Company sale – our experts help
Both professionally and emotionally: A company sale presents you as an entrepreneur with a major challenge. You will be faced with a lengthy process in which you will need to maintain an overview, understand the interrelationships, and take all the necessary steps to successfully conclude the sale. Don’t worry – you don’t have to go through this alone. As an M&A advisor, Conpair is happy to take on this challenge and stand by its clients every step of the way.
The sale of the company – often the most difficult decision in the professional career
Among the multitude of M&A transactions are company sales, especially in the German Mittelstand. The hurdles are not infrequently great, as is the uncertainty about how to act correctly.
The reasons for selling a company are complex. Not infrequently, the problem is succession. If no suitable candidate is found internally, the sale to an external investor must be considered.
And this is where the emotional journey begins. When entrepreneurs reach the point of considering a company succession, they usually do so with anything but pleasure. Selling one’s own company is probably the most difficult decision in one’s professional career. It costs those affected a great deal of effort to take this step; after all, it is not uncommon for a life’s work to be at stake.
So, it quickly becomes clear that the thought of putting a company into other hands can be very overwhelming. And it’s not the only thought: There’s also the question of how to go on without the company. So, there is a lot to think about. With Conpair’s advice and support in the sales process, you can take care of the “trappings” in peace. From experience we can say that you really need this peace and time to be able to let go.
Sale of shares: With strategy to successful growth
In addition to company succession, company investment is a possible variant of sale. By selling company shares, the company can be strengthened. It is also conceivable to sell company divisions if these no longer fit the company strategy. Also, in this case you bring your company forward by selling company shares.
In many cases, however, the company participation is also the preliminary stage of a later complete sale. As a seller, you can enjoy some advantages with such a participation, such as
- the gradual handover of customer relationships,
- the possibility to continue running your company for some time and
- the chance to get to know the investor better first.
The last point in particular can bring a reassuring feeling when it comes to handing over your own company completely at some point. And finally, the seller’s employees also benefit: they too can get used to the new situation step by step.
So far, the plan for the sale is in place. What is decisive now is the right strategy. Together with a new business partner, your own company can grow. However, this will only succeed if you know what to expect.
Do you know your way around? Do you know what equity investment options are available and which one is the right choice for the future of your company in particular? Have you also considered how best to go about finding a potential investor? These are just a fraction of the questions you need to address if you do not want to make a mistake when selling.
Procedure: The stages of the company sale at a glance
The sales process, including planning, often takes several months or even years. Every company has its own specific features, no two are alike – and all these aspects have to be analyzed and handled differently during a sale. Finding the right solutions is therefore essential. However, the sale of a company can be divided into the following phases:
1
The preparation of the sale of the company
2
The right approach to potential buyers
3
Initial negotiation period and company audit by the potential buyer
4
Contract negotiation and closing
And we have all these processes in view, even more:
Conpair as your advisor accompanies you on each of the necessary steps and supports you with a valuable network of experts in various fields.
Our tasks include, among other things, the analysis of the company including a review of the sales options. It is necessary to determine an approximate company value and to present our client’s company to the outside world in the best possible way. In the next step we select suitable investors. We obtain the offers and, if they are suitable, we advise and support our clients in deciding on the ideal investor. Finally, all necessary documents are prepared and reviewed to complete the sale successfully.
The be-all and end-all: The right advice when selling a company
The complexity of a sales process for one’s own company is underestimated by many entrepreneurs. While advice in other fields is often seen as logical, many company owners do not even ask for expert support in the case of an imminent sale. After all, they know their own company best, including its strengths and weaknesses.
What is not thought of, however, is the fact that a company sale, especially in the field of company succession, is a highly emotional matter and can by no means be compared with everyday business, let alone done on the side. You should always keep in mind that a company sale requires a lot of energy, attention, and time. You will also have to deal with topics that, in some cases, you have probably never dealt with before. After all, a company sale has to be examined from different angles.
Here, professional certainty is required, otherwise your project can hardly be successfully implemented. Expert advice from an experienced transaction advisor is therefore often the best way to conclude a sales process in your favor. M&A advice for SMEs is our specialty. Trust in our work and continue to take care of the day-to-day business and the further shaping of your future in peace.
Selling a company made easy – the advantages of Conpair as an advisory company
Benefit from Conpair’s advantages as M&A advisor and companion during the entire transaction process:
- over 20 years of experience,
- over 350 satisfied clients,
- broad network of experts from different industries,
- good network of investors,
- proximity to the client for joint and clearly understood decisions,
- flexibility and responsiveness,
- discretion in all steps and
- holistic support from the analysis of your company to the conclusion of the contract.
We care. Feel free to contact us for an initial advisory meeting.
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