David Barnett

Why start from scratch? Buying an existing business can offer you a head start in the world of business ownership.

Participants will learn:

• The advantages of buying an existing business over starting a new business
• The difference between a buyer-lead acquisition process vs. a seller initiated process
• How to approach a potential opportunity using intermediaries
• The key information for analysis, due-diligence and determining a fair value
• How to finance the purchase
• Which experts to involve and when you will need them, such as accountants, lawyers, brokers, bankers, etc.

Most entrepreneurs plan how to start a business — but few plan how to exit. Whether you're retiring soon or thinking 5–10 years ahead, this session will help you explore your options and build a smart succession plan.

In this workshop, you’ll explore:

• Retirement timelines and when to start planning
• How to calculate the value of your business
• Selling to internal vs. external buyers
• Key differences between transitioning and liquidating
• How to align your succession plan with your personal goals

Includes real-life examples and practical tools to help you prepare — no matter your timeline.

Learn how you can make your business attractive to buyers, increase profits and reduce the time and effort you put into managing your small or medium sized business, thanks to Barnett’s 12+1 step program for systematizing a small business that is already operating day-to-day.

Participants will learn to:

• Understand what buyers are looking for in a business
• Know how businesses are valued
• Recognize common deal-breakers for buyers
• Make a business more attractive to potential buyers
• Implement business management systems efficiently, with minimal disruption

Business ownership structures can be combined like puzzle pieces to ensure you have the right legal, financial, and personal protections in place. But have you set up your business in the most strategic way? Are you maximizing tax efficiencies or preparing to access capital? When is the right time to incorporate? And what about co-operatives—should you consider that model?

This workshop will help you understand the legal structures available in New Brunswick and how to choose the one best suited to your goals.

Participants will learn to:

• Compare the pros and cons of sole proprietorships, partnerships, incorporations, and co-ops
• Understand how legal structure impacts taxation, liability, and financing
• Identify when and why to make a change to your business structure
• Make more informed decisions as your business grows

This workshop is an introduction to understanding financial statements.

You will learn what information is included in financial statements and how they are created. Alongside your fellow participants, you’ll follow a simple business story and see how each action affects what is presented in the balance sheet and income statement.

How do customers make their final buying decision? They move through several key touchpoints with potential sellers. Those sellers who understand their ideal customer’s journey and communicate a better solution to the customer’s problems/needs are more likely to close the sale.

Learn how to create a sales strategy that complements your marketing strategy:

• Identify your ideal customer and determine how to engage them in a sales conversation.
• Understand the key journey every customer goes through in the Sales Cycle and how to make sure this pathway is inviting and fruitful for you and the customer.
• Plan your sales pipeline and determine how long it will take for money to start flowing.
• Understand the tools you'll need to build to effectively execute your sales conversations.
• Understand how and what to expect from a salesforce.