Dealmaker Articles

If you’ve never done it before, buying a small business might sound easy. After all, there are tons of them out there and at any

When it comes to weighing up businesses and making decisions such as which to buy and what to pay for them, it helps to have

Heads of terms are documents that give you a framework for the business acquisitions deals you will eventually do. In some countries heads is known

Accurate valuation of a business, assessing how much a company is worth at a particular moment in time, can be challenging but is necessary if

When you buy a business as a going concern, what is it that you actually get for your money? As with so many things, the

If you are buying – or selling – a small business, you need to be able to put a value on that business in order

Buying a small business that’s not for sale sounds like a contradiction in terms, but you might be surprised how many deals are completed off-market.

There are very many things to look out for when buying a start-up or an existing business, warning signs that alert you to the fact

When looking for businesses for sale, it’s worth remembering that only one in five is ever advertised. For that reason, you should take the initiative

When you are buying an existing business, the process has many moving parts and there are many tasks to be completed. You don’t need to

There are two ways people become business owners: they start a business or buy a business. If you want to avoid the risks inherent in

If you have always dreamed of owning a small business but don’t have deep enough pockets to buy one or to found a start-up, that

When you look at a small business with a view to buying it, you have to make sure you know what you would be getting

For some people, having their own business means starting something from scratch. They have a business idea they’re passionate about, nurture it from the ground

The asking price of any individual business, whether established or startup, will depend on a raft of different factors, including size, profitability, the market it

Buying a business in the UK is a process that is largely the same no matter what type of business you buy. It’s a multi-step

A lot of time, effort and money goes into every business acquisition. Whether you are looking at buying startups or an established existing business, you

Most people think that when you buy an existing business, one party hands over the money and the other hands over the keys to the

What is a Due Diligence & Due Diligence Checklist? When you plan to buy a company, you want to be sure you fully understand what

When entrepreneurs buy businesses, they need people to work in them and run them. That might mean keeping all the staff already in the business,

It’s possible to buy pretty much any type of small business you can think of. The key to making the right choice is to think

There is no set time frame for buying a business. It depends on things including the seller, the buyer, the professionals on either side of

With very many things that we do, before we jump into it, it pays to spend a little time thinking about what we want to get out of it. Embarking on a business-buying adventure is no different.

You might think that the best types of business to buy are the ones everyone is clamouring for, the hot and trendy businesses, the beautiful ones. I think that’s misguided and you need to change your mindset.

Just 18 months after its launch, Facebook decided to buy another business and so acquired Instagram for $1billion in 2012. At the time, Instagram was a 13-person start-up with 30 million users. Now the photo-sharing app boasts over 600 million users.

Dealmakers can operate in different sectors, buy businesses in different ways and use alternative methods of funding. However, when it comes to successful dealmakers, there are some things they have in common despite other differences in their approach. We take a look at some of those things in this article.

When you intend to build a group of businesses you need to be able to look at a selection of them, evaluate each one and make a decision as to whether to buy. There are bound to be ones you aren’t really sure about, or maybe aren’t really keen on, but if that’s all there is on the table you might find it hard to walk away.

In part one of this two-part series, in the last issue, we talked about the differences between being a dealmaker and being a doer, and the light bulb moment – the catalyst for change. In part two, we’re going to talk about the four key elements of success for a dealmaker.

If you’re just starting out on your business buying journey, you face a steep learning curve. Even if you’ve been going for a while and have some acquisitions under your belt chances are you’re still learning.

Before you get into the practicalities of buying a business, there are some basics you really need to know. These are important principles and habits; without them, you start the entire process at a disadvantage, and yet they are really simple to learn and to use.

You’re going to have many light bulb moments throughout the process of learning about business acquisition strategies, and thinking about buying businesses and the opportunities and the possibilities that can unlock.

There are millions of words written about starting a business, but far fewer about buying one. There’s a ton of help if you’re looking to start a business, but next to none when it comes to buying or growing one.

In order to run your business effectively, you as a business owner should have a clear picture of your organisation’s financial health. Financial health goes past measuring company profits and outgoings since there could be hidden value in your business that you’re not currently aware or making use of. 

A business acquisition is the process of one company purchasing 51% or more of another business’ shares, in order to take control of that business.

Have you ever considered buying a business? It can be a scary decision and there’s a lot of information to consider, not to mention it can be a complicated process! However, with the right knowledge, advice, and people around you, it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

Making the decision to sell your business is a huge step for anyone. Sometimes your company is ready to be sold now whereas on other occasions it could be best to hold onto it a little longer. If you’re interested in weighing up the pros and cons of both, you’re in the right place!

The internet has given birth to a slew of “internet celebrities” and some of them are capitalising on their influence by building and selling their business, making millions in the process.

If you are a dealmaker, you find, fund, fix and flip businesses for profit. You find businesses to buy, often at below market value, and fund the purchase without using your own money.

At The Dealmaker’s Academy we are firm believers that the biggest wins in business often come from buying and selling a business. Acquisitions are simply one of the fastest ways to grow a business often at a rate you cannot achieve by solely working in the business.

There is a vital step you must always take before you buy a business – due diligence. No matter how attractive the seller makes the business appear, you and your advisors should carry out due diligence.

When looking for businesses for sale, it’s worth remembering that only one in five businesses for sale are ever advertised. For that reason, you should take the initiative and seek out prospective sellers rather than relying on finding them through adverts.