Quantum Business Broker Services for Sellers

Here is a brief overview of how we handle the sales process from start to finish. You will find links to more information about most of these tasks in the summaries. Our Seller's Kit provides even more information with comprehensive checklists and details. Ask about the Seller's Kit (and our complimentary legal services) when you talk to a Quantum business consultant.

Step 1: Business Valuation

A key task in selling any business is deciding how much it is worth. Determining the fair market value of your business is an involved and complicated process which includes the analyses of many variables. We will apply the most advanced valuation techniques to arrive at an appropriate valuation and listing price. For details see:
- our Business Valuation services page and
- our article "Business Valuation Methods: Arriving at a Listing Price".

Step 2: Prepare the Business For Sale

Client Interview
We typically conduct a client interview to learn your objectives and assemble pertinent information on all aspects of your business.

Asset Analysis and Structuring
We review and analyze the assets you hold within your business and suggest legal structures you may consider using to better protect those assets and possibly enhance their value. You may even be unaware that you hold many of these assets. The appropriate structuring and accounting for those assets is likely to greatly enhance the value of your business.

Presentation and Packaging for Maximum Perceived Value
The business must be properly packaged with all applicable records and facts organized and documented in the most strategic way to maximize potential value. This ensures a presentation of your business in the best light, while providing the purchaser with a solid audit trail to corroborate the seller's representations of value. This presentation educates buyers on the many intangibles inherent in the business, hence raising the perceived value to the acquirer and communicates to the buyer that the business is well organized and easily transferable.

For more information see our detailed page on preparing your business for sale.

Step 3: Marketing and Advertising

In addition to utilizing our comprehensive marketing network and our database of qualified, interested and knowledgeable buyers, we advertise extensively and often consider "Strategic Buyers". Learn more about how we handle marketing and advertising.

Step 4: Screen Potential Buyers

We pre-qualify all potential buyers and ascertain each buyer's interest level, management skills, financial strength and commitment level so that your valuable time is not wasted. Furthermore, we carefully protect the confidentiality of your business so that your customers, vendors and employees do not learn of the sale until it's complete. Learn more about screening potential buyers.

Step 5: Presentation & Review

We provide the prospective buyer with the company profile and thereafter, a more detailed packet of information that we assembled to present the business as a unique market opportunity with huge potential for growth and expansion. Throughout this process our legal, accounting and tax expertise enables us to respond to a variety of buyer questions and concerns and participate and manage meetings with the buyer aimed toward streamlining the process of selling your business. Learn more about presentation and review.

Step 6: Negotiations and Further Screening

Negotiations between the parties can often become intense. Quantum Business Solutions Network professionals provide skilled negotiation techniques to resolve issues as they arise and control all aspects of the process until a favorable resolution is attained. Although you are involved in the entire process, you are allowed to concentrate on operating your business while our professionals attend to all the details. More about negotiations.

Step 7: Structuring the Sale

Quantum's business brokers are also attorneys, CPAs or engineers, and that is why you can count on us to handle all of the complex details of structuring the sale for maximum benefit:
Offer to Purchase / Letter of Intent (LOI)
Purchase and Sale Agreement and Other Legal Documents
Tax Considerations
- Income Tax
- Asset Sales - Allocation of the Purchase Price
- Sales Tax Considerations
- Property Tax Considerations
Offer Acceptance and Counter

More about structuring the sale.

Step 8: Due Diligence

The offer is usually contingent upon the buyer's professionals verifying the accuracy of the seller's financial and operational representations. The buyer begins the process of due diligence and inspects detailed accounting records and business information. The due diligence process is the most important step in ensuring that the transaction is completed in a successful manner.

Step 9: Transfer Documents and Contingency Removal

Our professionals can also be engaged to work with the escrow to facilitate the removal of all the contingencies and work to present the buyer's experience and financial qualifications to obtain any necessary lease assignments (or new leasing arrangements) and/or loan assumptions. Learn more about transfer documents and contingency removal.

Step 10: Closing

This is the point at which you can be assured that you have realized your goals; the transfer of funds and the sale process is completed. We coordinate the preparation of the closing documents to ensure that they are prepared and tailored to meet the individual needs of each seller.

Step 11: Transition

This typically involves a period of cooperation in which you will assist the purchaser with some training and in effectuating a "seamless" transition. During this period you will be involved in introducing the buyer to all key relationships and transferring any proprietary information needed to successfully operate the business. This is a very important piece of the entire process and the time required varies from business to business and market to market. Learn more about the transition process.