Business Exits By Industry

Selling a Chemicals Dealers Business

Does the economy have you down? For exiting owners, the idea of listing their company now can be terrifying. Fortunately, a chemicals dealers business sale isn't as scary as it seems.

You need to get a good price for your chemicals dealers business. To get there, you'll need to set realistic expectations and follow a deliberate selling strategy.

Eventually, it will the time will come to exit your business. As a consequence, you have a substantial stake in knowing how to receive maximum price for your chemicals dealers business.

Before You Sell

There is a lot of work that needs to be done before you're ready to sell your chemicals dealers business. Perhaps the most important pre-sale consideration is to right-size your expectations to the realities of the market. After you have consulted with a business broker to right size your expectations, you'll need to add several items to your checklist, including financial statement preparation, pre-sale appraisals, financial planning, market positioning and other tasks designed to communicate value to prospective buyers.

Handling Unexpected Outcomes

When you made the decision to sell your chemicals dealers business, you had a specific set of outcomes in mind. But it's highly unlikely that the sale will meet all of your expectations, especially if your initial estimates were created without the benefit of a solid appraisal or market knowledge. Surprises are inevitable, so to minimize the disappointment you will need to prioritize the outcomes you require from the sale. If buyers don't seem to be willing to meet your expectations, consult with your broker to modify your strategy and market approach.

Pros & Cons of a Sale to an Employee

Employee sales have pros and cons. A key employee may seem like a natural sales prospect. If you need to sell quickly, the timeframe is condensed in an employee sale because you don't need to track down a buyer. However, some employees feel they are entitled to special treatment and pricing, especially if they have played a key role in the company's success. Seller financing is one way to get around the capital deficit of an employee-based chemicals dealers business sale, as long as you are willing to vet the employee's credit worthiness the same as any other buyer.

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