For some, planning a business exit can be a predictable, methodical process. We know the competition; we understand market demands, know when we want to sell and might even know the actual date. But for far too many business owners, the business exit comes as a harsh reality and often unplanned event.

Protecting your business and assets against the dreaded six D’s of an unplanned business exit can give whole new meaning to the term “Disaster Management”. While every business may experience unexpected pitfalls, careful planning to ensure risk exposure is minimized can assist in keeping you in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing your company. Familiarize yourself with the six D’s of an unplanned business exit: debt, death, disability, divorce, departure and disaster. Know the enemy and look to address all six D’s in your operating and buy / sell agreements.

The Six D’s of an Unplanned Business Exit

Debt:No one goes into business and plans on it not succeeding, but 40,000 businesses fail every month in the United States. When debt exceeds revenue, it is critical to exit timely in order to minimize loses. Understanding limitations and protecting critical assets are key to successful divesture.

Death:Many businesses are solely dependant on their owner’s abilities, relationships, and passion to drive success, and when there is a death of an owner or partner of a business, it can have significant impact to a business almost immediately. While no one wants to consider their own demise, the strength and longevity of a business relies on being able to plan for such a critical loss even if it means downsizing or reorganization. The survival of a business in relation to key individuals needs to be evaluated and exit strategies planned accordingly.

Disability:Unbelievably, death is not as likely to end the business as a disability. A disability to a business partner can put a significant drain on cash flow, daily workloads, and excess down time, all of which can be devastating. Insurance and financial planning towards alleviating such an impact needs to be carefully evaluated especially when dealing with small business start ups where funding and resources are limited.

Divorce:No one wants to plan for a business or personal divorce, yet while Pre-nuptial agreements may be gaining in popularity many people never look to manage such impact to their businesses. What happens when the partners cannot get along? Or worse, you inherit another partner due to a personal divorce settlement? Exiting the business might be the only alternative you are provided.

Departure:It does not sound as bad as death, but it can wreak the same results. A partner, key employees, or other resources decide to go to the competition, retire, burn out, or win the lotto. When they leave, how does this impact your business going forward?

Disaster:If the five D’s above where not enough to impact your business, there are no limit to the other disasters that may occur that were never planned on: robbery, sickness, employee theft, employee turnover, natural devastating events, etc. In today’s post Katrina, 911 world the impact of the chaos theory is enough to keep even the best business minds awake at night. Plan for the worst; strive for the best and know when to get out if need be.

For the typical business owner, each one of the six D’s has special demands on the family, income, taxes, and control of assets. An agreement, commonly called buy/sell agreements, can be used to plan for the impact associated with the dreaded six D’s. A successful sustaining business exists as a separate entity from personal concerns and risk can be reduced by developing mutually fair and equitable agreements prior to these events occurring.

Business is an evolution and travels a diverse path. While some may look on an unplanned exit as a failure others may see an opportunity for growth and freedom.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

We Buy Your Business

For some, planning a business exit can be a predictable, methodical process. We know the competition; we understand market demands, know when we want to sell and might even know the actual date. But for far too many business owners, the business exit comes as a harsh reality and often unplanned event.

Protecting your business and assets against the dreaded six D’s of an unplanned business exit can give whole new meaning to the term “Disaster Management”. While every business may experience unexpected pitfalls, careful planning to ensure risk exposure is minimized can assist in keeping you in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing your company. Familiarize yourself with the six D’s of an unplanned business exit: debt, death, disability, divorce, departure and disaster. Know the enemy and look to address all six D’s in your operating and buy / sell agreements.

The Six D’s of an Unplanned Business Exit

Debt:No one goes into business and plans on it not succeeding, but 40,000 businesses fail every month in the United States. When debt exceeds revenue, it is critical to exit timely in order to minimize loses. Understanding limitations and protecting critical assets are key to successful divesture.

Death:Many businesses are solely dependant on their owner’s abilities, relationships, and passion to drive success, and when there is a death of an owner or partner of a business, it can have significant impact to a business almost immediately. While no one wants to consider their own demise, the strength and longevity of a business relies on being able to plan for such a critical loss even if it means downsizing or reorganization. The survival of a business in relation to key individuals needs to be evaluated and exit strategies planned accordingly.

Disability:Unbelievably, death is not as likely to end the business as a disability. A disability to a business partner can put a significant drain on cash flow, daily workloads, and excess down time, all of which can be devastating. Insurance and financial planning towards alleviating such an impact needs to be carefully evaluated especially when dealing with small business start ups where funding and resources are limited.

Divorce:No one wants to plan for a business or personal divorce, yet while Pre-nuptial agreements may be gaining in popularity many people never look to manage such impact to their businesses. What happens when the partners cannot get along? Or worse, you inherit another partner due to a personal divorce settlement? Exiting the business might be the only alternative you are provided.

Departure:It does not sound as bad as death, but it can wreak the same results. A partner, key employees, or other resources decide to go to the competition, retire, burn out, or win the lotto. When they leave, how does this impact your business going forward?

Disaster:If the five D’s above where not enough to impact your business, there are no limit to the other disasters that may occur that were never planned on: robbery, sickness, employee theft, employee turnover, natural devastating events, etc. In today’s post Katrina, 911 world the impact of the chaos theory is enough to keep even the best business minds awake at night. Plan for the worst; strive for the best and know when to get out if need be.

For the typical business owner, each one of the six D’s has special demands on the family, income, taxes, and control of assets. An agreement, commonly called buy/sell agreements, can be used to plan for the impact associated with the dreaded six D’s. A successful sustaining business exists as a separate entity from personal concerns and risk can be reduced by developing mutually fair and equitable agreements prior to these events occurring.

