I Want to Buy a Business: 12 Steps to Take Before Making an Offer

Follow 12 practical steps to define your target, screen a business, verify value, plan financing, and prepare a safer offer.

If your starting point is “I want to buy a business,” do not begin by negotiating the asking price. Begin by defining what you can operate, finance, and verify. Before making an offer, identify your acquisition criteria, assemble advisers, screen the seller and opportunity, normalize earnings, test transferability, choose a preliminary structure, and decide the […]