Nothing is more of a bummer to us than seeing a sellable small business close its doors, rather than move into a new owner’s hands. If you are ready to change your career and leave your business, sell your business. Do not close. Here are a few common reasons very small business owners give when choosing to close, rather than to sell, and why we still think selling is the best choice.
But my business is doing poorly, no one would want to buy it.
Just because you’re business is not thriving at the moment, doesn’t mean it never did or that it never will. Most very small business sales are asset sales, and your assets have value. It is always a better deal for a new business owner to purchase an existing business than to start themselves from scratch. You have, at the very least, a set of assets in place that make your business run. It may need some help or investment to get going again. We would challenge you to see the value in what you have created and imagine the person just starting out who could take what you have build and run with it.
Selling a business is complicated and time consuming
There are a few moving parts to a sale, it’s true. It is a bit more complicated than selling a car on Craigslist. However, the great thing about selling your very small business yourself is that you know everything about your business already. Your business is a lot simpler than typical, larger small businesses. With your knowledge of operations, your local market and your industry, your business sale will be a lot more straightforward and intuitive than you might think.
Selling is so expensive, and my assets aren’t worth that much, that I would lose money going through a sale
Not if you do it yourself. With a simple business model that you know inside and out, you can manage the sale of your business by yourself, with the help of a couple of friends or advisors. You’ll be able to keep what you earn from your sale, and see your business move into it’s next stage.
I don’t have time, my business is kind of a mess, and I’m embarrassed to try to sell it to someone
Our brokerage services specialize in very small businesses like yours. We know how to spruce up your space and put the best face of your business forward to the kind of buyers who are looking for someone just like your business. Sometimes we are so tied up in our business, we don’t have the distance to see the value or potential in what we have. We also don’t always have the time. Let us help you.
We can help you sell your small business
Learn about our services for small business sellers here.
Tell us your story and get your questions answered, Book a Discovery Call
Check out our Instagram for small business selling advice and inspiration
Read more on our blog
Read even more in our book