Selling a Business Advice

Selling an Italian Food Business

We hear from a lot of business owners who are timid about listing their Italian food business. Despite the mood of the market, we think there are still opportunities to receive a good price for your Italian food business. Here's what you need to know . . .

The economy isn't the only thing that is uncertain these days. So are Italian food business buyers, many of whom are waiting to pull the trigger on their next acquisition.

Market timing is a constantly moving target. Knowledgeable entrepreneurs understand that market timing isn't nearly as important as other factors in a Italian food business sale. The key is to go into the sale with your eyes open and with complete awareness of market condition.

Average Timeframes

From the day they decide to sell their company, the question that plagues many owners is how long it will take to sell their Italian food business. The amount of time your business will be on the market depends on how aggressively it is priced and marketed. To adequately prepare your business listing, plan on spending six months to a year prior to listing. Even though it's conceivable that an attractive opportunity could sell in weeks, an immediate flood of offers could indicate that the business is underpriced.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell an Italian food business?

You'll need to incorporate the cost of the sale into the calculation the minimum price you are willing to receive for your Italian food business. Good brokerage takes a 10% success fee off the top of the final sale price. Depending on your circumstances, you may also incur substantial expenses in hiring legal, appraisal and accounting professionals. Furthermore, your time has value, so you may need to include a personal compensation consideration in your expense estimates.

Negotiation Teams

Business sellers are sometimes surprised to find themselves in the position of negotiator-in-chief. When you sell your Italian food business, your business brokers may or may not be willing to conduct negotiations for you. Negotiation is a chess game, best played with the resources and backend support of a negotiation team. Good negotiation teams support sellers, giving them insight and advice about how to overcome buyer objections and drive the process forward to a successful conclusion.

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary