As expected, I have received many inquiries from operators who are interested in exploring the process of selling their business in 2022. Accordingly, I will be attending the 2022 NAMA Show. As an operator, you should too, for several good reasons.
Why Mike Kelner will be at NAMA
We will get to the reasons why operators should attend the NAMA Show (and they are good reasons that you may have never considered), but first, you might be wondering why I need to attend this year, more than ever before.
Operators have asked me to attend
My company, VBB Advisors, is recognized as the leading sell side business intermediary in the convenience services industry. Several operators have asked me to meet them at the NAMA show this April. Some may not be ready to sell their businesses right now, but they all want to gain an understanding of what an exit strategy might look like, with a focus on the following:
- How to prepare and position their company for a sale, whether it is 6 months or 6 years away.
- The advantages of working with a sell side broker instead of a broker that jumps around trying to serve both sides of the table – in reality, only serving himself for sure.
- Our proven and highly successful process relating to marketing their business in a discreet fashion.
- An understanding of what their business is actually worth and how VBB Advisors uses a combination of sophisticated software (the kind used in large corporate mergers) and recent sales history data.
- A chance to learn about options that are available when selling their business, including an employment contract with the buyer, protecting key employees or selling business related real estate.
- What to expect regarding payment, holdbacks, possible upside incentives and the myriad of possibilities that we deal with every day.
I can answer your questions
Any operator can schedule a meeting with me at the 2022 NAMA Show - for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a few minutes in the hotel lobby and I will be pleased to share my four decades of experience to help operators navigate the course to a sound exit strategy.
Use this appointment scheduler to set up a meeting
Whether you meet with me or not, by all means, attend the 2022 NAMA Show in April, especially if you plan to sell your business at some point down the line. In fact, if you are planning to sell your business, there are three very good reasons to attend.
Actually, there are four very good reasons - if you count meeting with me as one of them!
Reason #1 – Visibility
If you are a seller, it does not make sense to be anonymous. So instead of just walking the convention floor in a stealth fashion:
- Introduce yourself to the major suppliers
- Attend the industry receptions
- Go to as many education sessions as possible. It’s a great place to meet operators.
Think about it. Which company is more attractive to a buyer? One that lives in the shadows, or one that is proud to be high profile, is supportive of the industry and is passionate about convenience services?
Reason #2 – Respectability
Attending the NAMA Show sends a message to other operators:
“I am serious about this industry, I am successful, I have a well-run operation, I want to learn about new products/technology and by attending the 2022 NAMA Show, I want to make my company better.”
Your company image is important. Do whatever you can to enhance your standing in the industry.
Reason #3 – Widening your perspective
This benefit of attending the 2022 NAMA Show is achieved at cocktail hour, supplier events and education sessions. Interacting with different operators from other parts of the country, some with company sizes and corporate structures that are much different from yours, will offer you a nice perspective on what might motivate a future buyer. Example:
What you assumed was a company strength, like great client relationships, may not be as important as having a stack of location contracts.
- All those water rentals that you take for granted, could look like a river of gold to an operator who loves that the income will be steady, without fluctuation.
- Those vending locations that are worn and tired, might represent significant opportunity to a company that hopes to convert the locations into small micro markets.
- Your strong crew of drivers, techs and sales reps that you have grown accustomed to, could be a real premium to some companies, who have never been lucky enough (or willing) to retain valuable employees. Your team could be a major asset.
