The last eighteen months in small business M&A have been challenging to say the least. From March 2022 to January 2024, the federal reserve hiked interest rates a total of 11 times in an effort to curb rapid inflation and avoid a second recession in four years. This dramatic increase in rates and ultimately the […]

On Tuesday May 7, Matt Frye, Managing Partner of IBG/Bluestem, was the featured speaker at the Tulsa Executive Association (TEA) luncheon. Matt brought his son, Keeton Frye, who manages the new Bluestem Oklahoma City office which was established in January of this year. Matt joined TEA in 2021 and holds the classification of Business M&A

Helping the seller anticipate and negotiate issues that can cause deviations from the expected sale proceeds can add unexpected value to involving an experienced M&A intermediary. In a business sale, forewarned is forearmed. An informed seller understands, and can be prepared for, the likelihood that the net value of their business at sale will be

DEFEATING THE “E-MYTH” IN MAXIMIZING BUSINESS VALUE If the value of your company would suffer in your absence, the biggest threat to its marketability might be you. “Buyers generally aren’t interested in paying top dollar if the business is overly reliant on the owner for its success.” That excerpt from a long-ago IBG Business article

Profiting twice from the sale of their business is a common benefit for sellers who participate in a multi-company, industry-specific merger. From among the three major categories of business buyers, private equity groups (PEGs) are currently the most active purchasers of mid-market companies, and the majority of PEG acquisitions are part of what is commonly

If structured properly, the seller of personal goodwill receives significant benefits … with no adverse tax consequences to the buyer. By Jim Afinowich One of the roadblocks that commonly arises in structuring a business sale has to do with the competing tax consequences for the buyer and seller. From a tax standpoint, what is good

Your willingness to carry back a portion of your sale price expands the pool of potential buyers and can drive up your price, level the field in due diligence, and turn your sale into a good investment. In many business sales, the seller’s excitement at receiving a letter of intent from a prospective buyer can

The Letter of Intent in a Business Sale: 7 Seller FAQs In a business sale, the letter of intent is vital document, and sellers need to thoroughly understand its purpose and scope. While his trucking company was always his first love, Howard had a variety of business interests, including farms in Missouri, a heavy equipment

Preparing for Due Diligence in a Business Sale For many sellers, withstanding the challenges of the due diligence phase depends on keeping their emotions in check and anticipating the buyer’s requests for information. If you have been through a business purchase or sale, you have likely experienced the unique tension and strife common to that

Concerned about the M&A environment? Look at our top three considerations. One – Deal Flow According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the total value of M&A deals on a global basis fell 37% in 2022 from the record high established in 2021, as depicted in the below chart: Two observations: First, these numbers

Inflation, Interest Rates, and Planning for the Sale of Your Business For potential sellers, focusing on the future, knowing your objectives in selling, and understanding what motivates buyers can reveal the best time to put your business on the market. If owning a business were easy, everybody would do it – and no one gets

Three-year revenue growth of 99% earns IBG a solid position in Inc. Magazine’s annual list of growing companies. IBG Business has made the 2021 edition of the Inc. 5000, which recognizes the nation’s fastest-growing firms. In receiving this recognition, IBG joins leading U.S. companies – such as Microsoft, Intuit and Under Armour – that have

Tax Considerations When Selling a Business: Contemplating selling your business in the next four years? Tax considerations may advance your timing. Regardless of who you supported in the 2020 election last Fall, business owners should now come to terms with the new reality – overall, taxes are most likely rising. The question of how much

How to identify the best time to sell your private business as well as the many steps involved in preparing for a sale.

You’ve been scrambling to manage your organization in the now current COVID-19 world. Directing staffing, inventory levels and liquidity…

The old adage that “timing is everything” is never truer than when it comes to selling – or not selling – a business.