American Fortune is a nationally recognized firm that specializes in mergers and acquisitions (sale of businesses), growth and exit planning and business valuations.

FROM OUR FOUNDER:

In the sale of a business, the standard industry approach and process favors buyers. The standard market process allows business buyers to set the stage and control how a business will be sold. This approach leaves business sellers exposed and vulnerable. Buyers get what they want at the expense of a business sellers lifetime efforts. Once I understood the mechanics of the mergers and acquisitions industry, I conceived a different model which levels the playing field for business sellers. I branded this new way of selling businesses under the name American Fortune Mergers & Acquisitions.

We are different at American Fortune, we do not follow the broker model in the sale of businesses. Unlike business brokers, we do not "play both sides of the aisle." We refuse to follow industry standards just because everyone else does. Our commitment and unconditional loyalty remains with our client. Our results are different too. Those who sell a business through us get better terms, higher selling prices and a true advocate when they sell a business.

Over the years we've expanded our portfolio of services which compliment the sale of a business by offering our clients defensible business valuations and growth-to-exit planning programs.

No matter how you proceed to sell your business, If you own a medium to large business I encourage you to select a very qualified and experienced merger and acquisition advisor. For a small businesses it may be ok to utilize the services of business brokers. 

Sincerely,

Brian Mazar, MBA,Certified Business Intermediary, 502-244-0480 ext. 24; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

"Our value added services outperform the function of business brokers."

• Our advisory team consists of highly educated individuals with a solid base of credentials and experience in mergers and acquisitions, business growth, exit planning, and business valuations.
• We serve businesses with revenues ranging from $3 Million to $100 Million

• Business planning and growth strategies
• Developing business exit strategies
• Preparing businesses for sale
  
• Creating defensible business valuations
• Maximizing the value of businesses
• Preparing and selling of businesses for the best price and terms

• You pay no commission/fees related to the real estate of your business sale
• American Fortune has historically sold businesses at an average of 98% of the listed price
• While the national average is below 30%, American Fortune sells over 90% of the businesses it takes to market

Eight Tips to Sell a Business Successfully

1. Price It Right

Some mergers and acquisitions advisors just cant bring themselves to tell you that your business is overpriced. Don't shoot your merger and acquisition advisors for valuing your business so it's priced realistically and don't choose a merger and acquisition advisor on the basis of which one values your business at the highest price so they can get a listing. The price of your business needs to be realistic. The best way to accomplish this is to have your business valued by a third party valuation expert knowledgeable in the science of business valuations as well as the art (market forces) that shape the business valuation. Businesses that use a third party business valuation are much more likely to sell at a higher price. Those who do not use a mergers acquisitions advisor or very qualified business brokers combined with a third party business valuation only have a 10% chance of selling a business at all.

Your tendency will be to overprice your business. When you do, the time it takes to sell your business stretches to the point where it's shopworn merchandise by the time if finally sells...if it sells at all. Nothing raises the doubts of a prospective buyer more than to find out you've been trying to sell your business for a long time. A full-fledged business valuation can cost $2,000 for a small business and up to $10,000 for a larger business so don't expect a good written appraisal for less.

2. Fixtures, Equipment & Facility

Business buyers will want a complete list of equipment and will inspect it to ensure that everything is in good working order. Nice looking businesses sell first! Buyers deduct large amounts from their offering price for businesses that are in less than top-shape. Keep your premises neat, clean and well maintained.

3. A Good Reason To Sell A Business

Buyers are always concerned about the reason for the sale of a business. They are afraid you may be selling a business because of some undisclosed fact that may hurt the business in the future. Buyers must see a logical reason for the sale. Without it, they assume the worst.

4. Form Your Team

It all starts with teamwork. Form your team. You need your mergers and acquisitions advisor, an attorney and an accountant. Your merger and acquisition advisor needs to be qualified and experienced so that they can be the leader of this team. Today, selling a business is so specialized that even the best attorney or accountant is no substitute for a specialized and knowledgeable merger and acquisition advisor who is experienced in selling businesses as well as finding and properly qualifying buyers.

