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Most people don’t know where to begin when buying or selling a business. At Murphy Business Sales, we guide clients through the complicated process so that they get to the closing table successfully. Jennifer Smith Broeckling has a bachelor's degree in finance and an MBA from Southeast Missouri State University, along with two graduate degrees in banking from Vanderbilt and LSU. She is also a Board Certified Intermediary (BCI) and a Certified Merger & Acquisition Intermediary (CMAI). Jennifer lives in Cape Girardeau and is married to John Broeckling. They have three kids (Madeline, Ben, and Emma) and one strange little dog. To learn more about business valuations and how Murphy Business Sales helps buyers and sellers with mergers and acquisitions, visit murphybusinessofcape.com. Jennifer can be reached at j.broeckling@murphybusiness.com or at 573.335.1885.
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7 Things You Need to do Now to Make Your Business Sellable
Posted Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 1:31 PMSomeday you will sell or transfer ownership of your business so you can move into the next chapter of your life. Too often, a business owner waits until they are ready to sell their business to start planning their exit. Unfortunately, this can lead to a decrease in value. Here are some best practices to follow long before you’re ready to sell:... -
Save Now, Pay later – A Cautionary Tale on Running Personal Expenses Through Your Business
Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 3:09 PMNobody likes to pay taxes. We get that and we don’t like to pay taxes either, but many business owners have been known to blur the lines of “business” and “personal” expenses to save money on taxes. No one talks about it, or likes to admit it, but it happens a lot. ... -
Know Your Company’s Worth
Posted Friday, January 6, 2023, at 10:49 AMMost people know what a business valuation is (the process of figuring out what your company is worth), but not everyone knows the different reasons valuations are performed. Aside from the obvious need for a valuation when you’re ready to sell the business, valuations are preformed for many different reasons. Having an independent, unbiased valuation is key in making strategic and effective decisions for your business, no matter the reason for the value... -
5 Ways Businesses are Valued Incorrectly
Posted Monday, November 14, 2022, at 4:47 PMMost business owners have no idea what their business is actually worth. The reasons that business owners typically seek out a valuation are: 1) They are working on a financial plan with their financial planner; 2) they are going though a major life event (divorce, illness, etc.); 3) they are contemplating selling their business (or buying another business). ... -
Choosing the Right Advisors for Your Deal
Posted Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at 10:12 AMSelling your business represents more than just a significant financial event in your life. It’s the culmination of substantial time, resources, and years of sacrifice. To get maximum value for your business, you need the right people around you who will have your back and help you exit well... -
Selecting a Broker
Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at 10:04 AMYou’ve decided you are ready to talk with a business broker about buying or selling your business. It wasn’t an easy decision; there is a lot to consider! You’re a little nervous about making the call and starting the process, but you’re even MORE nervous about making sure you select the right business broker for the job. The wrong person could spell disaster and this isn’t a trial-by-error proposition... -
Meet our new Broker!
Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at 10:04 AMMurphy Business has added a new broker to their team. Welcome, Melanie Smollen! We asked Melanie a few questions so you can get to know her better... -
Killing a Deal
Posted Friday, July 15, 2022, at 11:41 AMLast month, someone asked a great question on our Facebook page: “Have you ever had a businessperson pull out of a deal because they thought it wasn’t in the best interest of their clients for the potential buyer to take over?” Our answer was “Yes – and we fully supported that decision and found them another buyer.”... -
When is it Time to Sell?
Posted Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 11:29 AMHow do you know when it’s time to sell your business? To some it might seem like a silly question, but for a business owner (and particularly for a family-owned business), the decision can cause some sleepless nights. Since we work with a lot of sellers, here is a list of some of the tell-tale signs that you might be ready:... -
One Answer to Labor Challenges Today
Posted Friday, May 6, 2022, at 10:55 AMRecently we were talking with a business owner who is in a tight spot. She’s trying to fill a linchpin position within her company and she’s extremely frustrated at the lack of quality candidates she is finding through sites like Indeed.com and industry-specific headhunters. ... -
Recommended Reading
Posted Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at 11:03 AMWe see a lot of businesses. And financial statements. And business models. And methodologies. Some good, some not-so-good. Because of that we’re often asked for recommendations and best practices to increase the value and sellability of a business. So, we thought we would dedicate this month’s newsletter to a few of our top recommendations that you might want to check out... -
Buyer’s Search
Posted Thursday, March 3, 2022, at 11:54 AMA trend that we’re seeing in 2022 is an increased demand for strategic acquisition, initiated from the buy side. There have always been more buyers than sellers in the market, but buyers are now approaching their goals in a more targeted and intentional way. This brings us to an incredibly precise and effective tool: the Buyer’s Search... -
Tax Strategies that Work*
Posted Monday, February 7, 2022, at 10:28 AMIf you’ve been reading our newsletters for a while, you know that a business broker is a tremendous help with sourcing buyers confidentially, negotiating the right structure, assisting with due diligence, securing financing for the buyer, handling escrow, providing neutral closing documents, and helping everybody cross the finish line. But did you also know that we also introduce you to strategic partners that will help you keep more of your sale proceeds?... -
2022 Outlook
Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at 9:24 AMNot as rough as 2020, but 2021 was no picnic for many people and businesses. Supply chain challenges, microchip shortages, cyberattacks, inflation, and labor concerns dominated many conversations in the board room and at the dinner table... -
Managing Risk
Posted Monday, December 13, 2021, at 10:14 AMRisk. It’s a word that means different things to different people. Some people are fairly risk averse and like to minimize it at all costs. For them, a steady paycheck and conservative investments help them sleep at night. For other people, the thought of risk gets their adrenaline pumping and they like to push the limits. ... -
Labor Force Impact on Business Sales
Posted Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 1:49 PMIt’s no secret that businesses are having labor troubles. Everyone is hiring. Hourly wages are going up. Restaurants are reducing hours and days of operation. Supply chains are interrupted. It’s EVERYWHERE... -
Value vs. Sellability
Posted Monday, October 11, 2021, at 1:54 PMOne of our favorite things to talk about is how to increase the value of small and mid-sized businesses. Most business owners know how to impact line items on their financial statements (i.e. revenue, salaries, bank balances, etc.), but we find that driving the actual value of the business can sometimes feel mysterious and overwhelming... -
Steps to Selling
Posted Monday, September 13, 2021, at 9:20 AMHave you ever wondered HOW people sell their business when they’re done running it? You may know intuitively that it’s not like selling a car or a piece of real estate, but most people don’t know where to begin when they’re ready to sell their business. At Murphy Business of Cape, we guide clients through the complicated process so that they get to the closing table successfully... -
One Million Dollars!
Posted Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at 12:15 PMIf we had a dime for every time a business owner who told us they wanted to get a million dollars (or five or ten) for their business…well, we’d have a LOT of dimes!... -
How 2020 is Impacting Business Valuations
Posted Monday, June 14, 2021, at 2:27 PMLet’s talk more about 2020. Wait…stay with me here…I know we’re all sick of talking about the year that shut down the globe, but it’s one of the most often asked questions we receive these days: “How are you handling 2020 when valuing businesses?” So, let’s talk about it!...
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