Timing is NOT Everything

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You have often heard the phrase “timing is everything” to emphasize the difference even a day can make in how life plays out.

“You should have been here yesterday. The fish were really biting”.

“Our vacation was ruined by the rain. Just the week before they said the weather had been absolutely perfect.”

“If I had known that the price of beans was going to plummet, I would have sold all my positions two weeks ago.”

Unfortunately, even the most astute among us doesn’t have perfect or complete knowledge. We can all cite instances in which timing has enhanced our lives or nearly ruined things.

What does this have to do with selling a business? Or buying one?

Many, if not most, business owners have spent years, perhaps their whole working lives, building a business. In the back of their mind, they knew that someday a decision would have to be made on what to do with that business. A fortunate few have groomed either a son or daughter or a key employee to one day take the reins. Congratulations to them, although they still face many difficult decisions regarding a successful transition.

But for most owners, the day draws ever more near when it is time to sell.

So how do you know when that exact right time may be?

Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” answer. But here are some things you do want to consider related to this key question:

· Health. Are you still fit to do the job of running a company? Not just get by, but to have the energy it takes to continue building the company. A company that is not growing is probably falling back and losing value daily.
· Attitude. Are you still excited to get to work every day? Is what you are doing interesting? Is it challenging (assuming you still enjoy a challenge)?
· Industry pressures or opportunity. Is your business sector still bright with possibility? Hopefully you aren’t selling buggy whips or operating a video rental store.
· Have your sales and profits grown over the past few years? (three years is most crucial). Or are you in a stagnant or declining pattern?
· Key employees. Are you well set with solid staff or are key people either in declining health or near retirement?
· Plans for the future. Is there something fulfilling and affordable that you would like to do next?

These are just a few of the considerations you should be putting into your equation as you decide a good time to sell.

And keep in mind that most successful sales are the product of planning and execution of some techniques and strategies that you may have been putting off for a while.

Plus, the fact that a business doesn’t sell overnight. It simply takes time to prepare a business for sale and to go through the process of identifying the best buyer.

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can get started on today. A good first step is to have an evaluation performed on your business so you know where you stand right now. Then you can follow up with specific steps to both enhance the value of your company and choose a time that works the best for you.

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Selling a business when real estate is involved

January 22, 2026

Around one-third of the businesses that we list for sale also involve the sale of the underlying real estate. As licensed real estate brokers and agents we can handle all of the details of that transaction too-from showing the property, guiding the process through a title company, ensuring that the buyers perform adequate due diligence, obtaining proper environmental reports and clearances, getting suitable financing for the transaction and more. In short, when you list your business with First National Business Corporation, there will be no worries about any aspect of completing the transaction to the satisfaction of all parties. Always a concern when real estate is involved: what is the right price for the real estate? You can be sure that when bank financing will be involved there will be an appraisal required by the lender. An appraisal that is a year or two old won’t pass muster. Different lenders may vary on the degree of complexity required: obviously a two-million-dollar property will necessitate a more thorough examination than a one-hundred-thousand-dollar parcel. Here is what we will make sure doesn’t happen: we won’t take the listing at some exorbitant price just for the sake of adding a listing to our books. That doesn’t do FNBC any good as the broker. It doesn’t do the business and property owner any good either. A listing priced too high will run off the serious, qualified buyers. The only lookers we will get for those kinds of listings will either be unqualified or eventually come to the realization that it is a bad business deal in the making. Remember: we do want to list both your business and any underlying real estate for the maximum amount that can be substantiated. Not only does that provide you with greatest yield when the deal closes, but we are on commission on every deal. That is a win-win for both the client and the broker. But we need to remain realistic and keep the listing price very near the true value of the deal. We not only have to convince a buyer that the deal is worth the money-we have to convince a lender to provide the capital. We have many resources at our disposal to help determine the value of underlying real estate. You may decide to hold on to the real estate and only sell the business. We are prepared to help you compare all the options; then you select the one that makes sense for your situation.

This week's Featured Broker

December 16, 2025

Mike was a small businesses owner in central Kansas for over 25 years. He sold the companies before moving to Kansas City in 2003. He has been a business broker for 10 years and worked as an SBA loan officer. Mike understands the importance of running your business with an end game in mind. As a former SBA loan officer, he has the expertise to help you understand and prepare for the questions lenders will ask before funding a business acquisition. Having a broker and experienced lender on your side is crucial to successfully navigate the buying, selling and funding processes. Mike has two children and four grandchildren. Mike enjoys traveling, music, movies, golf, watching the Chiefs and spending time with his family.