By Natalie Kessler
Selling a business is a team sport. If you’re thinking about selling your business in 2027, the best time to build your team is this fall, before you need them.
Start with your accountant and your bookkeeper. Whoever buys your business will want to see three years of numbers, and 2026 will be one of them. Buyers and their lenders treat your tax return as proof, so what you say the business makes has to match what the return says. When the two don’t line up, buyers get nervous and deals slow down. Your bookkeeper is the first line of defense here. Are your books up to date every month, or only at tax time? Are personal expenses kept separate? Are payroll and sales tax payments current? Then tell your accountant before year end that you are considering selling. It changes the conversation.
Next, bring in an attorney who knows business sales. Contracts, leases, and the purchase agreement all land on their desk eventually, and it’s much better to have them looking things over early than scrambling at the closing table. If you lease your space, pull out your lease and make sure you have a fully executed copy on hand. Does it have any provisions that would prevent you from selling the business and assigning the lease to the new owner? How many years do you have left on it? A short lease or a tricky assignment clause can sink a deal, so it’s best to know where you stand before a buyer asks. In many cases, it also makes sense to consult with your estate planning attorney, since a sale can change how your assets are held and what your plans need to look like afterward.
A financial planner or wealth advisor is the one people skip, and often wish they hadn’t. Selling is a big life change, and a good advisor helps you think through what comes next, whether that’s retirement, a new venture, or something else entirely. Knowing your goals before you list helps you make better decisions along the way.
Don’t forget the people closest to you. Your spouse and family are part of this decision, and everyone should be on the same page early.
Then there’s your business broker, who ties the whole team together. A good broker is like a quarterback, keeping everyone moving in the same direction. The best place to start is a preliminary market price analysis. It’s a look at your business through a buyer’s eyes, based on your financials and what similar businesses have actually sold for. It gives you a realistic price range, shows you what’s helping and hurting your value, and tells you what to fix before you go to market.
That analysis also gives the rest of your team something to work with. Your accountant can see which numbers need attention. Your attorney knows what issues may come up. Your financial planner can see whether the likely price fits your goals. And you can decide, with real information, whether this is the right time to sell.
If you are considering selling your business next year, the groundwork happens now. A few good conversations this fall can make a big difference when the offers start coming in.
Natalie Kessler is the Broker/Owner of First Choice Business Brokers of NW Florida. She can be reached at 850-588-1025 or natalie.kessler@fcbb.com.
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