Every accountant, attorney, or advisor guiding a privately held business owner eventually runs into the same question: “What is the business really worth?” The word “really” suggests a bit of skepticism and proposes the need for a framework. This series dissects that structure: the anatomy of a valuation that the opposing side of the table will respect rather than tear apart. Part III examines what exactly is being valued. Read Part I here. | Read Part II here. Parts I and II built the machinery; sound methods applied to normalized earnings and a precise definition of the interest being sold.…
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Every accountant, attorney, or advisor guiding a privately held business owner eventually runs into the same question: “What is the business really worth?” The word “really” suggests a bit of skepticism and proposes the need for a framework. This series dissects that structure: the anatomy of a valuation that the opposing side of the table will respect rather than tear apart. Part II examines what exactly is being valued. Read Part I Here. In Part I, we built the structure of a defensible valuation: triangulated methods, normalized earnings, a documented discount rate, a terminal value that respects common sense. Now…
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Every accountant, attorney, or advisor guiding a privately held business owner eventually runs into the same question: “What is the business really worth?” The word “really” suggests a bit of skepticism and proposes the need for a framework. This series dissects that structure; the anatomy of a valuation that the opposing side of the table will respect rather than tear apart. Part 1 covers the numbers themselves; the methods, the adjustments, and the two inputs that quietly control the entire conclusion. If there is one word a business valuator should live by, it is “defensible.” You can never do too…
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CPAs can increase billings by catering to exiting baby boomer business owners. Baby boomer businesses may represent a material percentage of a CPA firm’s clientele. As a record number of these business owners begin the succession/exit process, hidden opportunities exist for firms to increase billing, if you know how to spot them.
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Few Business Owners Seem to Even Know How to Make a Good Guess at What Their Business is Worth. NY Times Introduces Technology to Help—and Certified Advisers Provide Extra Value. Mark Cohen, at The New York Times Small Business Guide, reports: “At 53, Joe Ritz is old enough to remember a time when many of the classic cars that now pull into his specialized repair shop were new. “It’s one field where it pays to be a senior citizen,” he said. It’s Critical for a Business Owner to Know the Value of His Business; Here are Tips on Technology, Advisors,…
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There Are Different Standards. They Have Different Places in Various Appraisals. Here’s Why. Jim Hitchner considers various responses to the query: “When valuing an operating company, is it necessary to mention USPAP in addition to SSVS 1 when talking about the standards adhered to?” Good question. There were lots of answers from various valuators in a recent discussion. Here’s Jim’s take on it all.