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We help and mentor you at every step. Whenever you have questions, we will guide and advise you, and there is never any cost to you. If you need advice deciding what type of business is right, or reviewing a listing, help with negotiating, analyzing the financials, compiling a valuation, preparing for, and conducting the due diligence, or anything else, simply email us the details. Richard and his team will review the situation and provide you with a detailed response within one business day, and where necessary, set up a call with you to explain further. Best of all, there is never any charge for this service and you can use it as often as you want.
In this section we’ll review all of the considerations to be made: the upsides, the downsides, and all of the personal, professional and family considerations that must be factored into your decision. There is only one reason “why” you should buy a business: because you want something better than whatever it is that you are presently doing. Most people spend their whole life making a living and completely forget to make any money! There is absolutely no better investment vehicle than owning a good business. Whatever it is that you can possibly want in life from a financial and lifestyle perspective can be gained from owning your own business. In this section, you will learn:
Fundamental to your purchase is determining the most basic of factors: is this a good business? This section outlines the ten rules that cannot be bent, avoided or broken. Any business that you buy must subscribe to all ten. For example: Commandment # 2 – Buy A Good Business and Make It Great! Don’t look to buy a cheap business; it’s like a bad used car. You’ll spend all of your time trying to patch ‘leaks” and you’ll have little or no time left for building the business. Buy a good business, a solid one, that through your talents, can grow and flourish. Start off with a strong foundation and build from there! In this section you will learn: Commandment # 1 – Pay For The Past, Consider The Present, But Buy It For The Future!
It is far too difficult too explain in one paragraph specifically what it is that will direct you to the right business. Clearly, it is a combination of all of the areas that are covered in this lesson. However, if we were forced to reduce our entire course down to one sentence, it would be this: “Whatever it is that you do best must be the single most important factor that drives the revenue and profit of any business that you may consider purchasing”. End of story! So many buyers fail to recognize what business is right for them. Only you know what it is; no one else can tell you what’s right for you. You know your talents, your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest with yourself. Don’t be delusional. Don’t pretend you’re something that you’re not. The most successful people are those who realize that they don’t know it all. Focus your search on businesses that will grow from your strengths and not suffer from your weaknesses. As long as you match your greatest strengths to the right business, you can’t help but be successful. In this section you will learn: You will work through a series of very pointed questions which will allow you to very quickly identify the types of businesses that you should be focusing your attention upon.
This lesson will set your schedule for buying a business in a fraction of the time it takes others. You will learn what time you must devote to each stage of the buying process and how to avoid wasting time like so many others. Your search will be focused; your attention will be on businesses that make sense for you. The average “buyer” spends over a year looking for a business and then there’s a ninety percent chance that they will drop out. The longer you look, the greater the chances you’ll never buy! In this section you will learn:
This is a full examination all of the resources available to you and a clear direction for the best places for you to find what you are looking for. You’ll learn how to properly review every media where businesses are listed for sale. You’ll understand what to look for specifically in the local newspaper and online and in the individual broker listings. By the end of this section you’ll know specifically how to identify good potential businesses. In this section you will learn:
Buying a business is a project combining several individual tasks. No single part is more important than another, somewhat like the spokes on a wheel. Do a great job with everything but neglect the Due Diligence for example, and you won’t make the right decision. Put all the pieces together but overlook financing preparation again, you will fall short. In this section you will learn:
Most inexperienced buyers make the terrible assumption that all they must do is hire a business broker and presto; the right business will come to them. Nothing is further from the truth! A good broker can help you but the wrong one will prove to be a monumental waste of your time! Remember, a business broker represents the seller – ALWAYS! The seller pays their commission even if it’s not their listing and so they’re immediately in a conflict of interest. Are they going to do everything in their power to ensure you get a good deal? No, they won’t. Their goal is to sell you ANY business and your objective is to buy the right one! We recommend that you “use” a business broker to help you in two specific areas:
