Where to buy a business?

Kimberley82

Does anyone know of good website of business for sale? So many just seem a bit off.

luminated

Kimberley82 wrote: »

Does anyone know of good website of business for sale? So many just seem a bit off.

http://www.businessesforsale.com/

http://www.daltonsbusiness.com/

Which area and I may be able to suggest more.

Kimberley82

Westmidlands, Warwickshire

luminated

Kimberley82 wrote: »

Westmidlands, Warwickshire

The two sites I gave links for are as far as I know the two biggest. Businessforsale is better IMO.

I am in the South West and know the key agents in some areas but alas not the areas you specify. Others may come along and help.

paddyrg

I am sure you have thought of this aready, but you don't state what *kind* of business you want (retail, service, B&B, etc) so that suggests you don't have much experience in one particular sector to appraise the businesses for viability. Will you need training and some months experience to turn a profit flipping burgers or cleaning bedrooms? If you think about what you want and have a flair for before looking at acquisitions, you will have a keener eye and ask smarter questions of the vendors!

paulwf

What sort of business OP? We can give much better advice if we have a little more info.

Kimberley82

Sorry I should have said, hair and or beauty

paulwf

Not my area of expertise so feel free to take what I say with a pinch of salt

Most hair saloons seem to be about the stylists who each have their own client list. Of course building a brand and having an inviting space is vital but you could buy a thriving business only for a couple of top stylists to leave and half your customers follow them elsewhere. Therefore be wary of paying a lot for goodwill.

It can work both ways though. If you have your own client list and can headhunt some good stylists you could easily start in a new unit and have a reasonable trade straight away.

To be clear in a majority of cases I am in favour of starting from scratch rather than buying existing, it will save you a fortune in goodwill and you'll get a rent reduction, plus you haven't got old stock, old fittings and staff that you may or may not get on with. I think this is doubly the case with something that depends more on the team than the brand and location.

jexygirl

As Paul says, in that line I would start from scratch.
Its the stylists / practitioners that pull the clients - my hairdresser and beautician both went mobile when the shop they worked in was bought, I still use both, as do most of their regulars - and the shop is a coffee shop now...
You should be able to find empty premisies on BFS link posted by lum or go walk about yourself, in the area you want, watch the footfall, think about your location and go see whats about. It will be cheaper to refit somewhere to your spec and start from scratch, than to buy someone elses goodwill (that will likely be pratitioner led not buisness name) and fixtures and fittings that "would do" but wouldn't be your choice. AFAIK some years back, a friend down south got her new place kitted with the help of some sponsorship from a leading hair product brand, provided she exclusively stocked their products, so scout around!
Jex

red_devil

http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/Profitable-Italian-Property-Portal-For-Sale.aspx

I have always wondered about internet business sales. For example the above one what does anyone think? Will you make any money? Why is it for sale?

paddyrg

red_devil wrote: »

http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/Profitable-Italian-Property-Portal-For-Sale.aspx

I have always wondered about internet business sales. For example the above one what does anyone think? Will you make any money? Why is it for sale?

Turnover:0 - £200k Net profit:0 - £100k

I will bet it's a lot closer to £0 than £100k