Guides for selling your business

Practical guidance on selling, valuing, and preparing your business for sale.

How much is my business worth?

A plain English guide to how businesses are valued in the UK, what EBITDA multiples actually mean, and what drives your number up or down.

Preparing to sell

How to make your business run without you

How to reduce owner dependence before selling your business

Owner dependence is the single biggest reason SMEs sell for less than they should. Here's how to identify it, measure it, and fix it before you go to market.

Preparing to sell

What buyers actually look for

What buyers look for when buying a business

The factors that matter most to acquirers, from earnings quality to team stability. Based on real conversations with buyers across care, education, and services.

Preparing to sell

Getting your business ready to sell

How to prepare your business for sale

A practical guide to getting your business ready, from cleaning up accounts to building a team that can run without you. What to do 12–24 months before going to market.

Preparing to sell

Understanding the tax implications

Tax implications of selling a business in the UK

Business Asset Disposal Relief, CGT rates, share sales vs asset sales, and how deal structure affects your tax bill. What every seller should understand before completing.

Preparing to sell

The value of a business broker

Should I use a broker to sell my business?

An honest look at when a business broker is worth the fee, when it's not, and what to look for if you decide to appoint one.

Preparing to sell

Mistakes that kill deals

Common mistakes that kill business sales

The most common reasons business sales fall through, from unrealistic pricing to poor preparation. Based on real experience of what costs sellers the most.

The sale process

What happens during due diligence

What happens during due diligence when selling a business?

A practical guide to the due diligence process from the seller's side. What buyers will ask for, how long it takes, and how to avoid the most common problems.

The sale process

A practical guide to the sales process

How to sell a business in the UK

A guide to selling your business, from first thoughts through to completion. Based on real experience of what works, what doesn't, and how long it actually takes.

The sale process

Keeping the sale confidential

How to keep a business sale confidential

Why confidentiality matters, what happens when it breaks down, and how to manage the process so staff, clients, and competitors don't find out before you're ready.

Preparing to sell

CQC registration and your sale

How CQC registration works when you sell a care business

CQC registration can't be transferred to a new owner. Here's how the process actually works for share sales and asset sales, what the timelines look like, and how to avoid the problems that delay or derail care business transactions.

The sale process

How you actually get paid

Deal structures when selling a business: how you actually get paid

Not every business sale is a clean cash deal. A guide to earn-outs, deferred payments, seller financing, and the structures you're most likely to encounter.

Preparing to sell

Selling a home care franchise

How being a franchise affects the sale of your home care business?

Franchise royalties, franchisor approval rights, and agreement terms all shape how your care business is valued and sold. What franchise owners need to understand before going to market.

Preparing to sell

Ofsted and your nursery sale

What happens to your Ofsted registration when you sell a nursery?

Ofsted registration doesn't automatically transfer when you sell your nursery. Here's how it works for share sales and asset sales, what the timelines look like, and what to watch out for.

The sale process

Creating an Information Memorandum

What is an information memorandum and how do I create one?

What goes into an information memorandum when selling a business, why it matters, and how to present your business to buyers in a way that's honest, compelling, and complete.

Preparing to sell

Accreditations and your sale

How accreditations transfer when you sell a fire, security or safety business

BAFE, NSI, SSAIB, ISO and CHAS don't all transfer the same way when you sell. Here's how each accreditation works in a share sale vs an asset sale, and why it matters for your price.

Preparing to sell

Selling an education business

How to Sell an Education Business in the UK and Ireland

Education businesses sell differently depending on the type, the location, and how well the fundamentals are managed. Here's what drives value and how to prepare for a successful sale.

Preparing to sell

Selling a Language School

How to Sell an English Language School in the UK

Selling an ELT school involves challenges most brokers never see. Here's what drives value, who's buying, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost language school owners money.