In this section you will learn:
Every single business is for sale; even those that aren’t currently listed. Under the right conditions every owner would sell. Wouldn’t you? Since we take a creative approach, you will quickly learn what kinds of businesses are right for you, it may in fact be a company that is not currently on the market. Once you determine the specific type, which you will, why limit yourself to what is listed? You’ll learn how to creatively approach every business, even those they may not be “on the market” currently. In this section you will learn:
Under the right conditions and for certain buyers, a franchise provides a wonderful option that is well worth investigating. You are far better off to buy an existing location, one that’s already operating successfully, rather than trying to find, buy and build a new one. When you approach a Master Franchiser regarding a new location they will bombard you with market studies. They will tell you that IF their study proves correct and IF the passing traffic trends continue and IF the area continues to grow at the same pace and IF the industry continues to thrive and IF you follow their steps exactly and if you buy all of their promotions then you should do well. And if you were born into the royal family, you wouldn’t have to work for a living! In this section you will learn:
Regardless of what size business that you are looking to purchase, you’ll need to use the services of both an accountant and lawyer. The smaller the business, the less you’ll need them, but you’ll need them. They will be a defense mechanism for you to be certain that anything that you agree to is legal and binding, and to ensure that you are well aware of any risk or exposure. In this section you will learn:
A fear or lack of knowledge in accounting must not, will not and cannot prevent you from buying a business. The beauty of accounting is that it’s based on numbers and numbers don’t lie. Sellers may lie, but not numbers. All Financial Statements follow a similar pattern from one business to the next so the format will become familiar to you quickly and our approach will have you feeling confident and comfortable within an hour. It’s really is very easy to gain a grasp on this area quickly and effectively. Don’t get nuts about the financials. You want to view them to get an idea of what to expect but they reflect the past not the future. You don’t buy a business for the past unless you’re planning on going backwards. In this section you will learn:
The seller is the second-most important part of the equation; you, of course, are first. The seller must “pull the trigger” from the other side in order to complete the deal. You will come to discover that the seller can be a wealth of information for you throughout the process. After all, who better than the owner to know the business? WARNING! No matter how decent, kind, reasonable and helpful a particular seller may be, never forget that they want to sell you something! Will they lie to you? Maybe. Will they “stretch” the truth? Always! Be aware that they see you as their way out and they will say and do what they must to sell you. They want to close the deal, so while they can be a wealth of information, you must verify everything, or face the consequences later on. In this section you will learn:
This is the first stage where the buying process claims its victims. It’s where “lookers” remain lookers or they are converted into buyers. Focus, focus, focus on the right target is crucial, but it’s no use looking until you know what to look for specifically. This section incorporates worksheets, real-life examples and case studies so that you will easily tear apart business for sale listings in all formats and focus 100% of your attention and search on businesses that make sense for you. In this section you will learn:
In this section you’ll learn how and what to prepare, the specific questions you must ask, the answers to look for, point-counter-point strategies, and techniques for every possible situation. You’ll know what the seller will ask you, what answers to give, how to uncover the real answers, the true reason why they are selling and tons of other tips. YOUR MISSION: When you begin visiting businesses it will be a very exciting, scary, anxious and exhilarating experience. Don’t worry, the seller is feeling the exact same thing. Your mission is very simple: first of all, you want to learn enough to determine if you even want to pursue it further; and second, you need to obtain enough detailed information so that you will be able to begin gathering information on the industry and the competition to see if a second visit is warranted. You’ll learn how to ask the “tough questions”, understand the hidden meanings, realize that they are going to tell you what you want to hear, not necessarily what’s true. You will know what you must uncover so that you can begin to gather crucial information once the meeting is completed. This section includes sample letters, interactive worksheets, a meeting-by-meeting breakdown of what to do, what to expect, and how to follow up. In this section you will learn:
