📚 Tutoring centers and test prep firms often report high margins—but be careful. Why? Revenue is seasonal (SAT/ACT, summer slump, back-to-school spikes) Owner is often the lead instructor Group classes subsidize unprofitable 1:1 sessions Addbacks may ignore contractor replacement cost 📌 Rule of thumb: Education businesses without a documented academic calendar or staffing plan don’t … Continue reading 🧠 Valuation Insight: Education Revenue Isn’t Always in Session

📋 Now available: Our Pawn Shop Valuation Checklist—built for SBA lenders underwriting small loan shop deals. Includes: ✅ Retail vs. lending income breakdown✅ Normalizing inventory✅ Addback risk for family payroll, perks, and unverified income✅ SBA red flags: cash-heavy ops, redemption risk, and licensing issues 📩 Click here to grab your copy.

A pawn shop claimed $85K in seller’s discretionary earnings and asked $500K. But: ❌ 70% of inventory was customer pawned (not owned) ❌ $24K in alleged owner perks + travel in addbacks ❌ No breakdown of retail vs. lending income We backed into ~$42K in real cash flow. 💸 Real value closer to $225K. 📌 … Continue reading ⚠️ Red Flag Case Study: The $500K Fiction

💰 Pawn shops can show strong margins—but what’s behind the numbers? Key challenges: Inventory is often customer-owned (not shop-owned) Interest income depends on redemption cycles Retail side often subsidizes unprofitable loans High-risk addbacks: family labor, cash skims, unbooked transactions

🏢 Our Property Management Valuation Checklist is live! Included:✅ Owner/client contact dependency✅ Contract terms, retention, and exclusivity✅ Maintenance and leasing revenue breakdown✅ Payroll, travel, and family compensation addbacks✅ Tech stack & CapEx risk 📩 Click here to grab your copy.

An SBA buyer was looking at a $1.2M deal with $240K projected FCF. But... ❌ 85% of units under verbal or cancel-anytime contracts❌ No formalized software or tenant payment portal❌ Owner handled all relationships❌ Travel reimbursements and family payroll not adjusted 📉 Adjusted FCF: $80K📉 Revised valuation: $540K ✅ Moral: Managing properties isn’t the same … Continue reading ⚠️ Red Flag Case Study: Locked Out of Reality

Valuing property management companies means digging beneath the leases. Key challenges for SBA 7(a) valuations include: Contractual stickiness – Are accounts locked in or month-to-month? Owner dependency – Is the founder the sole point of contact? Overstated margins – Payroll and travel are often underreported Diversified revenue – Maintenance markups, leasing commissions, HOA fees? 📌 … Continue reading 🧠 Valuation Insight: Property Management Companies-Who Owns the Rent?

🧥 Hot off the press: Our Dry Cleaner Valuation Checklist for SBA lenders Includes:✅ Owner/operator labor risk✅ Pressing equipment, boiler, and CapEx review✅ Route delivery risk and client concentration✅ Environmental and utility cost allocation✅ Normalized FCF and SBA-aligned methodology 📩 Click here to grab your copy.

A dry cleaning business was listed for sale at $495K on $130K "cash flow." But... ❌ Owner worked 50+ hrs/week managing customer flow❌ Utilities grossly understated – no allocation for solvent disposal❌ Boiler and shirt unit both past useful life❌ Route revenue overstated without contracts ✅ Normalized FCF: ~$45K✅ Final value estimate: $290K (after labor, … Continue reading ⚠️ Red Flag Case Study: Steamed and Pressed

 Dry cleaners can seem like steady cash businesses—but beneath the starch, there are unique risks that impact valuation: Owner often handles front desk, tagging, customer service Route revenue vs. walk-in revenue isn't broken out CapEx for boiler, presses, and spotting equipment often ignored Addbacks for personal dry cleaning, unreported labor, or below-market rent 💡 A … Continue reading 🧠 Valuation Insight: Dry Cleaners-The Pressing Issues Behind the Curtain