The process of selling a business in Westlake Village isn’t as easy as it looks. It takes an average of 6 to 9 months to sell a business in today’s market, and more than half of these buy-sell transactions fall through. But, thankfully, making a profit from your business isn’t impossible.
So, what can you do?
The best route is to work with a Westlake Village business broker with a proven track record for closing deals and getting businesses sold. Steve Barnett, known as The Valley Business Broker, has sold businesses for people just like you. Not only does Steve have millions of dollars in sale transactions, but also an extensive education and a long list of satisfied clients.
The Valley Business Broker – Steve Barnett
We know what you’re thinking. Why shouldn’t you just sell your business yourself?
The truth is, the percentage rate for actually sealing a deal on your own is very low. Coming in at around 20 percent, most owners just can’t make it happen and end up frustrated with the process.
Let’s be clear. It’s not because they’re not good business owners. In fact, most are great at what they do – running profitable businesses! The same is true for Steve. The Valley Business Broker has a proven model for success that moves the likelihood of a sale to somewhere in the 80% to 90% range.
Talk about an improvement!
Now, that’s not to say that the process is totally easy. One of the most difficult things for a Westlake Village business is to decide who to hire to help them sell. That’s why vetting the person you work with before signing a contract is so important.
After all, any person with a real estate license can call themselves a business broker.
It’s crazy to think that you don’t need any experience to get involved with selling businesses. This can be a recipe for disaster, especially when neither the seller nor the broker has a clue what they are doing. Many profitable businesses have been lost to bad deals in similar scenarios.
This doesn’t have to be your fate, though. Hiring a Westlake Village business broker with a proven history of selling success, an extensive education, and tons of industry-related involvement protects business owners from not getting a fair value for their business.
The Valley Business Broker not only has experience with Westlake Village business sales. He also has a business background.
Having previously worked as a CFO, VP of Finance, and a controller, Steve Barnett knows both sides of the business selling coin. This allows him to do one thing really well – sell your business fast.
Education is one of the main things that makes Steve a cut above the rest. In addition to his CPA certification, he also earned his MBA in Business Management from Pepperdine University.
Bottom Line: If you’re going to use a Westlake business broker to help sell your business, you need someone who can use both experience and brains to leverage the best deal possible.
Don’t wait another second if you’re ready to get the ball rolling. Contact The Valley Business Broker today to set up your free consultation.
How to Sell a Business in Westlake Village, California
The process is important. Like a chef who has created an award-winning recipe, the Valley Business Broker has crafted a step-by-step process that has helped countless clients get the best return possible.
If you decide to work with Steve, here are some of the steps he will walk you through.
Step One: Business Valuation & Listing Price
Attracting the right buyers comes down to a couple of key things. The first is setting the right price.
Through an analysis of your operational and financial information, Steve will work with you to determine a fair business valuation that can be turned into profit and used to fund your future.
Whether you’re ready to move on to your next big business adventure, retire, or plan to use your money to travel the country, The Valley Business Broker can help turn your vision into actuality.
Here’s a huge selling point: There’s little risk for you upfront. If you choose Steve to sell your business, you usually won’t pay a dime until your business is sold.
Step Two: Marketing
This is a part of the process that business owners often forget about. You can have an amazing business priced to sell in an amazing market, and it still sits on the market for months. Why? The marketing is off!
Steve knows crafting the perfect marketing plan is crucial to the business sales process. This is why he creates high-quality advertisements that can quickly make buyers out of those who are simply interested in buying a Westlake Village business.
How does this work? By using industry best practices combined with the things that make your business sellable. Like marketing magic, the buyers appear, and deals are closed.
Step Three: Screen Prospective Buyers
But not before prospective buyers are screened. The truth is, in the world of business brokerage, owners don’t only have to protect themselves from inexperienced brokers but also seemingly interested parties who aren’t willing or able to commit. As a result, so much time can be wasted working on deals that will never close.
The Valley Business Broker has come up with an efficient process to screen prospective buyers so that you don’t have to waste your time with parties who aren’t serious.
Step Four: Negotiate Offer
Negotiating an offer can be one of the most exciting yet stressful parts of successfully selling a business. With The Valley Business Broker by your side, you won’t have to go through the process alone. Steve will make sure that you’re comfortable through the entire negotiation process. Always with your best interest in mind, he’ll ensure you get every penny you deserve for your business in Westlake Village.
Step Five: Wrap Up
Once an offer is accepted, the official work begins. This is another part of the process where you definitely won’t want to ‘go at it alone’. The best lawyers, accountants, and escrow agents are needed to make a deal official. Thankfully, Steve knows them all. He will work closely with all needed parties to ensure your experience is not only easy but one that you’ll want to share with others considering selling.
Westlake Village Business Broker Frequently Asked Questions
A) Working with Steve protects you, your business, and your potential profits. His knowledge of the business broker industry, combined with his caring nature and educations, are just a few reasons why both sellers and buyers alike enjoy working with Steve.
A) If you sell your business with Steve, he doesn’t get paid until you do (except for certain business valuations which are usually refunded 50-100% on the sale of your business). Once he has brokered your deal, Steve takes a percentage of the selling price as a paid commission. This is something that is negotiated upfront, so there are no surprises during or after the sale.
Working with The Valley Business Broker to sell your Westlake Village business is the easiest way to get your business sold to the highest bidder. If you’re ready to start the process, Steve is more than willing to talk you through it. Call 818-625-2713 or fill out the contact form on our website today.