GOING UNDERCOVER: For most, gathering information on the industry and the competition is an exceptionally interesting and educational aspect of the buying process. You will utilize some superbly creative techniques to get the information you need quickly and effectively, and you will discover that these strategies will be a great asset for you in the future as well. Yes, you’re really going to be playing “detective”. SALESMEN CAN’T SHUT UP! Want to know the best way to gather information on anything from any source? Call a salesman! In their haste to get an order from a new client, most of them forget to even qualify the prospect. The most successful way to find out exactly what you need from the competitors or anyone in the industry is to just call them and speak to a rep. Let them think you want to buy something. Then, fasten your seat belt because they won’t stop talking. We’ll provide you with all of the questions to ask them and you’ll learn more in one phone call than the seller could tell you in a month. In this section you will learn:
Are you one of those people that get crazy at the thought of overpaying for a business? Your worries are over! While you don’t want to overpay, most people simply don’t comprehend the meaning of value altogether. The average American spends years paying off a car and has zero to show for it afterwards. Homeowners are willing to take 30 years to payoff their mortgage. In both of these examples, the purchases were made only because the buyer was attracted by the benefits each would bring, such as a place to raise a family, good schools, transportation, good neighborhood, resale value, etc. You must value a business solely for the benefits that it will deliver. You are going to improve your life, increase your standard of living, gain great satisfaction from building something through your labor, you will improve the lives of others, you will be accumulating value and building equity for later years, and best of all… YOU ARE GOING TO GET PAID FOR DOING THIS!! Given these benefits, how can you possibly care if it takes a little more time to pay off the debt? A good business is absolutely the best investment vehicle that you can ever have; it’s not even close! That’s right, if you have to decide between a house or a good business – buy the business! When you build the business, you’ll easily be able to afford to buy the house. Now, how’s that for a twist on value? In this section you will learn:
Negotiating the deal is a daunting thought to most people and it’s understandable. You certainly don’t want to agree to something that you’ll regret later. Great negotiators can “think on their feet” and win the important points because they’re well prepared for every situation. They go into negotiations having thought about all of the options beforehand so they’re never bullied into a decision. Learn all of the skills you will need for each and every possible situation. You’ll know the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of great negotiating. You get a complete breakdown of every point to negotiate, what your position should be, and a point-counter-point strategy for every rebuttal. You will know how to formulate your offer, what you should be proposing, and how to effectively negotiate all of the various clauses. You’ll learn to play “what if” like a pro: “If I do this what will they do? If they say this, I’ll say that. If I were in their shoes what would I do? What is every possible scenario that can happen from each and every situation and what am I going to propose for each?” In this section you will learn:
They have a lot to say; but the owner may not let them talk. Learn how to get them to spill their guts to you. Identifying potential troublemakers. Understand their concerns, fears, hopes and fears. You will learn an effective way to gain immediate access to them so that you can pose all of the questions that only they can answers. You learn what to avoid and situations that can trap you later on. IT CAN’T WAIT: It is of utmost importance that you meet with all of the employees individually as early as possible in the process. Some of the most intriguing insights you will get on any business will come from them, not the seller. Now, it is understandable if a seller doesn’t want you to meet with them early on as they may not want to let word get out. You have to respect their wishes but you must temper this with the fact that you will have to meet with all of them at some point and long before you buy. The absolute latest you can wait to meet each one is during Due Diligence. In this section you will learn:
Using our proven strategies, 91% of our clients get the seller to finance the bulk of the purchase. You will get a complete background on all possible lenders, the different loans available and how to creatively structure financing so that it’s easily affordable regardless of your financial position. Why do people worry about arranging financing? You can always finance a good business. Most buyers wait until they find a business to seek financing and then it’s too late for them to learn some of the incredible ways of arranging great financing. The emphasis in this lesson will be formulating strategies that will convince any seller to finance your purchase. If any business is half as wonderful as every seller is going to paint it to be, then why on earth shouldn’t they finance it? Unless, of course, they believe that you’re not going to be successful. Why’s that? Getting the money is easy; getting it on the right terms and conditions requires some work. Without the right information, buyers end up with terms that are not even close to what they could have negotiated had they been better educated and prepared. In this section you will learn:
