
Business Marketing with Impact!Published August 12, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentIn developing a marketing campaign for selling a business in Pennsylvania or any other state, the effectiveness of a broad campaign versus the risk of breach of confidentiality must be carefully weighted. The M&A advisor needs to analyze the potential target market for the business to be sold to... [read more]
What Drives Value Creation in a Turnaround SituationPublished July 15, 2018 | By Tom Hewlett, Managing DirectorIs your company facing a turnaround? To answer that question, perhaps we should first define a turnaround. According to Investopedia, “A turnaround is the financial recovery of a company that has been performing poorly for an extended period of time. To effect a turnaround, a company must ackn... [read more]
A Buyer’s Top Five Mistakes When Buying a BusinessPublished June 10, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentOver the years, we have seen certain buy-side mistakes that recur again and again. Here is a list of some of the more common problems seen over the years. #1 – Insufficient Information Verification Important information about the business should be verified, in particular as it relates to trend li... [read more]
Not A Penny More!Published May 13, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, President“Not a penny more” or “this is the percentage commission I’m willing to pay out, and not a point more!”- familiar words every business owner has heard in the past from one of the business’ customers. What do you do? Whereas this negotiation approach might be viable in an ongoing business... [read more]
Selling Your Business – The Top Reasons to Hire An AdvisorPublished April 8, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, President‘I know the value of my business and I have three buyers knocking on my door each week, I will sell my business on my own (and save the commissions)’ – statements often expressed by business sellers. “As the old adage goes, ‘you don’t know, what you don’t know’ – this is exactl... [read more]
The Industry Specialist – A Poor ChoicePublished March 11, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, President“Only an industry specialist in the Mergers & Acquisition field can sell our company, nobody else,” – sentiments quite often expressed by business sellers. “Nothing can be further from the truth than such statements,” says Achim Neumann, President, A Neumann & Associates, LLC, ... [read more]
Post-Closing Business Seller Liabilities When Transferring A CompanyPublished February 12, 2018 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentImage from Alpha Stock Images CC license Approximately 8 out of 10 businesses fail within the first 18 months; only 4% make it to $1M in revenue and only 0.4% to $10M, according to Forbes. Thus, for any business owner having succeeded among the 500,000+ businesses started each year and come to the p... [read more]
The Three Most Important Aspects Business Buyers SeekPublished October 9, 2017 | By Achim Neumann, President Assuming a particular industry has been pre-selected, there are several criteria that an investor is seeking when evaluating various businesses to purchase within that industry. “It is important for a business seller to know these criteria” says Achim Neumann, President, A Neumann & Associa... [read more]