As a business owner, you have likely spent hours, days, months or even longer agonizing over whether to sell your business. While in a perfect world the hard part would be over, the reality is making the decision to sell is simply the first step in a complicated process.

Maximize Value How can I maximize the value of my business? As a Transworld Business Brokerage, we are asked this question frequently. There are steps and strategies a business owner can employ when preparing to sell a business. The key is preparation – the better prepared your exit strategy is, the higher the selling price it will command, and the more likely it will sell. A few minor enhancements can dramatically increase the marketability of your business.

A great deal I got a call from someone who was in the process of purchasing a business from an Uncle. The Uncle wants a million dollars for the business which includes real estate, and is willing to sell to his niece on a contract for deed. The niece would pay for the business over time with the proceeds of the business. The niece, who currently works in the business, would eventually be the owner, without having to get approved for a bank loan or provide cash for a deposit. Seems like a win-win, right?

Advantages of Buying an Established Business If you are trying to decide between starting your own or buying an existing business this blog is a must-read. Below are a few of the many reasons buying an existing business may be the better decision, along with a couple of tips that potential buyers should keep in mind before making a purchase.

Research Before Buying

Guest Blog by Jonathan Thielen I just sold our business for eleven times profit or 2.5 times revenue. Many in the industry would call this a successful sale. The company is a rental and employment screening company conducting background checks on people. I get this question often. "How did you capture the full value of the company and/or sell it for those multiples?" I even get that from my private equity friends. Read on for a breakdown on how we did it, and takeaways on how you can, too.

Transworld Business Advisors is marking its 40th anniversary with another huge milestone – welcoming its 200th franchisee, making it the largest franchise broker system in the world. As the world's leading Business Brokerage and Franchise Development Company, Transworld spans over more than 235 territories throughout 16 countries.