55 Questions to Ask Before You Sell Your Business

One day, your business will be owned by someone else. Your baby, your dream, the thing you have nurtured from infancy through great expansions, through near-death experiences, to what it is today, will be owned and led by someone else. This book is about taking control of this certainty and choosing the path that will provide the maximum value to you, the owner. And let's be clear: you deserve the maximum value for the business you have built. Your business is a powerful force in the markets and communities you serve. Robert Wagner, a CPA and business advisor at HoganTaylor LLP, has drawn on more than 30 years of experience as a CFO and M&A advisor to produce 55 value-driving questions that leaders should be asking to make their business better today and on the day they sell it. Many questions point to the heart of value-the certainty and resiliency of future cash flows. Some cover issues that are not deal-breakers but could slow a deal down, introducing additional risk to closing the transaction. This book is for business owners and key advisors such as CPAs, legal counsel, and bankers who want to drive value into the owner's business, create an attractive company for acquisition, and provide assurance that a deal can be completed expeditiously. This book is also for chief financial officers, controllers, and other executives of small and mid-sized businesses who want to know how to increase their businesses value today and in the future. Praised by business owners and corporate leaders alike, 55 Questions to Ask Before You Sell Your Business builds a picture of a professionally managed company that is ready for sale.