Selling your own company, a multifaceted process

When a business owner with no interested heir or natural successor wants to sell his company, he is confronted with problems he may not have anticipated. He must find a buyer without revealing too much about his business and choose one who will not ruin what he has built. He also needs to clarify what he will do next, as the tax implications will differ greatly depending on his plans. He must estimate the value of his business, often taking into account criteria that differ from those used by his accountant. He needs to manage staff concerns, for instance during the buyer's audits. Negotiating the price and other terms is obviously a key moment. The sale, a crucial episode for the owner and his business, is often a lengthy process, lasting between twelve and eighteen months, which involves resolving a number of issues, some of which are more or less predictable. Thierry Hernandez sheds light on this subject based on his more than fifteen years of experience in business sales and mergers.