The March Group / GW EQUITY ALL REAL or just HYPE

What is your opinion on the M&A market place? Rags or riches...

Can you get the most value out of your business without the help of a private investment banking firm. Two immediately come to mind: The March Group and GW Equity where you can attend a seminar and learn about maximizing the value within your business. What are your thoughts and opinions of the fact that they charge up front fees? Can you simply go to your local CPA for the very same business evaluation? The answer is yes but you should consult all your options thoroughly and be true to yourself before you make the biggest investment of your life - the future sale of your business.

"GET YOURSELF EDUCATED" HUH? WHAT? What do you mean? Here we go. You’re sitting at your desk talking with your wife or working on some orders or covering for 2 other employees because your staff called in sick, damn. Or you’re interrupted from your board meeting or conference call. Maybe your phone is ringing off the hook and you can't keep up. Everyone wants to talk to you and you can give up little or no time. Your secretary keeps on sending you the calls... You get more frustrated... Then you Get "the call" from GW or the March Group... What do you do? Let me reiterate this what will you do?

"LISTEN" ummmmm... your getting cheesy now? Am I now?

You listen to the sales guy on the other end... Now keep in mind these guys get paid by sending you to a meeting. A meeting that you really owe to yourself to go to, huh? In any event, you listen of course and you hear the spiel that there is buyer interest in your industry. You listen more and maybe you want to hang up the phone, or tell the guy to shut up or simply I’m not interested. Whatever! Keep on listening more... You are being invited to a meeting, you look at your calendar and you need to free up your schedule but ah I can't go...

"ATTEND the damn Conference" Ok I said it already.... keep reading. You’re crazy... Or is it you are stubborn? You need to be there... and here is why!!

Your first step should be to attend a maximizing value and when to sell your business seminar from either of these two companies. Go ONLY to get yourself educated and get the information.

The information you will get is real and these guys put on a real good show so that is the hype. However, It will excite you but also educate you about your options. Let me reiterate YOU will be able to explore a variety of different options. Get yourself educated; believe me, when I tell you... You will know what direction you need to go before you sell your business or maybe you will learn like me that you will need to grow your business more or maybe learn how to take on a corporate partnership to grow etc. Whatever the case you will be better acquainted with what you can do with your business.

After I attend a meeting what next??

You absolutely need to convince yourself that you need the education and the seminars from the above companies will be a starting point for you... Get the info. then look around...

Your second step is to actually go to other investment banking firms, do a Google search - such as: investment banking firms or M&A firms; don't worry a ton will pop up and I'm not running an advertising campaign here so pick a few of the ones that are actually selling businesses. You need to Do Your Due Diligence... Research and Make Calls... ASK: Do you have fees...? What’s the commission etc...? ?

The third step is to contact as many investment banks as you can or search the top 100 United States M&A Firms... You will be very surprised that the majority of them work off just a commission rather than upfront fees. Don't pay any fees unless you have too and are comfortable.

You also do not need to sell the whole thing. It still can be your baby and you can become a silent partner or a fly on the wall. You will learn that you can structure the deal to the exact way you want. It's best to hold onto at least a 10%-30% stake in your company or set up a family trust and the investment banker you work with can help you with the terms. Make sure you know what you’re doing before you do it. Good luck and remember that selling your business is a process and not an event. It will not happen over night and certainly not if you want to get the best bang for your buck. You spent years of blood sweat and tears to grow it. Now take the time to educate yourself when selling it and don't so much be in a rush to sell.

Don't pay any fees, go to these type of metings for the education only don't pay no matter how good the seminar is. Tell them to prove it to you that they will sell your business and ask how many businesses they sold the year prior. Very important, a 40,000.00 investment is a lot to throw away even if they can guarentee you your money back within 3 years if nothing happens. That's stupid and your money is tied up for 3 years... Ouch...

These are my own opinions posted here. If you want to share yours please feel free too.

God Bless You and God Bless the American Business Owner