Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

A Neumann & Associates, LLC

September 24, 2019

How to Choose the Right Business Broker in Connecticut

By Achim Neumann

Successfully growing a business to profitability is a herculean task. In Connecticut, the average entrepreneur or business owner who manages to pass the task looks forward to the reward of selling that business for a good price. However, selling a business for the best price requires the services of a seasoned business broker and finding a competent business broker in Connecticut who will be honest and offer good customer service can often be a difficult affair. If you are one such business owner who needs help selling your business in Connecticut, here is how to choose the right CT business broker.

Collate Your Options

To make the right choice, you need to know what your options are. Typically, people speak positively about competent professionals whom they’ve worked with and will effortlessly recommend them. Ask for referrals from fellow entrepreneurs who have sold their businesses in the past and from financial planners, estate attorneys, accountants, or any other business professionals who might have related knowledge. Once you have a list of business brokers in CT, you will be able to whittle out the right business broker for your business.

Find out More About Your Options

With the first step complete and your list of CT business brokers collected, you can begin to

screen through the options so you can make a shortlist of brokers to actually speak with. First, do a quick search on the internet for the companies and their profiles. Do these companies have websites? Do their websites have adequate information on the company, its principals and their working experience? If not, business brokers of that nature should be put at the bottom of the list immediately.

After an initial inspection of their web presence, you can ask further, more important questions; how long have they been practicing and how many business sales have they successfully brokered? Do they have experience with financial and tax-related issues? Are they well spoken of, with a reputation for honesty and competence? These questions are essential to your deciding who on your list to shortlist and go into conversation with.

Ask Your Shortlisted Candidates the Right Questions

Having screened through your first list of options and finding potentially suitable business brokers, you will need to have actual discussions. When you do, it is necessary to ascertain that they are capable of bringing your business to the market and handling the sale with competence. There are a number of questions you can ask to help with this. Do they have plans for valuation that you can see? Will they be setting an arbitrary value for your company or will an independent third-party valuation firm be conducting the valuations? Do they have a marketing plan in place to attract buyers discreetly? Is there a written process for qualifying potential buyers?

Consider Their Costs

The job of a Connecticut business broker is important and they typically request between 10%-15% as commission fees of the gross sale value of the business. This is not set in stone as negotiations can arise based on the value of the business. However, any broker who attempts to charge higher than this margin should be questioned heavily. Likewise, business brokers who ask for large advances/retainers should also be avoided.

Having built a successful business and taken it to profitability, the reward of a good sale is something you deserve. Follow the steps in this guide and make sure you choose the right business broker in Connecticut.

About A Neumann & Associates, LLC

A Neumann & Associates, LLC is a professional mergers & acquisitions and business brokerage firm having assisted business owners and buyers in the business valuation and business transfer process through its affiliations for the past 30 years. With an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, the company has senior trusted professionals with a deep knowledge based in multiple field offices along the East Coast and has performed hundreds of business valuations in its history. The firm’s competitive transaction fees are based on successfully completing transactions. For more information, please contact A Neumann & Associates at 732-872-6777 or info@neumannassociates.com

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Client Testimonials

“ I appreciate your diligent approach to screening buyers and sellers as well as the high quality CIM that you produce.”

Andrey O, Investor

“Finally enjoying retirement after recently selling my business using the services of A Neumann & Associates. Joe Oddo provided the conduit to a successful transaction. Joe knew when to inject input and when to simply listen and allow the buyers to vent, step back and regroup. The outcome met our expectations and got us to the finish line, which included my staying with the company six months in order for the buyers to get their footing and keep our workforce in the loop. He helped at every step by providing his expert guidance & resources. Thank you!”

Emily Parker Myers, Co-Owner - Myers McRae

“I had been in touch with Karin and Gary from A Neumann & Associates regarding some opportunities and was looking forward to meeting with them. Hence, when they organized a seminar in Princeton, NJ, I was quick to sign up. The seminar was very informative as the team walked the attendees through various scenarios and referenced real life buying/selling situations they had been through. The sessions by Gary, Karin and Achim were crisp and focused and brought clarity to potential seller and buyers. I strongly recommend the team and look forward to continue working with them.”

Gaurav Tyagi

“Thank you for your Event on "How to value, Sell, and Buy A Business for Maximum Profit" and the insight into ANA’s approach on what is involved in the Business Exit for sellers. Garys Hervieiou's "Business Valuation", Achim's "Deal structure" presentation and Karin’s "Preparing the Package" are real street knowledge shared. They answered attendees questions which makes it more interesting for learning from others. Great for small businesses like us. The presentations were totally worth our time and travel for the event to Princeton, NJ from Rockville MD. Ravi Bhutani, President, CIPS”

Ravi Bhutani

“Gary, this is to thank you for an excellent job done in selling our business. We could never have done it without your professional expertise, dedication and time put in without reservation to make it happen. We will gladly and highly recommend you to anybody in our position.  It was a pleasure to work with you.”

Pat Iammatteo, Owner

“Your vetting is simply outstanding, among the best I've seen from a broker.”

Eric H., Investor

“I recently contacted A. Neumann and Associates about getting a valuation of my business done. I spoke with Marc, who explained the process in detail. After meeting with Marc in order to get a clear understanding of my business, and what I was hoping to accomplish. His patience in answering all my questions and his knowledge of the proper way to market my business gave me great confidence that this is the firm I will be using to sell my business for max value. Working with Marc at A Neumann & Associates was very easy and professional. I did not know all that was going to be involved in selling my business but they helped me through the process. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. I highly recommend this firm to anybody who wants to sell now or down the road. Marc not only knows his stuff, but actually is a real nice guy.”

Double Diamond

“Used A Neumann & Associates to sale my business. could not imagine having done it with out the patience and experience Gary provided. Thanks Gary,”

Dennis Frazier

“Working with Marc and his company was a pleasure. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. Marc handled most of the interaction and he has one of the greatest demeanors. Again, it was a pleasure working with him and his firm.”

Douglas DiCeglio

“I recently completed an acquisition using A Neumann & Associates. Tony Valentino was very helpful and accessible during the entire process. They do a thorough job vetting both parties and got us to the finish line.”

Srini Mudambi
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Contact A Neumann & Associates, LLC

If you are considering selling your business, please contact us to learn more about our comprehensive service spectrum. Our experienced professionals will answer all your questions about selling a privately held business in complete confidentiality. Please fill out our contact form, or call us at 732-872-6777. We will contact you directly and will never identify ourselves to your employees.

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