by theEmother | Jun 12, 2014 | aCE talentNET, build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, Consultant EXIT Options, entrepreneur trends (past & present!), exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
aCE talentNET 1997-2011
What a day…
It started out by taking our Sophia Mundi marketing committee through their paces! Which is to say, with the website now well and truly ticking along, what activities do we need to participate in to drive traffic both to it and the school in general? Lots of ideas, with plenty of research to follow.
Following closely on was a revisit of a continuing conversation, which has been in train for nigh on 3 years now. It started out when interest was conveyed in buying my business, aCE talentNET. Nothing eventuated from a sale point of view but we did continue to talk about consultants in general, coupled with the future of consulting and what could be a relevant consultancy business model look like, bearing all this in mind.
Some time later, the new consultancy was born. To its credit, it has been operating rather well, with a respectable low-millions dollar turnover already. How many consultancies can brag about numbers like that in their first few years of operation? Not many…
So what’s exciting right now, what with my “restraint of trade” over at end of this month, is that I am free to join in and ramp up a number of the original concepts we talked about plus a number of new ones we’ve since cooked up. Exciting stuff!
Already booked a date in July for the half-day workshop, to really bounce these ideas around and see which have traction and in what order. Stuff I love doing.
Given that there are many more consultants in the marketplace, none of which are making a particular good amount of revenue, what we will eventually have to offer will be (in my humble opinion) world class in progressive, collaborative consulting for the betterment of both the client and the consultant.
Stay tuned for updates…
And if you want to know more already, just email me info@theentrepreneurialmother.com
Then it was into Hurst Partners to finish off one Information Memorandum, in readiness to take this business to market.
Plus reviewing one rather large website that is looking to go on the market.
Together with receiving an email to potentially work with a client to rollout a website-based online business…
Exciting times ahead.
by theEmother | Jun 11, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, EXIT execution, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, growth by acquisition, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
This morning I had the pleasure of attending the launch of bentleys.com.au ‘The Voice of Australian Business’ Update, the first of a series of briefings designed to provide detailed feedback from more than 1,500 small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) from across Australia.
HOW CONFIDENT ARE SMEs ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS PROSPECTS?
The good news is that more than half of respondents expressed confidence about their business prospects with just under a quarter worried about what the future might bring. The remaining quarter of respondents were neutral about their business prospects, confirming that they were neither confident nor worried.
A number of factors appeared to enhance business confidence among respondents. For example, the bigger the SME, the more confident the business felt, with medium sized enterprises (101-200 employees) expressing the greatest optimism for the future compared to small and micro organisations.
What is your view?
by theEmother | Jun 10, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, Sellability Score, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
Following on from last weeks post, “when you can’t find the Gold for the stuff…”, the team at the Sellability Score wrote this around the same time… clearly on to something here…
If you’re not going to get paid for parts of your business that are just okay, why bother sticking with them? Aren’t they just noise adding little value to your company? Why not, as Fried has done, focus your energy on the one product where you already have a winner. Invest your resources in staying ahead of competitors rather than spreading yourself too thin. If you get busy playing catch-up with me-too products, an acquirer may view them as a liability rather than an asset.
[Read the full article here]
Even if you do want to run multiple channels, so be it, but set them up quite independently. That way, each can be hived off as necessary. As you know having all your eggs in one basket is not necessarily the smartest way to structure. That said though, as long as each element is standalone, which can be bolted together or separated out as required, all is still doable.
When talking about a strategic buyer, (as I did recently), they
…will look at the same business and strip away the average products before making an offer based on what the best product(s) is worth in their hands. If the winning product is a small part of a diversified company’s revenue, the owner may be disappointed by how low the offer is…
Do you have winners? How are you structured to make full use of them?
by theEmother | Jun 9, 2014 | business ideas & thinking, entrepreneur trends (past & present!), so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
“15 years ago, I quit law school to pursue one overarching question: ‘Why do capable people fail to breakthrough to the next level?’ The answer to the question, to my great surprise, is success.