The Due Diligence period occurs after you have reached an agreement on the business purchase and you will now be inspecting all of the company’s files and records. Every business has secrets! Every owner knows certain things that they do not want you to uncover. Eventually they will all surface! The question is: will you learn about them before or after you buy? This is the moment in time when prospective buyers mess everything up, drastic mistakes are made, and it can happen to you as well if you do not know exactly what to do. This is the time for you to investigate far more than just the financial aspect of the specific business to determine what the future may hold for the business. Sure, the financials will be reviewed in great detail, but even if they are exactly as the seller has presented them, then what? HELPFUL HINT: If you allow the seller and their broker to negotiate too short a Due Diligence period and you decide to buy the business, you will fail. Sellers will do everything in their power to get you to commit to a Due Diligence period of about 10 days. Unbelievably, the majority of buyers agree. How can you possibly learn everything about the inner workings of a particular business and industry within days? It’s absolutely impossible. In this section you will learn:
READY! AIM, AIM, AIM! How can someone possibly get through an entire buying process, pass each stage and then flip out at the end and be afraid or unwilling to buy the business? This happens quite often, and here’s why: they haven’t completed each stage properly; they are still not sure, too many unknowns and loose ends, so they back out. On the other hand when you handle each stage with factual information, then making that final decision is in no way, shape, or form, a ‘leap of faith”. When decisions are made based upon facts, then your final decision is no bigger than anything else you’ve done along the road. You’re confident, informed, rational, decisive and you’re ready! End of story. We’ll provide the tools so you can assemble everything you learned to make the best decision you’ve ever made! In this section you will learn:
In this section you will learn: The actual closing of the deal includes a number of specific documents to be executed such as: the non-compete agreement, promissory notes, bill of sale, purchase price allocation, transfer taxes, agreement to cooperate post-closing, lien filings, and title transfer of assets. Plus, there can be additional contract details that may have to be satisfied such as the lease assignment. While a competent attorney will assemble the necessary paperwork, you should have a clear understanding of what all of the documents are, what you should,or should not include, and what to look out for, so that you’re adequately protected. You will want to be sure that agreements such as the non-compete reflect what was agreed to, and the promissory note, as an example, contain the key provisions you have negotiated. This section will outline this legalese in a straight forward and easy to comprehend manner.
START NOW: Unfortunately, many new owners experience a drastic decline in their first 3-6 months and there’s only one reason: they walked in without a concise plan, and by the time they began to focus properly, they were months into their ownership. Get ready! Get in! Hit the ground running! No matter what stage you are at with any particular business, begin a file logging each and every thought and idea that you have about anything you want to do once you buy that business. Don’t wait until you have the keys to the place to start your planning. FOCUS LIKE A LASER BEAM: Your first three months are crucial. There are only 10 things to focus on and you want to accomplish each of them, which will be a great morale-booster for all. This lesson outlines all of them for you. One thing you should also do: clean up the place, throw a coat of paint on and make some cosmetic changes from day one. The business is new, you’re the new sheriff, and the employees should feel renewed. Freshen up the place right away so everyone can see that positive change is the way of the future. In this section you will learn:
Hi, I’m Richard Parker, I will teach you everything you need to know to buy the right business and I will provide you with personal one-on-one consulting every step of the way. With more than three decades of experience under my belt, I’m here to cut through the fluff and give you practical, no-nonsense advice that actually works. I know EXACTLY what every prospective buyer is going through because I have gone through it myself having purchased 14 of my own businesses and looking at hundreds of potential deals.
Buying a business can be very frustrating if this is new to you. Unfortunately, the market is loaded with garbage businesses, unresponsive brokers, and sellers who try to hide the problems and misrepresent their financials. There are also many terrific businesses to acquire if you know how to find and evaluate them. That is precisely the knowledge and guidance you will have on your side with our program. You will eliminate all the guesswork and uncertainty, and buy the right business with complete confidence.
My flagship course, ‘How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price©’ has helped thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs like you achieve their dreams of business ownership. I won’t sugarcoat anything—I’m here to provide you with the real, proven strategies and tools you need to succeed.
