Am I for sale?

southernscouser

Don't do it if you have doubts. There are more important things in life than money. Job satisfaction being one of them. Would you want to work for a company that compromises everything you have sweated blood and tears to strive to?

They clearly want what you have. Ask yourself why?

And ask yourself is there anyway you can expand and move into their territory? You sound like you have an edge over this company. Why can't you become bigger than them?

Mike_St_Helens

Toto wrote:

Hi Guys, thanks for all of the opinions, it has helped me just to put my thoughts in text. I do know that the company who want to by us are threatened indeed. It is a funny situation where they are getting massive jobs based on the fact that our guys will be running the job, there is in fact nothing to stop us legally from just taking the client and all the business for ourselves, the only thing that stops us is ethics, you just don't do that within the industry. However, we are a rapidly growing business and it is a safer option for our competition to have us as a part of them, extra business for them and the security of knowing that business is safe. The problem for them is that although ethics do dictate an awful lot, there could be a situation where their clients say, we are absolutely not using you, we are tendering for new a new supplier, the client then approach us, we would of course have to discuss it with the original supplier but there would be little they could do other than say take the job because they had already in fact lost the client.

Lots of you already know what our business is and who we are so I am trying not to give too many of our company details here right now, for obvious reasons.

I do know that they need us far more than we need them and we are in a very strong position. I also have a ton of faith in our business, I know it's strong and will continue to grow and be profitable. The trouble is, as soon as we make money it has to be re-invested to maintain growth, then there is developing other areas of the business which we need to in order to provide a complete service. So, in effect we could be in a position where we aren't getting the lovely lifestyle personally for many years to come.

We could sell, work for the purchasing company for a few years then leave and start up again, but we wouldn't realistically be able to do it in this country, which is ok. We had already discussed starting up in the US or Canada, we wouldn't have the reputation over there which is what 99% of our business here is based on, but we would have start-up capital which we didn't at all when we started here.

I am proud of us though, we did start with nothing and although our personal finances took a hammering over the past couple of years, our business has thrived and it doesn't owe and never have owed a penny. Every item of equipment we have bought we worked for and paid cash for, no interest, no repayments, but my god it has been hard work and I'm not sure we would have the energy to start again.

There is a lot of discussion to take place before we even need to think about making a decision. Right now I am on the fence and I know when or even if the time comes I will know what is right to do. I will make sure we don't enter into discussions alone; we will have a team of legal advisors behind us to aid in any negotiations. I will let you all know how things are going and where we are at.

Thanks again for your opinions, it helps.

xx

Sweetheart... You know my thoughts on being self employed...

Just think of the no stress !! Sell.....

Mikey !

cattie1

I totally agree with ss, I think you have the advantage here and you have worked so hard just to give it up-he may become the boss from hell for all you know.
I know it is your choice but It sounds to me like your business has so much potentail it would be sad to give it all up.
I wish you all the luck in the world though.

In_Search_Of_Me

A bit like the heads & tails thing...when I have a major decision to make I write down a list of pros & cons and regardless of which is longer at the end I usually have my answer. Only you have the answer to this & have to balance up the cost of continuing vs the benefits of selling...good luck with it!

1_step_closer

Hello

I would say go with your gut instinct - that is rarely wrong in my book.

Good luck!

EmmaJay

You say he would employ you, but could he at some point push you out and still be left with your hard earned reputation for himself. I know of someone who put their business on the stock market and ended up being out of a job when the shareholders decided to replace him. Consider everything very carefully and read the small print.