Licensed Business Brokers
The primary service as licensed business brokers is the representation of companies for sale through an exclusive listing agreement.
Whether selling an owner-operated small business, a middle market business or a large company with multiple locations, selling a business is a complex process that requires a special set of skills. Our client companies are presented to potential buyers in a confidential manner, allowing sellers to run their day-to-day business while we look for a suitable buyer.
Georgia requires a real estate license for business brokerage. Our Georgia brokers are licensed through the Georgia Real Estate Commission. Our firm is a licensed real estate brokerage. Greg DeFoor and Tim Greene have both been recipients of a Georgia Association of Business Brokers Multi-Million Dollar Club award and recognized as a top five producer. They have represented and advised clients in numerous transactions of various sizes.
Business Sales – Mergers & Acquisitions
We specialize in the sale of privately owned businesses from small, owner-operated businesses to mid-sized corporate entities with executive managers. Our capabilities allow us to competently represent privately owned businesses with annual revenue from $1,000,000 to $30,000,000. We understand what is needed to represent your business in the business transaction marketplace. We represent our sellers to individual buyers, investment groups and corporate acquirers.
Individual buyers typically look for businesses with SDE (Seller’s Discretionary Earnings) from low to upper six figures. Institutional buyers typically look for businesses with EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) from upper six figures to millions of dollars. EBITDA calculations typically include a deduction for an executive manager to run the day-to-day operations of the company. Most companies with higher earnings are acquired by other corporations or investors rather than owner-operators.
Selling a business is a complex process with many moving parts. The larger the transaction, the more complex it is and the more pieces there are to the transaction. We understand the process and help guide sellers through the multiple layers it takes to get from listing to closing.
We also provide representation and consulting services related to business acquisitions and transaction support.
How Much Would My Business Sell For?
The ultimate answer is what a willing buyer would pay for your business. As business brokers, we have resources available that allow us to help you determine the asking price of your business. We have access to industry rules of thumb, research what other businesses have sold for based on similar size, look at sales within your industry if data within your industry is available, and look to see how your business compares to what else is in the market. We’ll use our experience and resources to help you determine a price that will balance maximizing your proceeds with being an attractive acquisition target. However, it is not an exact science; it is an educated guess based on available information.
Locations
Greg DeFoor and Tim Greene are located on the northwest side of Metro Atlanta, GA. Chet Hinton is located in Raleigh, NC. Greg’s service area is primarily Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Tim’s service area is primarily Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, and Western North Carolina. Chet’s primary service area is Raleigh, North Carolina and the surrounding area. Tim and Chet have some industry specializations that allow them to represent businesses in multiple states. GA and FL are license states for business brokerage and most other states in the south and east are not. We are licensed in GA and can do business in many other states where a separate state license is not required.
How The Selling Process Works
As Business Brokers and Intermediaries, we review your financial records and company assets to arrive at a recommended asking price for your business, list the business for sale, gather and aggregate information into a “package” to give to prospective buyers, market the listing, talk to potential buyers, obtain a Confidentiality Agreement and profile information from each buyer prospect, provide preliminary information, arrange and attend buyer-seller phone calls and meetings, coordinate the exchange of additional information between buyer and seller, assist with negotiating price and terms, and work with you through all of the steps necessary to get you from the original buyer inquiry through closing. In addition to broker fees, you’ll also incur other advisory fees as part of the selling process. We recommend you do not sell your business without tax advice and legal representation. If you need referrals, we’ll be glad to provide contact information for people we know.
Corporate Office