š§Æ Deadly Sin: Ignoring Customer Concentration Risk If one client makes up 30%+ of revenue, your cash flow has a single point of failure. Yet appraisals often: ā Ignore this riskā Apply normal multiplesā Assume āitāll be fineā š Appraisers and SBA lenders must adjust valueāor structure around itāwhen concentration threatens stability.
How To Value A Business
The Impact of Key Person Loss on Business Valuation in the SBA Loan Context
The sudden death or departure of a key individualāoften the founder or ownerācan devastate a small businessās viability and value. When operations, customer relationships, or specialized knowledge hinge on a single person, the loss can shift a business from a going concern to distress. This white paper examines the financial, operational, and valuation consequences of … Continue reading The Impact of Key Person Loss on Business Valuation in the SBA Loan Context
Why the Harmonic Mean is Best for Analyzing Financial Ratios
When analyzing business valuation multiplesāsuch as price-to-revenue (P/R) or price-to-EBITDAāchoosing the right type of average is essential to avoid misleading conclusions. While many professionals default to the arithmetic mean (a simple average), a more accurate and meaningful metric for ratios is the harmonic mean. This article explains why, using real-world examples and straightforward explanations for … Continue reading Why the Harmonic Mean is Best for Analyzing Financial Ratios
š Resource Drop: Franchise Valuation Checklist
š We created a Franchise Valuation Checklist for SBA lenders and analysts. Includes: ā Common franchise-specific red flagsā Required adjustmentsā Royalty treatmentā Risk factors š© Click here to grab your copy.
š Case Study: The Royalty Black Hole
š A franchise showed $180K in free cash flow. But the financials didnāt include: 8% royalty 3% marketing fee Real FCF? ~$100KBuyer was overpayingālender got nervousādeal barely closed. Donāt let brand strength blind you to contract risk.
š§ Sin Spotlight: The Franchise Valuation Trap
š Not all franchise deals are created equal. Weāve seen appraisals that: Apply generic multiples without royalties Ignore franchisor contract risks Overstate goodwill based on brand alone š SBA-compliant appraisals must adjust for: ā Royaltiesā Franchise feesā Transfer restrictionsā Control limitations The brand has valueābut the buyerās control of that value can be limited. And … Continue reading š§ Sin Spotlight: The Franchise Valuation Trap
š Resource Drop: Job vs Business Checklist
š We built a Job vs. Business Checklist to help SBA lenders separate sustainable enterprises from solo hustles. ā Key operating questionsā Transferability testā Red flags for owner relianceā SBA loan implications š© Click here to grab your copy.
š Case Study: One-Person HVAC Biz
š ļø $175K in ācash flow.ā Looked greatāuntil we realized: No techs No admin Owner did sales, bids, service, collections Market comp to replace the owner: $85K+True FCF: ~$90KValuation fell apart. š If you remove the owner and the business collapsesāitās not a transferable enterprise.
š§ Sin Spotlight: Valuing a Job, Not a Business
š§Æ Deadly Sin: Valuing a Job, Not a Business If the business: š¤ Requires the owner to do everything or the vast majority of workš Has no systems, employees, or scaleā Has no transferable goodwill... ā¦itās not a business. Itās a job with risk. š We see this most in professional services, owner-operated trades, and … Continue reading š§ Sin Spotlight: Valuing a Job, Not a Business
š Resource Drop: Book Value vs FMV Cheat Sheet
š Weāve created a Book Value vs. FMV Cheat Sheet for SBA lenders and analysts. Includes: ā Accounting vs. economic definitionsā When book value is relevantā Red flags in asset-heavy deals š© Click here to grab your copy.
