Case Study: 3-year Phase Out Plan
By Martin Hansen, CEO – Mavrek
Date: December 2023
Introduction
This case study highlights the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary, the owners of a retail furniture business with twenty-two full-time and five part-time employees. Additionally, this case study also introduces Mavrek, a platform that assists business owners, future business owners as well as their trusted advisors (accountants, business attorneys, business advisors/brokers, exit planners, and financial planners) with the process of selling, buying, or transferring a business.
The Situation
In the summer of 2022, the sisters decided to sell their business and retire. They spoke with their family looking for a potential heir that would take over the business but there were no takers. Several of their children work within the business yet no one wanted the responsibility of taking over the business. So, the sisters decided to list their business for sale on several of the most popular internet sites. They conducted a store meeting with all the employees and shared their plans as they wanted to be completely transparent. They explained, it was not just their future but theirs as well. After a brief round of applause, the staff overwhelmingly gave their blessing which included general manager, the sale manager, and the head bookkeeper. The following week, the three managers and the sisters met with company’s CPA to discuss a sale process.
CPA’s Advice
The CPA suggested they take one of two routes; hire a business broker or try the Mavrek software which he had used before. However, after a few days the sisters decided to hire a business broker. They followed the business broker’s advise and after eight months and only two potential buyers that presented ridiculous low-ball offers, they cancelled the broker agreement and again met with their CPA asking for help. He suggested Mavrek again, and right there in his office they signed up and added him as a “team member” along with their three managers – it took less than a minute. The CPA explained the software is simple to use and that they just needed to follow the prompts to complete the business profile section, upload the business documentation requested and the software would provide them with a general valuation range of which they could compare with the brokers opinion of value they received last year. Additionally, he mentioned the software had excellent bit security, was safe to use and confidential. Thereafter, they just needed to follow the steps to find a buyer and once found, they could invite them to the software and then they would need to just keep following the steps outlined. They left the meeting feeling more confident about finding a buyer and knew they could always look to their CPA for assistance if needed.
The Situation – Updated
The sisters completed the business profile and received their valuation range. Shortly thereafter they started on step one and began uploading the necessary documents by following the prompts. They listed his business on multiple “Business For Sale” listing sites recommended by Mavrek and in the second month of their buyer search, they were contacted directly by a qualified buyer who expressed interest in the business, and they immediately sent the buyer an invite from the Mavrek software. The buyer onboarded easily and the quickly moved through the other steps – they completed their deal in the 4th quarter of 2023.
Lessons Learned
Making it easy to buy the business was critical in this case (all most other deals as well) as Mavrek is an all-in-one software that keeps the buyer and seller connected until the deal is done. Also, CPA’s and other trusted advisors can be critical to the sale process unless you want to go it alone – which some people on Mavrek do. The sisters now preach two things; 1) always consult a trusted advisor prior to attempting to sell a business and; 2) use Mavrek – it made all the difference and it’s free!
The Outcome
The sisters sold the assets and the goodwill of their business, received a sale price within 10% of the Mavrek valuation. They must remain with the business for three years with each year requiring less time than the year before but salaried for their time. Nevertheless, they are now free of the business, have money in the bank and look forward to full retirement in three years.
A Solution: Mavrek
Mavrek’s goal is to assist the business owner and quite possibly their CPA’s, business attorneys, business advisors/brokers, exit planners, and financial planners, by offering a platform that facilitates the process of selling, buying, or transferring a business. Mavrek aims to provide the necessary deal tools and resources to ensure that business owners and future business owners are well-prepared and confident in their decisions.
Join the millions of business owners and entrepreneurs who will be selling, buying, or transferring businesses in the next 12 months. Visit www.mavrek.com to access the platform, which is always free.
Conclusion
The case study of Martha and Mary highlight the critical importance of asking for advice from a trusted advisor. It also serves as a reminder that being ready and maintaining a comprehensive database of important documents within the Mavrek software can make a significant difference when the time comes to consider a sale of a business. With the assistance of the free Mavrek software, business owners and future business owners can navigate the process of selling, buying, or transferring businesses with confidence.
