Monthly Archives: June 2021

Valuing your business for sale

Originally written by Rupert Cattell on Small Business
Valuing your business for sale
I have been selling businesses for over 35 years and have by now probably sold more than 4,000 businesses. Valuing a business for sale is a key question for any small business owner. Obviously the first question all vendors ask is what’s my business worth?
The pat answer is what someone is prepared to pay for it but there are a number of useful methods that can refine and bring logic to the answer. We sell businesses worth anywhere between £100,000 to £7m and so what I say below doesn’t necessarily apply to higher value businesses.
Be realistic from the outset
In their heart of hearts it is my experience that most vendors have a pretty fair idea of what their business is really worth. They are really looking for affirmation from a broker. There are brokers who will prey on the vendor’s greed to get an instruction by suggesting a ridiculous price, or a vendor will be pricing his business on what he needs rather than what it’s worth.
I also often have the conversation with a vendor in which they say “let’s start high, we can always come down”. None of

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What can I do if an EU customer refuses delivery of goods sold?

Originally written by Christophe Pecoraro on Small Business
What’s changed with exports to an EU customer post Brexit?
The most significant changes come as a result of the UK’s exit from the single market and the customs union. Any EU customer buying products from a UK-based retailer are now subject to charges comprising import duties plus courier or postal handling fees. Naturally, the opposite of this is also true, with additional paperwork and costs applying to British consumers purchasing goods from Europe.
Unfortunately, consumer standards are not going to relax whilst retailers find ways of adapting to these new rules. Workarounds do exist and are readily being adopted. But the customs charges and extra paperwork have significantly increased the complexity and cost of shipping products in and out of the EU.
In addition to unwelcome delays, all the added cost has to go somewhere. For businesses that have been unable to cover this themselves, many have had to pass this onto the end consumer. In a period where consumers are expecting online shopping to compensate entirely for the high street experience, these effects are accumulating to a lot of unhappy customers. Suffice to say, for smaller businesses attempting to contend with the likes of

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Can I liquidate my company if I have a Bounce Back Loan?

Originally written by David Tattersall on Small Business
Can I liquidate my company if I have a Bounce Back Loan?
As a company director, neglecting creditor interests will instantly land you in the firing line of an insolvency service investigation into director conduct when entering company liquidation. Taking the informal company closure route by striking off your business, also known as dissolution, is a route designed for businesses laden with no company debts. Therefore, investigations into director conduct are not conducted as standard during company strike off.
A new legislative measure preventing company directors from informally closing their business to avoid an investigation into director conduct, instead of entering a formal insolvency process, is due to come into play. The first reading in Parliament recently took place and the measure appears to come into force in late 2021.
As Bounce Back Loan repayments fall due following the optional pause on repayments, company directors will need to brace company cash flow for additional outgoings. Currently, if this route is pursued by your limited company with an outstanding Bounce Back Loan, rather than a formal insolvency route, you will likely receive an “Objection to Company Strike Off Notice”. After the rules are approved, this will ring

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Is Tesla a Buy Under $600?

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla’s (TSLA) shares are currently trading significantly below their $900.40 all-time high, which they hit in January 2021. The price decline can be attributed primarily to the problems TSLA is facing because of a global semiconductor shortage. The question is, given the EV industry’s immense growth potential and TSLA’s dominant position in the market, is it wise to buy the stock at the current price level? Let’s find out.

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