The economic climate during the past few years has not been easy for many South African business owners. However, for others, it’s been a time of opportunity. While some chose to divest, others were hungry to acquire. For some opportunity seekers, the best option was to leverage the resources of another business to further their growth plans. In practice, these scenarios occur in good times and bad. In each case, professional mergers & acquisitions advisory services can help identify those opportunities that best suit the sellers’ needs and negotiate the most favourable outcome.
Building a business is seldom easy, often involving years of sacrifice and burnt midnight oil before an owner can enjoy some tangible rewards. Selling that business can be equally challenging and is not always the best option. Even if you plan to retire, a lump sum may not be the best way to ensure long-term financial security. Discussing your reasons for selling with a mergers & acquisitions advisory specialist could expose alternative, more lucrative strategies better suited to your specific needs.
Maybe you have genuinely had enough and want out. Fair enough, a sale might well be the answer. However, perhaps you’ve just grown tired of being desk-bound by day-to-day admin tasks and need something that appeals to your entrepreneurial spirit. Maybe something is restricting your growth that might cease to be a problem if you find the right partner. Whatever your reason, selling your business is not merely a financial transaction. It is an intensive and generally lengthy marketing and sales exercise best managed by a mergers & acquisitions advisory firm. Furthermore, the process is frequently less about procuring a buyer and more about developing and securing the best possible exit strategy.
One can often sell a home in a matter of six months or less. However, it can frequently take a year or more to negotiate and conclude the sale of a business. Much of that time is devoted to finding potential buyers or partners. The search can require consulting with up to a hundred to identify just two or three serious prospects who are also a good fit for the proposed deal. A reputable mergers & acquisitions advisory firm will be sure to remain aware of those companies with an appetite for expansion or diversification. It will also have access to overseas businesses keen to expand into new markets.
That said, acquiring a suitable BEE partner can be an excellent way for a local business to penetrate new markets. The move could open the door to valuable state contracts and provide access to a more diverse client base while raising some cash and retaining control of your business. Once again, finding the right partner and closing the deal is best handled by a mergers & acquisitions advisory specialist.
Most importantly, whether selling all or part of your business, you will want assurance that whoever you appoint to manage the process has only your goals and best interests at heart. Deal Leaders International (DLI) is a sell-side M&A specialist and advisor with a unique yet highly successful strategy specialising in working for owners of privately-owned businesses. That innovative approach could place a lucrative offer on the table even without performing due diligence when you choose DLI as your mergers & acquisitions advisory firm.
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