Buying a Business

Can you cope with the time consuming process?

From personal experience it is our opinion that the business transfer process is more stressful than divorce, separation, teenage children, the dentist and moving home put together! We can't help with these other stressful situations but we can help you to buy a business with the least amount of stress possible, and for the lowest price - we have some good case studies to share with you.

We shall take the time burden from you wherever possible, leaving you to run your own business successfully whilst the acquisition process is taking place.

Acquisition Planning

Due to our specific knowledge of the training industry we can assist with strategic decisions especially if you are an overseas investor new to the UK market. We can also help to estimate the resources required for the entire project including post acquisition integration.

Raising Finance

We have relationships with finance brokers and lenders and we can help prepare a shortlist for you. The shortlist of suppliers will provide you with a wide range of sources, and different types, of finance.

Initial Meeting

Naturally there will be no cost or obligation.

You will meet our Managing Director, Peter Kiddle, to discuss how we can work together, agree an outline strategy for a successful acquisition and discuss fees. Peter has a straightforward and consultative style and because he has purchased a number of training companies personally, and sold them all, he can really understand the challenges you will face.

It is likely that the following approach will be recommended with each stage requiring differing input from us and you depending on your 'state of readiness' for the acquisition.

Selecting Professional Help

By this stage you will have selected us - a good decision!

If required we can help prepare a shortlist of professional advisers such as the accountant, lawyer, tax specialist etc. It is important to involve all the advisers at an early stage - even if they do not do very much during the early months.

Targeting Potential Acquisitions

On a confidential basis, and before anyone is approached, you will have approved the organisation as a potential acquisition. We have extensive market information, senior contacts and a wide range of organisations that will have interest in your approach. In addition you may have specific organisations that you would like us to contact. We shall also advertise using specialist websites.

The potential offer price or budget will not be disclosed - although we shall have agreed the figures. This often attracts lower price expectations from sellers than expected!

Meet Potential Sellers

We will help you to prepare for these meetings, mainly focused on 'identifying the needs and motivation of the sellers' and then attend together. We need to encourage the seller to need and want the 'cash' and the new lifestyle this could bring - creativity required, honesty essential.

Negotiation of Deal

We aim to create urgency to avoid a competitive situation and keep the price low. To maintain the all-important relationship between buyer and seller we handle all the negotiations for you. We have first hand experience of reducing deal values to the satisfaction of all parties.

De-Grooming the Potential Acquisition

This is the critical stage. Due to our understanding of the training sector we add value in two key areas:

How to reduce the purchase price

The process we adopt identifies what the targeted company for acquisition has done in the short-term to drive up the sale price. This can include creatively identifying ongoing costs that will not apply under new ownership, determining those factors that you would accept as profit enhancers, reviewing contracts not signed with customers and employees, manipulated capital spend reduction to an unacceptable level, property ownership financing problems, SWOT analysis, marketing spend manipulation, organisational structure inconsistencies, succession plan problems, litigation outstanding, profitability forecast issues, single customer dependency, taxation issues, management accounts problems etc.

Preparation for Due Diligence

We have the experience and expertise in our team to help ensure you identify problems early, in particular industry specific problems. In essence this involves us completing preliminary Due Diligence to find the problem areas and report these to you. Due to our experience in the sector we do not use a 'standard approach' - we ask the questions they will not want to answer!

Completion of Sale

We support you through the various stages including:

• Heads of Agreement
• Due Diligence
• Legal Contracts
• Liaison with your advisers
• Help drink the Champagne!