Stop Splitting the Difference and Start Talking
Here’s what I’ve watched actually save a negotiation, more than any number ever has: one side asking the other a real question and sitting still long enough to hear the answer. Not “can we split the difference.” Something more like, “help me understand why that number matters to you,” or “what are you actually worried about here.” Buyers...Read More
The Buyer Won’t Pay for What Used to Be True
The business was good to you. It was good to your family. That part is real, and no one can take it from you. But here’s the hard line an owner has to hear before it’s too late to matter: “was good” benefited you. It doesn’t benefit the buyer. When a business isn’t as strong today as it was three years ago, the buyer isn’t interested in paying for what used to be true. They pay for...Read More
Your Buyer Isn’t Writing the Check. A Lender Is.
Almost nobody buys a business with a briefcase full of cash. That’s the part most owners don’t see coming. You picture the buyer sitting across the table, deciding whether what you built is worth what you’re asking. That’s rarely how it goes. Buyers don’t show up with a full cash offer out of savings, and they don’t often borrow the full price against their own assets. They come with...Read More
The Offer Is Where the Hard Part Starts
Getting an offer feels like the finish line. It isn’t. It’s the starting gun. The stretch between an accepted offer and a closing table is the part of a sale nobody warns you about and it’s fraught. Danger, raw emotion, thin trust, and real fear all show up in that gap, sometimes all in the same afternoon. You’ve said yes to a stranger about the thing you spent years building, and now...Read More
The Lease Can Make or Break the Deal
When you buy a business that lives or dies by its location — a restaurant, a retail store, a salon — you’re not just buying the business. You’re buying the lease underneath it. And there are more moving parts in that lease than most buyers ever stop to count. Is it close to expiring? What’s the working relationship with the landlord actually like? Do the terms and extensions stretch...Read More
Ownership Lets You Control Your Destiny. It Also Removes the Safety Net.
Business ownership is for people who want to control their own destiny — their time, their income, their choices. That’s the real draw, and it’s a good one. But it has to be balanced against the other half of the truth. A regular job pays you every week. It lets you make a mistake on Tuesday and still collect your check on Friday. Ownership doesn’t work that way. The upside is yours,...Read More
A $5 Million Offer Isn’t Always Worth $5 Million
A $5 Million Offer Isn’t Always Worth $5 Million As your broker, the first thing I need to know isn’t your asking price. It’s what you need at the end of the day — the number you actually walk away with once everything settles. Because here’s what I’ve learned watching offers cross my desk: price is almost never the thing we base the decision on. The structure is. Two offers...Read More
What Details Can Make or Break a Business Sale?
Why Good Deals Fall Apart — and How to Keep Yours From Becoming One Whether a sale closes or comes apart usually comes down to three things: how well the seller has prepared, how strong the buyer is, and how genuinely the business attracts the people who might want it. Here’s what I’ve come to believe after walking owners through this — there is usually a buyer...Read More
How to Achieve Better Negotiation Results
The term “negotiation” tends to stir mixed reactions. Some people enjoy the challenge, while others would rather avoid it altogether. No matter how you feel about the tactics you might use, the end goal is to reach an agreement that works in your favor. Strengthening your approach with proven strategies can help you navigate conversations more confidently and lead to a more successful deal....Read More