Business is an evolution and travels a diverse path. While some may look on an unplanned exit as a failure others may see an opportunity for growth and freedom.

www.WeBuyYourBusiness.com

To achieve financial independence, experts encourage even currently employed individuals to consider entrepreneurship. Setting up your own business, no matter how small, is touted as one of the best ways toward building the foundation for wealth. Those who are concerned about having a safety net need not take the plunge recklessly. One can start setting up a small business even while employed.  

Of crucial use to small businesses are credit card services and small business loans. The entrepreneur needs to know how to avail of these tools and how to effectively wield them for maximum business growth.

Credit Card Services

A small business would do well to get reputable credit card services in order to prosper in the current business climate. Availing of credit card services will enable it to accept both credit card and debit card payments. This is true either for brick-and-mortar businesses or internet based online businesses. After all, most consumers nowadays routinely use credit cards or debit cards for payment purposes. It only makes good business sense to be well-equipped for the needs of credit card users and debit card users as well as for the needs of customers who pay in cash.

Merchant services provide credit card services covering a wide range of solutions for the processing of credit cards and debit cards as payment options. These credit card services include traditional terminal equipment at point of sale, where credit cards or debit cards are swiped. It also includes software and high speed IP solutions for both traditional commerce and e-commerce. Credit card and debit card payments can, therefore, be accepted in person or through the internet, by phone or by fax.     

Small Business Loans

Any business – whether a small start-up business, a medium-scaled one or a big business company – will be needing an infusion of additional capital sooner or later. Additional capital is always needed for expansion, additional inventory, additional manpower, new systems, new equipment or a new physical layout.

Capital is not always easy to come by, though. The original investors’ personal coffers may have been emptied by the earlier outlays. Prospective investors may not be keen on shelling out funds in times of crisis. Businesses, therefore, have no choice but to seek business loans.

Getting business loans is a difficult process. Even small business loans are not readily approved. Be prepared to present a lot of documentation and paperwork. For small business loans, the proprietor’s personal credit history is taken into account and related references need to be submitted. Of course, the company’s financial statements are just as important in proving the feasibility of the business and its capacity to repay its business loans. Having a detailed business plan will show your business strategies and projections, demonstrating your business acumen.

Unfortunately, even with all the requirements completed, applications for business loans – including small business loans – are, more often than not, disapproved.

Solutions

Some merchant services provide a comprehensive solution for the needs of small businesses in relation to credit card services and small business loans. The set up is elegantly simple. A small business need only avail of the company’s credit card services to be eligible for merchant cash advances. These cash advances are actually small business loans, except that there is no need to go through the complicated application process for business loans. Repayment is made very easy and worry-free, too. A certain small percentage is built into the credit card processing rates to take care of the advances. This way, repayment is actually done automatically in a very affordable manner and according to income flow.

Small business owners would, indeed, be wise to look into these timely business solutions.

To achieve financial independence, experts encourage even currently employed individuals to consider entrepreneurship. Setting up your own business, no matter how small, is touted as one of the best ways toward building the foundation for wealth. Those who are concerned about having a safety net need not take the plunge recklessly. One can start setting up a small business even while employed.  

Of crucial use to small businesses are credit card services and small business loans. The entrepreneur needs to know how to avail of these tools and how to effectively wield them for maximum business growth.

Credit Card Services

A small business would do well to get reputable credit card services in order to prosper in the current business climate. Availing of credit card services will enable it to accept both credit card and debit card payments. This is true either for brick-and-mortar businesses or internet based online businesses. After all, most consumers nowadays routinely use credit cards or debit cards for payment purposes. It only makes good business sense to be well-equipped for the needs of credit card users and debit card users as well as for the needs of customers who pay in cash.

Merchant services provide credit card services covering a wide range of solutions for the processing of credit cards and debit cards as payment options. These credit card services include traditional terminal equipment at point of sale, where credit cards or debit cards are swiped. It also includes software and high speed IP solutions for both traditional commerce and e-commerce. Credit card and debit card payments can, therefore, be accepted in person or through the internet, by phone or by fax.     

Small Business Loans

Any business – whether a small start-up business, a medium-scaled one or a big business company – will be needing an infusion of additional capital sooner or later. Additional capital is always needed for expansion, additional inventory, additional manpower, new systems, new equipment or a new physical layout.

Capital is not always easy to come by, though. The original investors’ personal coffers may have been emptied by the earlier outlays. Prospective investors may not be keen on shelling out funds in times of crisis. Businesses, therefore, have no choice but to seek business loans.

Getting business loans is a difficult process. Even small business loans are not readily approved. Be prepared to present a lot of documentation and paperwork. For small business loans, the proprietor’s personal credit history is taken into account and related references need to be submitted. Of course, the company’s financial statements are just as important in proving the feasibility of the business and its capacity to repay its business loans. Having a detailed business plan will show your business strategies and projections, demonstrating your business acumen.

Unfortunately, even with all the requirements completed, applications for business loans – including small business loans – are, more often than not, disapproved.

Solutions

Some merchant services provide a comprehensive solution for the needs of small businesses in relation to credit card services and small business loans. The set up is elegantly simple. A small business need only avail of the company’s credit card services to be eligible for merchant cash advances. These cash advances are actually small business loans, except that there is no need to go through the complicated application process for business loans. Repayment is made very easy and worry-free, too. A certain small percentage is built into the credit card processing rates to take care of the advances. This way, repayment is actually done automatically in a very affordable manner and according to income flow.

Small business owners would, indeed, be wise to look into these timely business solutions.