Don't miss my 5-part series on how to successfully sell your business
One of my favorite terms in business is “best practices.” The question that I always ask is this: “Who knows for sure if those are the best practices?” One way to establish best practices is from experience. After three plus decades as a sell side business broker, I have a strong handle on best practices when it comes to selling your business that I am excited to share with operators this year.
I have been contributing to the leading publication for the convenience services industry for the past couple of years now and I am thrilled to be writing a 5-part series for Automatic Merchandiser and Vending Market Watch, with the first installment coming in the last week of February. We will be exploring the proven step by step process that VBB Advisors has been utilizing for decades.
This type of content is important because based on the number of calls I have already received in 2025, it is obviously going to be a busy year in the world of M&A. Additionally, a number of inquiries I have received from operators are right in line with what the 5-part series is all about. The most common questions:
"How do I get started?"
"What is my company worth?"
"Is this a good time to sell?"
"How can I make the company look as good as possible?"
"How do I maintain confidentiality?"
"If I know a company that wants to buy my business, can't I just do this myself?"
"Who would be interested in my company?"
"What is the process?"
"How long will the process take?"
"What does sell-side broker really mean?"
"How do I protect my key people?"
"What should I do about the business real estate?"
Are these some of the questions you are asking right now? Based on these questions, plenty of operators are thinking about selling, even if they are not ready to sell right now, which brings me to the first article in the series:
M&A Best Practices – How to successfully sell your business - Part One - Preparation
In this article, we are going to look at the importance of planning. Preparing your company before attempting to put it on the market is the smartest thing an operator can do. This process can begin six months, one year, even two years before you put your company on the market.
Proper preparation by the operator requires a patient and thoughtful approach to selling your company - but that is what my clients are all about. You cannot be in a rush to successfully execute what is arguably the most important business deal of your life.
Future articles in the series will cover:
Valuation - This aspect of the journey is critically important. The valuation must be established based on accurate industry data.
Marketing - So much goes into the marketing side and confidentiality is a key factor. The goal is simple - multiple offers to choose from!
Negotiation - When your company is perfectly positioned and the buyers are hungry - negotiations become considerably easier.
After the sale - Will you be handing over the keys and walking away on the day the sale occurs? Do you want to stay on for a while? Will there be a hold-back of sales proceeds by the buyer? Is there upside revenue if you drive sales higher? What will you do in this next chapter of your life?
So please watch for this series of articles, starting later in the month of February. In these newsletters, we expand on the articles, taking a deeper dive and citing some real life deals that apply to these key best practice concepts.
Take that first step
Buyers come to me because they know that I serve sellers who have thoroughly and thoughtfully considered their exit strategy with my help. That is the type of seller that you want to be – a seller who has their ducks in order, has taken steps to make their business as attractive as possible and a seller who values their employees enough to make a deal that everyone will feel good about.
Take that critical first step. That is often the toughest one to take.
Order my free 2025 Exit Strategy Planner. At the very least, it will provoke some thought, and this is a good time to think about your future.
Whatever your reasons are to sell your company - the timing, a sense of frustration, the desire to enjoy life or an interest in rewarding yourself for years of hard work – VBB Advisors can help you realize your goals.
I am Mike Kelner, the leading sell side intermediary in the convenience services industry. Let’s sit down and have a conversation. Use this appointment scheduler to set up a meeting with me.
Or – give me a call at 704-942-4621
