Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

A Neumann & Associates, LLC

September 17, 2019

How to Choose the Right Business Broker in Pennsylvania

By Achim Neumann

For most entrepreneurs and business owners in Pennsylvania, the reward for successfully growing a business to profitability is being able to sell it for a decent price. However, finding a good business broker in Pennsylvania who will represent your best interests and locate a worthwhile buyer can be a challenge. For the business owner in Pennsylvania looking for a business broker to help sell your business, here is how to choose the right PA business broker.

Compile a List of Options

The first thing you need is a list of potential business brokers. The most reliable way to make a list is to ask for referrals. This is because people talk about good professionals that they have worked with and gladly recommend them. Speak with fellow business owners, accountants, business developers, financial planners, estate attorneys and other professionals who might have related knowledge and find out if they can recommend a quality business broker in PA. You can start your list with these recommendations and then search the internet for reputable business brokers to include as well.

Conduct Due Diligence

Once you have compiled a list of potential business brokers, you will need to sift through to choose the candidates you will speak with. The first screen should be educational and can be done on the web. Do they have an informative web site including their principals and their background? Have they successfully brokered the sale of multiple businesses? These are necessary preliminary questions that can help separate the wheat from the chaff.

As you do your research, the things you learn about the potential brokers will let you know who to call for talks. Make sure you verify their certifications and investigate their reputation. How long have they been practicing? Are they certified by key organizations in mergers and acquisitions advisory and business brokerage, or just real estate brokerage? Are they experienced with issues around finances and taxation? Do they have a reputation for being honest advisors or do the people who have worked with or for them in the past speak negatively of them? By conducting due diligence properly, you can identify which business brokers to move the conversation forward with.

Ask Important Questions

When you finally go into conversation with your potential brokers, ask questions that will reveal how competent and capable they are of handling the sale of your business properly. Do they have a plan for valuing your business and can you be shown valuation samples? Is the valuation being performed by an independent, accredited, third party valuation firm? How will they find buyers and do they have a good marketing plan? Can the broker attract international buyers? Will the marketing plan include confidentiality? How will potential business buyers be qualified and is there a written process for this?

Take Fees into Account

It is common practice for a Pennsylvania business broker to request up to 10%-15% of the gross value of the business sale in fees. These numbers, however, are negotiable and also depend on the actual value of the business in question. Some business brokers may try to charge as high as 20% but those brokers are unreasonable and should be avoided. You should also refuse to work with any business broker who requests a large advance / retainer fee.

Building a successful business is a difficult task and deserves to be adequately rewarded. If you wish to claim your reward, put the steps in this guide into practice so you will be able to choose the right business broker in Pennsylvania.

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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