Rick Smith, Author at Forbes Burton https://www.forbesburton.com UK Business Advisers & Consultants Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:49:04 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 https://www.forbesburton.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-forbes-icon-32x32.png Rick Smith, Author at Forbes Burton https://www.forbesburton.com 32 32 Business Exit Strategies https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/business-exit-strategies-choosing-the-right-one https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/business-exit-strategies-choosing-the-right-one#respond Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:59:53 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=17840 No matter how well your company is doing, it’s always worth having some business exit strategies in place. Whether it be a long-term strategy that ensures you can eventually extract the most value possible from your company, or a contingency plan in case things don’t go to script, a business exit strategy should be something […]

The post Business Exit Strategies appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/business-exit-strategies-choosing-the-right-one/feed 0 How to Choose the Right Business Sale Agents https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-to-choose-the-right-business-sale-agents https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-to-choose-the-right-business-sale-agents#respond Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:29:23 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20671 In short: Be wary of ‘no sale, no fee’ business sale agents. Although you won’t lose any money, you’re unlikely to receive anything beyond a directory listing. Choose an agency or broker that deals with businesses in your price range. Don’t be swayed by high valuations designed to simply secure the instruction of your sale. […]

The post How to Choose the Right Business Sale Agents appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-to-choose-the-right-business-sale-agents/feed 0 Employee Ownership Trust Pros and Cons https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/employee-ownership-trust-pros-and-cons https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/employee-ownership-trust-pros-and-cons#respond Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:12:26 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20595 In short: Employee Ownership Trusts can provide certain tax advantages when selling a business. Sellers can be liable for the capital gains tax they save on for four years after the sale. While selling to an EOT guarantees a fair price for a business, it’s often not the best price that could’ve been achieved.   […]

The post Employee Ownership Trust Pros and Cons appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/employee-ownership-trust-pros-and-cons/feed 0 Why You Should Still Buy a Small Business in the UK https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/why-you-should-still-buy-a-small-business-in-the-uk https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/why-you-should-still-buy-a-small-business-in-the-uk#respond Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:56:49 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20557 In short: Economic headwinds have made business owners more receptive to offers You don’t necessarily need large amounts of capital to buy a business Around 75-85% of SME acquisitions use vendor financing   Looking to buy a small business? Really? Are you mad? Multiple economic headwinds have put paid to thousands of small UK businesses […]

The post Why You Should Still Buy a Small Business in the UK appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/why-you-should-still-buy-a-small-business-in-the-uk/feed 0 The 21 Types of Mergers and Acquisitions https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/the-21-types-of-mergers-and-acquistions https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/the-21-types-of-mergers-and-acquistions#respond Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:47:21 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20527 In short: There are multiple M&A methods available depending on your situation and aims M&A provides an effective means of growing market share Other reasons to merge include the securing of skilled staff and making the company public   At its core, the idea behind mergers and acquisitions is simple. Businesses either purchase another company […]

The post The 21 Types of Mergers and Acquisitions appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/the-21-types-of-mergers-and-acquistions/feed 0 Buying a Leasehold Business: Is it a Good Idea? https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/buying-a-leasehold-business-is-it-a-good-idea https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/buying-a-leasehold-business-is-it-a-good-idea#respond Thu, 29 May 2025 13:29:52 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20502 In short: A leasehold business is any company that doesn’t own its own premises. Buying a leasehold business is usually cheaper than acquiring one with its own property. Landlords simply transfer the lease over to the new owner.   When buying a leasehold business, investors often contact us with concerns and questions about the process. […]

The post Buying a Leasehold Business: Is it a Good Idea? appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/buying-a-leasehold-business-is-it-a-good-idea/feed 0 How to Find Businesses for Sale in the UK: 10 Useful Methods https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-to-find-businesses-for-sale-in-the-uk-10-useful-methods https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-to-find-businesses-for-sale-in-the-uk-10-useful-methods#respond Wed, 23 Apr 2025 08:43:17 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20425 Whether it’s your first foray into business ownership, or a strategic means of growing your existing company, a well-planned acquisition can be a smart investment. With choosing the right company so crucial though, finding out how to find businesses for sale in the first place is essential to ensure you have the most options available […]

The post How to Find Businesses for Sale in the UK: 10 Useful Methods appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-to-find-businesses-for-sale-in-the-uk-10-useful-methods/feed 0 How Much Does it Cost to Sell a Business? A UK Guide  https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-much-does-it-cost-to-sell-a-business-a-uk-guide https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-much-does-it-cost-to-sell-a-business-a-uk-guide#respond Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:35:52 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20289 If you’ve ever asked “how much does it cost to sell a business?”, you’ll have probably struggled to pin down a particular number.  That’s because there are multiple variables at play when selling a business. The size and type of company you run has an understandably big impact on costs, but so too does the […]

The post How Much Does it Cost to Sell a Business? A UK Guide  appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/how-much-does-it-cost-to-sell-a-business-a-uk-guide/feed 0 Typical M&A Fees – What Business Owners Can Expect to Pay https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/typical-m-and-a-fees https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/typical-m-and-a-fees#respond Tue, 28 Jan 2025 15:06:37 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20245 Trying to find specific M&A costs can be difficult, but that’s because there are a number of variables that can alter prices significantly. That being said, we’ve compiled a list of the typical M&A fees that UK business can expect to encounter during any deal. By familiarising yourself with these, you can at least gauge […]

The post Typical M&A Fees – What Business Owners Can Expect to Pay appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/typical-m-and-a-fees/feed 0 What is Seller Financing for a Business Acquisition? https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/what-is-seller-financing-for-a-business https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/what-is-seller-financing-for-a-business#respond Thu, 16 Jan 2025 15:47:31 +0000 https://www.forbesburton.com/?p=20233 With a large amount of business deals involving seller financing in one way or another, it should come as no surprise that it offers a number of benefits for buyers and sellers alike. But what exactly is seller financing for a business, and does it make sense for your particular situation?   What is seller […]

The post What is Seller Financing for a Business Acquisition? appeared first on Forbes Burton.

]]> https://www.forbesburton.com/insights/what-is-seller-financing-for-a-business/feed 0