While some business are owned and operated by a single individual, many businesses are a part of something bigger. Co-owners, partners, or shareholders all have a stake in the company: so what happens when one of them is suddenly gone or on their way out? Many businesses that grow organically or through mergers suddenly find themselves in a situation where it’s not spelled out what the process is for when one of the business owners no longer wants or is able to continue their ownership. A standard solution for stopping this issue before it occurs is the Buy-Sell Agreement.

When first-time business buyers search the market for new merger or acquisition opportunities, oftentimes, they only see a fraction of actual businesses listed. The reason behind this omission is due to a large number of well-known businesses residing solely in the “hidden market”; meaning they will not list their company “for sale” due to reasons of confidentiality and reputation. Many of these hidden opportunities are viable and often more valuable, but only M&A intermediaries and business brokers have access to these offerings.

For people that are coming to George & Company as a potential client where we might be selling your business, it is important to recognize that there are various kinds of business buyers that are in the market place. All types of buyers for a business typically has a different motivation for exploring the acquisition of a business.