Selling Your Business : Beat the Sharks at Their Own Game When You Cash Out

Over the years, I have observed many transactions in which business owners left millions of dollars on the table when they sold their companies. Why did they leave this money on the table? Because they didn’t possess the knowledge that would have enabled them to maximize the value of their businesses at the time of sale. This is why I decided to write this book. I want to share my knowledge and experience to provide you, the business owner, with some essential knowledge that will help you maximize value when you sell your company.

For simplicity, this knowledge has been organized into four parts. Parts I and II give you a set of rules that guide you through the pre-sale and sale process. Part III provides an explanation of the sale process, guidelines on how to select a mergers-and-acquisitions advisor (M&A advisor), and an in-depth analysis and evaluation of the kinds of structures of deals you may need to consider. Throughout the text, I have included scenarios of transactions in which I was involved as the advisor on mergers and acquisitions. These true-life examples (with names and certain facts changed to protect the confidentiality of my clients) will give you additional insights into the strategies I have set forth.

Steven Goldfarb specializes in middle-market transactions in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and financings. Over the past 25 years, Mr. Goldfarb has worked on numerous transactions including initial public offerings of stock, stock-redemptions, public debt-offerings, private placements of debt, and the acquisition and sale of more than 75 companies. He is currently a managing director in the Investment Banking Department of a large regional securities firm. Mr. Goldfarb has a B.S. degree in accounting from Washington University in St. Louis and a J.D. degree from the St. Louis University School of Law.