Our ‘How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price©‘ course comes with a straightforward Lifetime Money-Back Guarantee. If you ever feel the course hasn’t met your expectations, just reach out to us—no questions asked—for a full refund. This commitment reflects our confidence in the course’s ability to guide you successfully through business acquisition and our dedication to your satisfaction and success.
How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price© works for the purchase of any type of existing business or for the acquisition of a franchise resale. The proven strategies in the course have been formulated based upon over one thousand business for sale evaluations and successful acquisitions in a huge range of sectors including service businesses, manufacturing, distribution, e-commerce, retail and for every possible type of business within these categories. Whatever business you are considering, the information applies. As a bonus to the main program, the course includes industry specific guides.
Yes…without a doubt. This is such a critical part of buying a business. A business must be right for you to be successful, and we cover this in detail addressing your strengths, weaknesses, past experience, and key considerations so you will quickly focus your search on businesses that are right for you.
The guide is divided into 23 lesson modules that take an average of one-hour to complete. As you go through the various steps in the business-buying process, you will find yourself going back to parts of the material as an added guide to be sure you are following the right steps and techniques.
The surefire way to know if an information program works is by the guarantee a company offers and we stand by every promise we make to you about our material. We offer a 100% no-questions asked guarantee with no time limit. If you are not blown away by the information in the program and the support we provide, we will refund your entire purchase price.
We guide you every step of the way. You will be immediately enrolled in our Personalized Consulting Program™. If you have any questions, need some advice about a particular situation, want us to review a listing or the financials, or require guidance about how to negotiate a certain part of the deal, our team will provide you with unbiased expert advice. Simply email us and outline the issue and we will provide you with a detailed reply, or when necessary, set up a call to review it with you.
There is NO cost whatsoever for this service and you can use it as often as needed.
Buying a business is not difficult, but it can be complex. That is why we have laid out the program in a simple-to-follow format that breaks down every step into concise and manageable pieces. These are not textbook theories that don’t work in the real world. The pages are packed with practical, real-world advice that anyone can follow. The format is a building block approach for each module that provides you with tested strategies and everything you need to know, what to do, and how to do it for every step.
How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price© has been used successfully by individual business buyers in more than 80 countries. While there may be some minor unique issues in some countries, the vast majority of the knowledge you need and the steps to follow for the entire process of buying a business is the same regardless of your geographic location. Determining what type of business is right for you, where and how to find it, compiling valuations, negotiating deal terms, and conducting a flawless due diligence review are applicable wherever businesses are bought and sold and How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price© covers all of these steps for you.
No. After you place your order, you will see a link to download the materials. All the files, Interactive Resources and Resources to Print are in pdf, Word, and Excel formats.
Yes. Every file is formatted to be fully printable.
Yes.
There are a lot of programs and videos available about buying businesses so how do you choose the right one?
The first group are either generic books that really do not provide many details into navigating through all of the steps and situations that you will encounter, or they are written in textbook language for Harvard MBAs, and simply not practical for smaller business acquisitions.
Next are the con artists. Unfortunately, in recent years, the market has been bombarded with tons of scams headed by self-anointed “gurus” selling programs for thousands of dollars with ridiculous claims about showing you how to buy a business with hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for no money down, with wild lies that you can do all of this in a few weeks. That is complete BS. Most of these people have never even done what they are selling programs about. They take advantage of people. They are not experts at buying businesses; they are slick marketers. Don’t fall for their sales pitch. If their information really worked, they would guarantee results but once they take your money, they are gone. Simply look at their refund policies – they don’t offer one.
There is not a single resource available that covers the process like our materials do – you will learn exactly what you need to know for every step, what to do, and most importantly how to do it. We have been helping people like you for over 30 years and our materials are updated constantly. Further, we provide unlimited free consultation to you and an iron-clad money-back guarantee with no expiration.
Under the right scenario, franchises can be a good choice for some people, but not all. We like franchises however, we strongly believe that you should buy an existing one with a track record so you marry the best of franchises with an existing business. The program covers these situations in great detail and includes a comprehensive due diligence section for franchise purchases.