Winter 2010 Issue

Reaching the Full Potential of Your Yin-Yang Edwin Lee, Hong Kong Business Intermediary Co. Ltd., Wan Chai, Hong Kong, China I still remember the first time I came to an IBBA conference. It was 2002 at the Universal Studios in Los Angeles, and as I shook hands with Henry Hicks, the then Chairman, I thought, “Wow! How does one become the Chairman of such an esteemed association and provide leadership to business brokerage professionals around the world?” It was unimaginable to me, but now here I am. Read full article here.

Invest in Your Knowledge Base George Lanza, CBI, M&AMI, Plethora Businesses, Orange, CA During tough economic times, many businesses cut their budgets in the areas of advertising, volunteering, education and networking, convinced that making these cuts is worth closing the deficit between last year’s and this year’s profits. As a strong believer in Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “An investment in knowledge ALWAYS pays the best interest,” I believe the companies who made those cuts, created a short-term fix, but a long-term problem. Read full article here.

A Different Seat at the Closing Table Suzanne M. De Lucia, CBI, Front Range Business, Inc., Boulder, CO After 20 years as a business intermediary, I finally did it, I bought a business. Now that I have a solid six months of ownership under my belt, I would like to share the experience. From the beginning, it’s been a fantastic journey. The business, a food manufacturing and distribution company, came to me as a potential listing last November. Read full article here.

Equipment Lists: A Primer Bob Brooks, CBI, Business-Team, Campbell, CA Having a good equipment list in your package might not seem to be as important as the financial spreadsheet or lease summary, but a lot of deals have been delayed or even died because of disputes over equipment at the closing. Sometimes the sales price and broker’s fee have had to be reduced. Ask Bill Dunn, a long-time business escrow attorney, about the lawsuit he was involved with over a moose head in a bar. Read full article here.

The Haircut: How to Stay Stylish Without Getting Clipped William K. Lange, CBB, CBI, M&AMI, Vanguard Resource Group, San Diego, CA In our office, we call them "commissionectomys" or "haircuts," but regardless of what you call them, once you've been in business brokerage for any length of time you've almost certainly heard the buzzing sound of a seller's clippers headed toward your commission check. It's a fact of life that deals are often "just a commission away." And in this recessionary economy, it seems that now more than ever before, everybody is squeezing for everything they can get. Read full article here.

Why SBA Loan Production is Down Sheila Spangler, CBI, Capital Strategies, Boise, ID There was an article recently on CNNMoney.com that said SBA loan production is down 36 percent from 2008. As business brokers, many of us have felt that pinch first hand, but have you wondered why SBA loans have waned along with the rest of the credit market? After all, don’t those loans have a guarantee? Why won’t the bankers make them? I decided to do a little research. Read full article here.

 

IBBA Quarterly is published by the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA). The opinions and perspectives presented in IBBA Quarterly articles are those of the author(s) and may not necessarily reflect those of the IBBA, its members or its staff. No endorsement is implied. Article submissions are welcomed from all interested parties. IBBA Quarterly is published in the U.S.A. as an electronic newsletter, by The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Chicago, IL 60611. IBBA Quarterly is only distributed to members of the IBBA. Copyright© 2010 by the IBBA. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or of any part of the contents without permission of the IBBA is prohibited.