5. Prepare a Package

Comprehensive documentation is essential. To anticipate this request, develop a detailed package to present your business for sale. Today's buyer prospects are different from those of even just a few years ago. The computerization of the workplace has had a major impact. Most buyers today are "number crunchers." They also expect you to justify your price and terms of the sale based upon their understanding of normal investment returns and risk factors. You also have to compete for a prospective buyer's attention against an ever-increasing number of sophisticated groups trying to sell other types of businesses and investments.

6. Target Buyer Prospects

After your marketing package is complete, you'll know what kind of buyer you need and you'll know how much cash they must have to make it work. Your mergers and acquisitions advisor should then set-up a process to target and qualify buyer prospects. Desire to buy is not proof of a prospect's ability to buy. Don't rush too quickly to consider everyone a prospect. There are still people out there, even people with money, who think they can buy your business for no money down. If you don't have a process to qualify prospects, you may find yourself dealing with 'no money down' tire-kickers, spending lots of your precious time and resources trying to sell them your business.

Depending on the size of the business, its price, industry and the state of the economy, it may take 6 months to 2 years to sell a business. It is critical to keep you marketing efforts confidential except to very qualified prospects. A qualified mergers and acquisitions advisor should know how to do this.

7. Negotiate Professionally

When you get an interested and qualified prospect, plan your negotiation strategy carefully. Your mergers and acquisitions advisor will facilitate the process, so follow their advice. Remember that your goal is to sell your business and not beat the buyer at some negotiation game. You, the merger and acquisition advisor and the buyer should now lay the foundation for a team effort to get to a closing. Don't allow yourself to get bogged down in disputes with the buyer. Don't allow your ego to distract you from satisfying your underlying need to sell your business. Work with your buyer as an ally. Focus on interests, not on positions. Generate a variety of solutions before deciding what to do about any particular problem. Try to resolve the toughest issues with objective criteria, independent standards and market norms.

8. Wrap-it-Up Quickly

Even the best buyer prospects can change their minds overnight. After the buyer prospect makes a commitment to buy your business, get an offer to purchase in writing and get a good-sized, non-refundable earnest money deposit. After the offer to purchase agreement is signed, close as soon as possible. Your business isn't sold until the money is i your hand. Make sure your check clears before you set plans in motion for investing or spending the money.

American Fortune Mergers & Acquisitions, LLC offers sell-side and buy-side merger and acquisition services throughout the country.

We have performed business valuations, exit planning, mergers and acquisitions services in the following areas: Columbus Ohio, Atlanta Georgia, Lexington Kentucky, Bowling Green Kentucky, Nashville Tennessee, Memphis Tennessee, Cincinnati Ohio, Dayton Ohio,Toledo Ohio, Cleveland Ohio, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Baltimore Maryland, Indianapolis Indiana, Chicago Illinois, Detroit Michigan, Flint Michigan, Tampa Florida, St. Louis Missouri, Kansas City Kansas, Des Moines Iowa, Minneapolis Minnesota, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, Dallas Texas, Fort Worth Texas, Denver Colorado, San Francisco California, Salt Lake City Utah, Phoenix Arizona, Los Angeles California, San Diego California.

"Choose the right tool for the right job. It's alright to utilize business brokers to buy or sell a small business, but for large and complex businesses, choose a mergers and acquisitions firm to experience more expertise and value for your hard-earned money." ~ American Fortune CEO, Brian Mazar

American Fortune Mergers & Acquisitions Performs Sell Side & Buy Side Merger & Acquisition Services, Business Valuations,  How To Sell a Business Services,  Although we sell businesses we are not Business Brokers. It's ok to use business brokers for the sale of small or retail businesses, for larger businesses a Mergers and Acquisitions expert can provide much more value and better results. Sell or buy a business successfully using our proven and predicable merger and acquisition process.  In the past we have served the following states: Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin.