Shop Owner® Magazine Articles

Shop Owner Magazine Interviews Art Blumenthal On How to Maximize the Sale Price of Your Business

In this episode of "It's Time," the Shop Owner Magazine six-part series on succession planning, industry veteran Art Blumenthal shares his thoughts on the financial considerations shop owners need to have when deciding to cash in their chips… get relief from stressful day-to-day responsibilities… and enjoy more time with family, traveling, and exploring other options and interests.

Better Shop Financial Performance Translates to Higher Value Upon Owner Exit

May/Jun 2016 Issue

Case Study: Owner of a Northern California Independent Shop Leverages an Upswing in Business Profitability to Maximize Sales Price…

The Entrepreneurial Spirit is Alive and Well in a New Generation of Business Buyers

Recent Data Confirms Previous Forecasts of Strong, Stabilized Business Selling Transaction Activity

Mar/Apr 2016 Issue

“As long as I can remember, ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be my own boss,” was the remark made by new business owner Dallas Griswold when asked what had made him decide to buy his own business. Nothing can better define the entrepreneurial spirit than that simple response, which really tells the whole story…

The Do’s and Don’ts of Interacting with a Buyer of Your Shop

Jan/Feb 2016 Issue

Shop Owners: Did You Know that a Lack of Communication with a Buyer Can Be Just as Harmful to the Deal as Too Much Communication? I’ll Tell You Why…

Insider Tips About SBA/Bank Financing When Selling Your Shop

Your Business Broker Can Be a Key Player in Obtaining Bank Loan Prequalification to Attract Qualified Buyers

Sep/Oct 2015 Issue

Aftermarket business sales are rarely completed without some type of financing. Generally, the money used by the buyer for the purchase will come from either third-party bank financing or seller-financing, or a combination. As a shop owner contemplating a sale of your business, understanding the elements of bank financing is key to ensuring you will maximize the sales price and minimize the process time…

Debunking An Aftermarket Myth

Jul/Aug 2015 Issue

As a Tire or Automotive Service Shop Owner Looking to Sell Your Business, You May be Making the Process Even More Challenging by Mistakenly Disqualifying Potential Buyers Who Would Actually Make Great Owners…

Business Succession Planning:

How Developing Your Effective Exit Strategy Now Increases the Sticker Price of Your Business When It’s Time to Sell

May/Jun 2015 Issue

As a tire or automotive service shop owner, did you know that from a business succession planning perspective, every dollar that you can add to cash flow will likely yield you $2 to $3 in the most likely selling price of your business?!

When Timing Is Everything…the Best Time May Be Right Now

Mar/Apr 2015 Issue

The automotive aftermarket is viewed by many, both within and outside the industry, as a healthy, vibrant, vital growth industry. Qualified serious buyers consider auto service as more recession-proof and less stressful than restaurants and other popular categories of businesses for sale.

Wright’s Automotive: Protecting & Preserving A Legacy With A New Owner

Jan/Feb 2015 Issue

An independent automotive service business can be so much more than bricks and mortar, equipment, employees and a source of revenue. It can also be a source of pride — a testament to a lifetime’s worth of hard work.

Do You Know Your Shop’s ‘Sellability Score?’ — Part 2

If the Sellability Score Is a New Concept to You and You Plan to One Day Sell Your Business, Read On…

Nov/Dec 2014 Issue

As discussed in Part 1 of this 2-part article in the Sept/Oct 2014 issue of Shop Owner magazine, “Sellability” is a powerful indicator of the value of your business, regardless of whether or not you have any intention or even interest in selling your business today. A high Sellability Score may confirm or surpass the value you have in mind. A lower Sellability Score may point directly to the underlying issues in your business which undermine its value…

Do You Know Your Shop’s ‘Sellability Score?’ — Part 1

If This Is a New Concept to You, and You Plan to One Day Sell Your Business, Read On…

Sep/Oct 2014 Issue

Most of us know the FICO® score is a critical element lenders use to determine such things as our personal creditworthiness and corresponding maximum available loans and interest rates. Of course, a number of other factors such as debt-to-income ratio, employment history, general credit history and other specific underwriting policies may also be used by lenders to decide the amount and terms of credit being extended…