Recent Articles from Chris Younger
Coping with deal fatigue
I have had the good fortune to manage or be involved in more than 100 transactions or negotiations throughout the course of my career, and without exception, in all of them I have observed parties suffer what I call “deal fatigue.” Deal fatigue is that feeling of frustration, exhaustion, irritation, and in some cases, resignation, […]
How is the M&A market, anyway?
Business owners wanting to maximize the value of their business will decide, at some point, that the “time is right.” This might be based on unique personal circumstances (an illness or death in the family, for example), the performance of the business (a record year, perhaps), or it might be timed to coincide with what […]
Deals can be intoxicating
If you have ever managed in business, you know that when one of your employees has a challenge in their personal life (marital conflict, health problems, school issues, etc.), their attention to work and overall performance will understandably suffer. In our experience, it is no different for business owners in the middle of a transaction […]
Preparing for business battle
“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought.” Sun Tzu, The Art of War. At least once or twice a week, I talk with a business owner who wants to sell his company. The reasons are varied, of course, but they all believe they want to […]
Four things to do when your deal dies
Putting together a merger, capital raise or joint venture is a tricky business – it often takes longer than you expected, takes more of your own time and energy than you anticipated and is rife with ups and downs that are common in high-stakes sales. In short, these deals can be very emotionally charged. We […]
Risky business?
A buyer’s perception of risk in a business is inversely correlated to the price he will pay for it. In other words, the more risky a business appears to a buyer, the less he will pay for it. Conversely, the less risky a business appears to a buyer, the more he is likely to pay […]
More lessons from Buffett and Munger
In April, I attended Berkshire Hathaway’s Annual Meeting, otherwise known as “Woodstock for Capitalists.” Berkshire’s Chairman Warren Buffett and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger answered questions from shareholders and representatives from the press for nearly six hours, addressing a wide range of topics. Last month, I wrote about some of the lessons I took away from the [&he[...]
Lessons from Buffett and Munger
I was fortunate enough to attend Berkshire Hathaway’s Annual Meeting last month, otherwise known as “Woodstock for Capitalists.” Berkshire’s Chairman Warren Buffett and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger answered questions from shareholders and representatives from the press for nearly six hours, addressing topics ranging from the recent Sokol insider-trading scandal to Mr. Buffe[...]
What does a good investor look like?
On occasion, business owners find themselves in need of additional capital for growth or they may even be seeking to sell their business. Regardless of whether the goal is to raise money or sell a company, too often business owners focus only on the “money” aspects of a transaction and neglect to properly qualify the […]
Don’t try this on your own
Most business owners have reason to talk with an investment banker maybe once or twice in their lifetimes (some might say, “fortunately”!). They might engage one to help them raise capital (debt or equity), or perhaps to sell their company when the time comes. As a result, the entire process of selecting the right advisor […]
Are you ready to sell your baby?
Most business owners’ net worth is tied up in their business. At some point their goal is probably to sell their company to obtain liquidity to provide for their retirement, finance their next venture, or pursue charitable giving. However, many business owners have ambivalent feelings about selling their business (or their “baby”). Business owners spend […]
Five big mistakes owners make when selling their company
Business owners dream about the day they sell their business – a big check, a little rest and relaxation, and time off to pursue hobbies (or time to about their next venture). This vision of the “good life,” however, most often requires that they get the most out of the sale of their business as […]