Experienced buyers of large businesses have tended to spurn the smaller business, citing traditional “negatives” involved in this type of transaction. Now big-time buyers are throwing away the don’t-buy-small book; or at least, they are beginning to read between the…

If you are an independent business owner, you are most likely also an independent business seller–if not now, you will be somewhere down the road. The Small Business Administration reports that three to five years is a long enough stretch…

It’s easy to be negative about cost-cutting. “Everything just costs more,” a business owner will say; the subtext being, “What’s the use?” Don’t give up! There are ways to cut costs. The first step is to identify where the money…

Strong Points Flexible and positive attitude Creative and comfortable with risk-taking Goal-focused and committed to success Organized Energetic Weak Points Impatient with achieving goals Distractible; tolerant of interruptions Distrustful of “the new” (especially technology) Tendency to stray from business plan…

Now that we crossed that much-heralded bridge to the 21st century and once on the other side, there will be new challenges, but many of the secrets of succeeding in independent business will remain the same. Ask yourself the following…

You’ve make the big decision to sell. Your books are in order, you’ve spiffed up the premises. What are you waiting for? Many sellers get to this threshold and then become concerned about confidentiality. They do not want the news…

“Independent business owner” is a phrase with two meanings. Of course, it means being the owner of an independent business. But another way to look at “independent business owner” is to let this phrase define the very personality of the…

Selling your business is a major decision! You have devoted your time, money and energy to building, running and operating your business. It may well represent your life’s work. You have decided that now is the right time to sell,…

You’ve made the big decision to put your business on the market. Your reasons for selling are valid, carefully-considered, and “good” – the kind that won’t make a prospective buyer shy away. Now, you may tell yourself, comes the fun…

1. Make sure you have a valid reason for selling your business. Don’t decide to sell because you have had a bad week or because moving closer to the grandkids sounds like a good idea. Also, don’t decide to “test…

What is the true income of an independent business? This is a question of interest to many parties–including prospective buyers, investors, and lenders–but nobody is more determined to know the answer than the Internal Revenue Service. What makes the “truth”…

“Your salespeople didn’t listen when I placed my order, and when I wrote a letter to complain, they still didn’t get it right. I guess they don’t read any better than they hear.” Daniel Langley, the owner of a central…