Anyone heard of RTA - Business Sales Specialists?

Lifeisbutadream

They have contacted us with reagrds to meeting up to discuss buying our business.

OH has agreed to meet them, just out of interest really - I dont see how our business could be worth anyone to anyone except us, due to the fact that OH and I run it, and dont particularly have assets - apart from a van and some stick and our good name.

Does anyone have any experience with this company? obviously it would be great if they came along and bought us out for half a million £!

Pennywise

Firms like that are not going to buy your company - they're selling agent's so all they're wanting is to put it on their "books" to try to find a buyer for you. In the process, they'll want some up front fees from you as a contribution towards their advertising and administration. Some unscrupilous business sales agents give you unrealistic expectations by telling you they've got interested buyers lined up and giving you an unrealistic valuation of your business to get you hooked and persuade you to sign them up and pay them the upfront fee. Then, after months of no or little interest, they persuade you to drop your price and no doubt want more fees to continue to advertise your business. I'm not suggested RTA are not legitimate nor that they don't successfully sell businesses - it's just that firms like RTA, Knightsbridge, EMSF etc all have a similar method of doing business. If it were me, unless I was wanting to sell, I wouldn't even waste my time talking to them. If you really are interested in selling, then you need to talk to several business sales firms, not just one, to get a feel of the various valuations given and compare the agent's fees. I've had several business clients' who've used these kind of firms - some successful, some not, but don't forget to trust your instincts - if you don't think your business is sellable because it's a "one man" type of business, then you're probably right, especially in this climate!!!

Lifeisbutadream

Pennywise wrote: »

Firms like that are not going to buy your company - they're selling agent's so all they're wanting is to put it on their "books" to try to find a buyer for you. In the process, they'll want some up front fees from you as a contribution towards their advertising and administration. Some unscrupilous business sales agents give you unrealistic expectations by telling you they've got interested buyers lined up and giving you an unrealistic valuation of your business to get you hooked and persuade you to sign them up and pay them the upfront fee. Then, after months of no or little interest, they persuade you to drop your price and no doubt want more fees to continue to advertise your business. I'm not suggested RTA are not legitimate nor that they don't successfully sell businesses - it's just that firms like RTA, Knightsbridge, EMSF etc all have a similar method of doing business. If it were me, unless I was wanting to sell, I wouldn't even waste my time talking to them. If you really are interested in selling, then you need to talk to several business sales firms, not just one, to get a feel of the various valuations given and compare the agent's fees. I've had several business clients' who've used these kind of firms - some successful, some not, but don't forget to trust your instincts - if you don't think your business is sellable because it's a "one man" type of business, then you're probably right, especially in this climate!!!

Thanks - I am certainly under no illusion that we could sell - OH got really excited though! :rotfl:

ManAtHome

There is an RTA who (try to) flog pubs - if it's them, they are legit (have acted as agents for several pubco's for years), but as Pennywise said, they are just business/box-shifters.

Link to the RTA pubs site http://www.rtabusinessesforsale.com/pubs-for-sale/pubs-for-sale.htm

fguk

I have no idea of their legitimacy either, however I am not a big fan of their sales tactics.

I got so many regular calls (at least weekly) from them, I now have them in my phone as RTA - Do Not Answer.

That in itself doesnt mean anything bad, its just annoying (and lets face it, if that was the rule, hundreds of companies would be in my bad books:o).