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Buying a business

For buyers: finding, financing and taking over an established company.

Articles on buying a business

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Older man sitting at a table inside a bright cafe Buying a business Why Every Business Partnership Needs a Written AgreementWhy a handshake is not enough between friends or family partners, the disputes a written agreement prevents, and how to raise it without offense. Long wooden table with coffee cups in a small cafe Buying a business Negotiating a Deal Means Asking QuestionsThe questions a buyer should ask a seller to learn what matters beyond price, and how the answers shape a better offer. Sunlit antique shop filled with vintage furniture and wall clocks Buying a business Five Key Points All Buyers Should InvestigateThe five things to check before buying a company, what to request for each, and the warning signs that should make you pause. Bakery staff working behind a counter full of fresh bread Buying a business Buying a Business Without Traditional Collateral: What Do Buyers Need to KnowHow buyers without much collateral can still finance an acquisition, using cash-flow lending, seller notes, earnouts and equity partners. Empty cafe interior with wooden tables and a leather bench Buying a business What Helps a Business Sale Actually Reach the Closing Table?What decides whether an accepted offer becomes a closed sale: terms settled early, a written closing plan, outside parties handled, no surprises. Busy neighbourhood restaurant with diners under industrial pendant lights Buying a business A Smart Buyer’s Guide to Evaluating a Business OpportunityA staged way to evaluate a business opportunity: a quick screen, a closer look and a deep dive, with the questions and walk-away signs for each. Interior of a small clothing boutique with shelves and hanging racks Buying a business How to Achieve Better Negotiation ResultsWhy alternatives and preparation beat tactics in a business sale negotiation, which tactics help, and when they backfire. Laptop showing a digital clock on a desk by the window Buying a business Buyer Success: How to Get From NDA to Closing When Buying a BusinessWhat each stage of buying a business asks of you, from NDA to closing, and the habits that keep a purchase from falling apart. Set restaurant table with wine glasses in a quiet dining room Buying a business A Practical Roadmap for First-Time Business BuyersThe stages a first-time buyer moves through from defining the target to closing, what each involves, and who should help at each one. Florist workbench with laptop, cut flowers, scissors and wrapping paper Buying a business Thinking About Buying a Business? Start With These Essential StepsThe groundwork to do before you contact a single seller: your criteria, your money, your advisors and how to be taken seriously. Bright independent clothing shop with pendant lamps and a customer Buying a business The Lease Factor: Why Real Estate Can Make or Break a Business SaleHow to negotiate lease terms that protect a business you buy, plan for your own exit, and handle real estate the seller owns. Interior of a small boutique shop with clothing and plants Buying a business You Might Be More Ready for Business Ownership Than You ThinkThe career skills that carry over to owning a company, the traits that matter most, and how buyers cover the gaps they do have.

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