Strategy Development
Colmen Menard's professionals work closely with you to help determine and evaluate your objectives and expectations. What do you perceive as the value of your Company and how did you reach this valuation? How would you evaluate an offer with less cash up front but a higher potential total value? Are you interested in maintaining an equity/management position? How important is continued employment for your staff?

The answers to these and other questions enable Colmen Menard to position the Company and present it to the right type of potential buyers. As an example, many Private Equity Groups will only purchase firms with strong operating management. If your objective is to retire and get away from the business arena, why present your Company to this type of buyer? Instead, we will focus on potential acquirers who have their own management team with experience in your industry or an associated one.

Business Valuation
While the market is the ultimate determinant of your Company's value, Colmen Menard will conduct an in-depth analysis of your business' financial status and growth potential, the state of the industry and your Company's position in its served market and the attractiveness of your Company to potential buyers. By assessing these strategic value drivers, Colmen Menard can provide realistic advice as to whether your goals can be met.

Preparation of Marketing Documents
Colmen Menard has a very high level of appreciation for the necessity of maintaining confidentiality throughout the search for a strategic partner. Our firm's approach is designed to maximize confidentiality throughout the transaction process. Your Company's identity will never be disclosed until:

1. Colmen Menard has screened the candidate's interest level, market fit and financial resources, and qualified them as a potential buyer
2. The candidate has signed a non-disclosure agreement that you and your professional advisors have approved
3. You specifically approve the release of information to this candidate.

A far more detailed document, the Descriptive Memorandum, is created to provide information to approved potential buyers. The Descriptive Memorandum provides a history of your Company, a description of its products/services, the served market size, competitors, organization and personnel, operational information and financial statements and projections. The level of detail is controlled to avoid disclosure of proprietary information that the Company does not wish to disclose at this point in the process.

Buyer Selection and Qualification
One of the major factors affecting the value of a given divestiture or sale is maximizing the number of synergistic and qualified potential buyers. Obviously, the larger the number of candidates interested in your Company, the higher the odds that these candidates will offer competing bids, thus maximizing the transaction value.

Due to its extensive experience, Colmen Menard has established a large proprietary database of Private Equity Groups, other professional intermediaries, responsible M&A executives at both domestic and international Fortune 1000 firms, and, in many cases, personal contacts with potential acquirers in your market.

In addition to our own database, Colmen Menard makes extensive use of other purchased databases, information sources available through the Internet and other public and private sources.

Potential buyers are then contacted by direct mail, telephone and/or the Internet and provided with a copy of the Confidential Profile. If the candidate is interested in proceeding, Colmen Menard will evaluate their credentials and, after obtaining a signed Confidentiality Agreement and our client's agreement, provide them with a copy of the Descriptive Memorandum.

If the candidate wishes to proceed, Colmen Menard will conduct a more detailed analysis of their financial information, strategic and tactical fit, corporate culture and operating procedures to assess the probability of a successful transaction. If a candidate passes this screening, Colmen Menard will coordinate meetings with you and your professional advisors and visits to your Company and/or other sites.

During this process, Colmen Menard will conduct informational meetings to educate the qualified buyer and strengthen your Company's position before the business owner participates. As the process proceeds, Colmen Menard's skilled professionals will conduct further presentations using our operating and financial expertise to resolve buyer concerns and issues and work towards our ultimate objective - MAXIMIZING YOUR COMPANY'S VALUE.

Assistance with negotiations and coordination of the closing process
Colmen Menard will assist you with negotiations and work with your professional advisors to help define a transaction structure that takes into account tax, financial, and technical aspects of the sale. This will include coordinating due diligence, legal documentation, environmental audits, and any other required tasks.

Our objective is to reach mutually acceptable solutions to issues that might impact the finalization of a transaction and to accelerate a successful conclusion to this transaction.

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Purchasing a Business