For most small business owners, calculating the worth of my business is a common concern. Knowing how to determine business valuation is essential when pursuing funding, as well as when presenting your business to others. Down downplaying the magnitude of your operational requirements to be balanced with providing an honest assessment. It’s a delicate balance that can change with little warning depending on sales, opportunity, patents, investors, and more. There are a wide variety of market factors that can directly impact business.
When determining the value of business, there are two key starting points for all business owners to consider. The first is learning why you need a business valuation, and the second is assembling all the required information to create that assessment. How you determine your company valuation may vary depending on the reason. If you are looking at presenting to potential investors, it is essential you are honest but also emphasize future profits based on past sales and growth potential.
When calculating the worth of my business, you may be wondering what kind of information you need to assemble to make that happen. You will need profit and loss statements, market value, total debt, and market potential. There are some ways to conduct a business valuation appraisal. However, the mentioned information should be everything you need regardless of the approach you choose.
Due to the fact business valuations are economic analysis exercises, it makes sense that the company’s financial information provides the essential information needed for the process. The income statement and the balance sheet are the two most important documents you will be dealing with. Collecting three to five years’ worth of these papers is most ideal, but if your company is not that old, as far back as you can do.
There are three basic approaches that most financial institutions recognize as legitimate ways to determine the value of the business; comparison of recent sales of a similar business, based on earning potential and risk assessment, or based on the company?s assets. There is a debate in the business world regarding which approach is the most efficient in accurately determining value. However, all three are legitimate strategies.
For many, they embark on calculating the worth of my business because they are seeking to fund either through traditional lenders or investors. For traditional banks, you will want to show that your company is either profitable or on the short path to profitability. Small business valuation may also be looked at in regards to the overall financial success of the owner; that is proving to a lender that you are financially responsible.
Determining valuations may feel intimidating, but it isn’t. There is even small business valuation software available for those that are ensured of how to proceed. This software will walk you through the process step-by-step and tell you exactly what information you need along the way. You can utilize the software over and over again as your business grows and changes, so will the valuation. Remember that value is never stagnant. If you are unhappy with the cost you came up with; you can quickly make changes to your business, give it time to work, and then run the numbers again to get a better valuation.