I first noticed the phenomenon while working with executive teams in some of Silicon Valley’s most innovative companies. When they were focused on the right few things it led to success. But the success bred options and opportunities which undermined the very focus that led to success in the first place. In other words, I found that success can be a catalyst for failure. If we are not careful, it leads to what Jim Collins described as “the undisciplined pursuit of more.” It is true for companies; it is true for people.”
Why have you failed to breakthrough to the next level?
Read on…
by theEmother | Jun 6, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, buy | sell websites, BUY a Business, Buy a Mother of a Business, EXIT execution, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, growth by acquisition, how to sell a business, Sell Your Business, SELL your Mother of a Business, Sellability Score, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
How Saleable is Your Business in 2014? How Saleable do you want Your Business 2014? What are you waiting for? GET YOUR SCORE…
Started some of the renovation of the transferred website this week, with more to come. Best way is to step this out anyway, given I want to know what works and what doesn’t. I won’t know that if I do it all at once will I? Yes, I do need to double the numbers first off, to make it worth continuing the process, but systematically and consistently is the way to go.
Yet again this week, I spent time with two business owners, both complaining about the situation they’ve found themselves in. One, bought into a franchise that appears to be making it up as they go along. Not a bad thing in some respects given they will at least trial things and are not to set in their ways, yet! Means the employees of the franchisor are working really hard to rein it back in and keep a lid on all that’s being asked. Be interesting to see how this one pans out.
The other is a business owner of over 40 years, where the bum has fallen out of its market. Sad? Yes. The superannuation payout as dreamt? No. Alas, but what’s that we find? Items of significant historical value I hear you cry. Ready to sell to the right bidder. Perfect! Might just realise more than ever thought possible when selling the business as such. Now time to spend cataloguing what is valuable and get ready to go to market. As for the business, if the sale of these items come off as foreseen, then the business can close its doors in 18 months and all will be well with the world. Again, time will tell…
GOT A WEBSITE FOR SALE?
If you want to sell a website or you’re looking to buy a website (excellent bolt-on possibilities), please email me at dhall@businessbrokers.com.au
If any of the following tickle your fancy, please email me at dhall@businessbrokers.com.au, letting me know which one it is…
FOR SALE…
BS30 Online Venue Business
Completed Sellability Score
Not sure this one is going anywhere now… bugger!
BS49 Home Help…
Exclusive Due Diligence has commenced. As always, a few issues raised but none that can’t be sorted out. At least, I hope so!
BS53 Balloons! and all that goes with them…
One unsatisfactory offer touted, confirmation sought. The others are tempted by others… not sure what will happen. Might be a case of door closing too.
BS59 Niche Service Provider in Building Trade
via Sellability Score.
It’s all systems go! Advertisement is ready to fire. This is a cracker for a white-collar wanting to get out of the office or a trade wanting to get off the tools.
BS60 Advertising and Events agency
(via Sellability Score)
Advertisement on websites. Trial Linkedin campaign commenced but wondering now if the ones chosen are too small. Can’t tell via a profile. Will need to find larger agencies.
BS72 Niche Bookseller and Training Provider
Waiting on finalisation of the IM.
Training provider
Assisting colleague by introducing the perfect buyer for his selling client. However, due to their own growth plans, this has been placed on the back burner. Others are putting their hands up initially but no-one really sticking it out yet.
Health Care Provider
Assisting colleague by introducing the Home Help interested party to their client, now that the authority has been signed. IM has been sent, so awaiting feedback.
It’s all happening…. Others I’ve talked too.. are you interested in any one of them?
- a particular event
- sales and services
- magazine
- specialty bed linen
- facilities management
- speciality giftware
- technology reseller
- specialty children’s products x 2
- overseas medical procedures
- online products
- electronics retailer
- niche manufacturer
- specialty clothing
If yes, let me know…
Exploring the Sale Option?
GET YOUR SCORE…
Onwards and Upwards!
