How To Sell a Business

Name: How To Sell a Business
Rating: 4.5 (39 reviews)

Preparation, Valuation & Checklists For Everything You Need To Transition

Created byChris Hall

Last updated 1/2019

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

The Preparation Steps Required Before Marketing Your Business
Sales Process Strategies
How To Transition To The New Owner
How To Value Your Business
How To Qualify The Right Buyer
Skills In How To Negotiate
How To Decide If You Use a Broker or Market Yourself
Marketing Framework

Course content

3 sections • 23 lectures • 2h 17m total length

Introduction5:56
Learn practical, framework-based strategies for selling a business, from preparation and marketing to contract handover and staff transition, with checklists and expert insights.
(1) Connecting With Why8:53
Explore why you might sell a business—from personal reasons to new opportunities—and learn to present a sale with strong revenue, lean costs, and clear exit timelines.
(2) Timelines4:06
Prepare for a six to twelve month timeline after marketing your business, with upfront preparation before advertising, and influence the pace through proactive marketing and healthy growth.
(3) Part 1 (Accounting and Tax)4:48
Value a business with tidy accounting and tidy tax, supported by reconciled accounts and up-to-date tax returns. Use real-time financials with audit trails to build buyer confidence.
(3) Part 2 (Preparation Steps)4:34
Learn the main ways to value your business by preparing tidy accounting and tax baselines, applying depreciation, reevaluating assets for selling, and categorizing income streams to reveal revenue dependencies.
(3) Part 3 (Director / Owner Add Backs)5:07
Identify ad backs across personal expenses, travel and entertainment, and payroll, then present exact figures for the last two to three years to your accountant and buyers.
(3) Part 4 (Profit & Loss Examples)7:02
Discover how adjusted P&L and add-backs reveal true profit, manage expense categories, and prepare a transparent asset register aligned with sale financials.
(3) Part 5 (Goodwill & Valuation)9:33
Learn how goodwill and intangible assets drive sale value, and apply three valuation methods: profit multiplier, asset sale, and asset plus goodwill, plus how to present a compelling sale price.
(4) Selling Mechanisms - Part 1 (Pros and Cons Of Each Option)5:17
Explore three selling mechanisms for your business—using a broker, advertising directly, or a private non-advertised sale—and learn a four-step framework to choose the right option.
(4) Selling Mechanisms - Part 2 (The Four Step Process To Decide)8:03
Apply a four-step process to selling your business: interview three brokers about listing costs, commissions, and database reach, prepare financials to prove sellability, and decide public vs private.

(5) Marketing - Part 1 (Making The Link)6:17
Discover how digital marketing dominates selling a business, assemble an effective marketing package, and tailor headlines to buyers’ motives—from being their own boss to securing cash flow and investment.
(5) Marketing - Part 2 (Great Headlines and Summaries)5:31
Craft clear, factual headlines and concise summaries that specify investment needs, location, and buyer type; pair a real, engaging image with keywords to showcase potential and revenue.
(5) Marketing - Part 3 (Checklist and Advert Example)6:29
Develop keyword-driven business-sale ads using Google AdWords research; highlight lifestyle motivators, unique selling points, and brand stories with real images, and present concise financials to drive inquiries.
(6) Boosting Current Sales1:53
(7) Exit Strategy Preparation8:23
Prepare an exit strategy aligned with the sales process by mapping replacement roles, securing critical staff, and documenting policies and procedures to reassure buyers and ensure a smooth handover.
(8) Pre-Qualifying Buyers1:36
Pre-qualifying buyers starts with an initial phone chat to assess character and fit, then require a signed NDA before sharing confidential information and the seller's pack.
(9) Selling Tips - Part 18:31
Present the business and opportunity with enthusiasm, protect confidential financials, and set a realistic price based on tidy accounts to attract serious buyers.
(9) Selling Tips - Part 26:11
Discover fast exit strategies for selling a business, including employee, network, or asset sales, and learn to assemble a compelling selling pack with financials, assets, and goodwill.

(10) Staffing Considerations8:43
Explore staffing considerations in a business sale, including key staff employment and leave transfers. Address long service leave, annual leave, and service recognition with the buyer, and seek legal advice.
(11) Suppliers, Obligations and Contracts7:50
Navigate transferring suppliers, contracts, and leases during a business sale, choose the right entity names, protect revenue and intellectual property, and time customer communications with the buyer.
(12) Lawyers and Contracts3:13
Engage a lawyer and secure a clear contract to protect both seller and buyer, while aligning an asset register with sale terms and non-competition clauses.
(13) Handing Over7:46
Learn how to hand over a sold business by preparing digital asset libraries, consolidating contracts and first aid documents, and creating a detailed changeover plan and stakeholder notification.
(14) Final Words1:38
Learn to navigate selling your business with practical context, action points, and professional support. Revisit course sections, consult your lawyer and accountant, and use this as a guiding landing place.

Requirements

You are interested to sell your business
You have a business

Description

Selling your business is a time of excitement, anticipation, sometimes anxiety and often fear! It's a roller coaster, to say the least, and a lot of entrepreneurs haven't done this before.

This course is put together by Chris Hall, 5x CEO and professional Business Coach. Chris has personal experience of selling 2x of his previous businesses and interacts with audiences and executives worldwide through his work. As a result, Chris has spotted the common patterns that owners go through when deciding to sell their business. Regardless industry, country or experience, most owners will go through a very similar journey. The intention of this course is to break up the process into three sections that empower you, the owner / Director, to get the best outcome.

Section 1: Preparation

Section 2: The Sales Process

Section 3: Transitioning

Chris Hall is a TedX speaker and has more than 21,000 students on Udemy alone. Check out the curriculum and we hope to see you online!

Who this course is for:

Business Owners

How To Sell a Business

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Preparation10 lectures • 1hr 3min

The Sales Process8 lectures • 45min

Transitioning5 lectures • 29min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: