Module 4 Lesson 2 Basic Routes To Business Ownership
Module 4 Lesson 2 Basic Routes To Business Ownership
In their book, Start Your Own Business, the staff of Entrepreneur Media, Inc. guides you
through the critical steps to starting a business, then supports you in surviving the first
three years as a business owner. In this edited excerpt, the authors discuss the process
you should go through when purchasing an existing business.
When most people think of starting a business, they think of beginning from scratch—
developing your own idea and building the company from the ground up. But starting
from scratch presents some distinct disadvantages, including the difficulty of building a
customer base, marketing the new business, hiring employees and establishing cash
flow ... all without a track record or reputation to go on.
If you're worried about the difficulties involved in starting a business from the ground up,
you might decide that buying an existing business is a better fit for you. When you buy a
business, you take over an operation that’s already generating cash flow and profits.
You have an established customer base and reputation as well as employees who are
familiar with all aspects of the business. And you don't have to reinvent the wheel—
setting up new procedures, systems, and policies—since a successful formula for
running the business has already been put in place.
On the downside, buying a business is often more costly than starting from scratch.
However, it’s often easier to get financing to buy an existing business than to start a
new one. Bankers and investors generally feel more comfortable dealing with a
business that already has a proven track record. In addition, buying a business may
give you valuable legal rights, such as patents or copyrights, which can prove very
profitable.
Buying the perfect business starts with choosing the right type of business for you. The
best place to start is by looking in an industry you're familiar with and understand. Think
long and hard about the types of businesses you are interested in and which are the
best matches with your skills and experience. Also consider the size of business you're
looking for, in terms of employees, number of locations and sales.
Next, pinpoint the geographical area where you want to own a business. Assess the
labor pool and costs of doing business in that area, including wages and taxes, to make
sure they’re acceptable to you. Once you’ve chosen a region and an industry to focus
on, investigate every business in the area that meets your requirements. Start by
looking in the local newspaper’s classified ad section under “Business Opportunities” or
“Businesses for Sale.”
And just because a business isn’t listed doesn’t mean it isn’t for sale. Talk to business
owners in the industry; many of them might not have their businesses up for sale but
would consider selling if you made them an offer. Put your networking abilities and
business contacts to use, and you’re likely to hear of other businesses that might be
good prospects.
The preliminary analysis starts with some basic questions. Why is this business for
sale? What's the general perception of the industry and the particular business, and
what's the outlook for the future? Does—or can—the business control enough market
share to stay profitable? Are the raw materials needed in abundant supply? How have
the company’s product or service lines changed over time?
You also need to assess the company’s reputation and the strength of its business
relationships. Talk to existing customers, suppliers and vendors about their relationships
with the business. Contact the Better Business Bureau, industry associations, and
licensing and credit-reporting agencies to make sure there are no complaints against
the business.
While you and your accountant review key financial ratios and performance figures, you
and your attorney should investigate the business’s legal status. Look for liens against
the property, pending lawsuits, guarantees, labor disputes, potential zoning changes,
new or proposed industry regulations or restrictions, and new or pending patents; all
these factors can seriously affect your business. Be sure to:
Conduct a uniform commercial code search to uncover any recorded liens (start
with city hall and check with the department of public records).
Ask the business’s attorneys for a legal history of the company, and read all old
and new contracts.
Review related pending state and federal legislation, local zoning regulations and
patent histories.
Legal business liabilities take many forms and may be hidden so deeply that even the
seller honestly doesn’t know they exist. Be sure to have your lawyer add a “hold
harmless and indemnify” clause to the contract. This assures you’re protected from the
consequences of the seller’s previous actions as owner.
Also make sure your deal allows you to take over the seller’s existing insurance policies
on an interim basis. This gives you time to review your insurance needs at greater
leisure while still making sure you have basic coverage from the minute you take over.
^******^
McDo,Wendy's
KFC,etc
JFC
33%
67%
JFC McDo,Wendy'sKFC,etc
3 years Later
Rest of the
Player
16%
JFC
Mang Inasal
32% 52%
Just to be sure and at the safe and winning side try to consider these:
from Have You Got What it Takes? By Douglas A. Gray B.A., L.L.B.
TO GIVE YOU BETTER UNDERSTANDING READ THE RULES/PROS/CONS
OF BUYING A BUSINESS AND TRY TO ACCOMPLISH ACTIVITIES TAKEN
FROM -HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES? PAGES 173- 179 by
Douglas A. Gray B.A., L.L.B.
If the reason for you not to be in business is you don’t have money, it is
not money that is the problem. Its you who is the problem. A student
once asked me sir how do I open a computer shop with no money?
How much do you need? He said P100k. If your family, relatives and
friends can chip in say 5 persons with P20k or 10 friends/relatives with
P10K each or 15 friends/relatives with P6.7k so on and so forth. That’s
why being trustworthy is imperative, there are endless creative ways to
raise capital requirements. This PANDEMIC opened up online business
opportunities, boredom during lockdown turned many to become
entrepreneurs, some product selling, others reselling other people’s
product, where ever you are in the hierarchy you are bound to earn
from free Facebook, Viber, YouTube, Instagram or delivery with no sunk
in capital at all.
Try to answer the entrepreneurial potential self-assessment link below.
Besure to submit the score you get or screenshot it and send it to me.
https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/business-
assessments/pages/entrepreneurial-potential-self-assessment.aspx
There are those who choose to start their own business but have their
eyes open to franchising their business concept to gain more market
presence and to raise more capital for their opportunities they see fit
Thanks