A buyer will “normalize” your EBITDA by replacing your salary with a market-rate manager’s salary. This adjustment can swing your valuation by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Tampa Business Sales
12 Red Flags That Can Kill a Business Sale in Tampa Bay
The sale process is grueling. If a seller becomes defensive during questioning or takes “due diligence” personally, buyers often walk away simply because the seller is too difficult to work with.
7 Things Every Tampa Business Owner Must Do Before Selling Their Company
Spend the year before your sale expanding your reach. A broad, stable customer base in the Gulf Coast region makes your cash flow “sticky.”
What could possibly go wrong when you sell your own business?
If you only have one person at the table, they have all the power. They know you don’t have a backup plan, which leads to lopsided terms, aggressive “earn-outs,” or a price that favors the buyer’s wallet over yours.
Is Your Tampa Bay Business a Sellable Asset or a High-Stakes Job?
If the business’s success is 90% dependent on your personal “secret sauce,” a buyer sees 90% risk. In the Tampa Bay M&A market, that risk translates directly into a lower EBITDA multiple or, worse, a deal that never closes.