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When business owners think about growth, they usually think about building: attracting more customers, adding services, purchasing equipment, or finding a larger space. Buying an existing business may not immediately come to mind. Yet a complementary acquisition can bring together things that would take considerable time to develop separately. For a massage therapist or bodywork practitioner in Santa Fe, that might mean acquiring an established wellness business with a customer base, specialized equipment, and a venue where...

08 October, 2026

A prospective buyer requests information, signs a confidentiality agreement, and asks thoughtful questions. Perhaps they even meet with the owner, but then they go quiet. For a seller, that can be puzzling. If the buyer was interested enough to meet with them, why didn’t they make an offer? At Sam Goldenberg & Associates, we know that getting to the offer stage is more the exception than the rule. Buyers may review many businesses before pursuing one, and...

08 October, 2026

Carlos recently sat down with a business owner to review an SDE analysis. Seller’s Discretionary Earnings, or SDE, is a measure commonly used to estimate the financial benefit a business provides to one working owner. For many small businesses, it is also one of the starting points for determining what a buyer might reasonably pay. The owner had never seen his financial results presented that way. As the conversation continued, it became apparent that he had...

08 October, 2026

It’s natural for business sellers to focus on the number they’ll walk away with from the closing table. You know what the business has meant to you, what it took to build, and what you need from the sale to move on. Buyers are asking a different question: can this business pay for itself and still provide me with a living? To answer that, they need to understand how much the business earns and whether those...

01 October, 2026

Many business owners wonder whether their industry will determine how easy it is to sell their business. While certain industries may experience periods of higher demand than others, buyers rarely make decisions based on industry alone. More often, they focus on the quality of the business itself. A well-managed company with strong financial performance will generally attract more interest than a struggling business in a “hot” industry. Understanding what buyers value can help owners make improvements...

11 September, 2026

When business owners hear the term goodwill, they often assume it simply means having a good reputation. While reputation certainly plays a role, goodwill has a much broader meaning when it comes to valuing and selling a business. In simple terms, goodwill represents the value of a business that cannot be attributed to its tangible assets alone. Equipment, inventory, furniture, and real estate all have measurable value. Goodwill reflects the additional value a buyer is willing...

04 September, 2026

El propietario de un negocio puede hablar inglés lo suficientemente bien como para atender a sus clientes, dirigir a sus empleados, negociar con proveedores y resolver las exigencias cotidianas de la empresa. Eso no significa necesariamente que el inglés sea el idioma en el que pueda explicar con mayor facilidad cómo se desarrolló el negocio, por qué tomó ciertas decisiones, qué ha cambiado con el tiempo o qué necesita comprender un posible comprador. La venta de un...

04 September, 2026

A business owner may speak English well enough to work with customers, manage employees, negotiate with suppliers, and handle the ordinary demands of the day. That doesn’t necessarily mean English is the language in which the owner can most easily explain how the company developed, why certain decisions were made, what has changed over time, or what a prospective buyer needs to understand. Selling a business requires unusually detailed conversations. Financial performance, owner responsibilities, staffing, customer...

04 September, 2026

A Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) is a marketing document, but it is not a sales pitch. That distinction matters. While the job of a CIM is to present the business favorably, it can accomplish this without overstating its strengths, obscuring its risks, or getting ahead of what the financial records can support. Practically speaking, a CIM should help a buyer and their lender understand how the business functions. It should answer fundamental operational questions, present a...

25 August, 2026

Selling a business is not just about finding someone with the financial resources to make an offer. It’s about finding someone who is prepared to make one of the largest professional and financial decisions of their life. For many buyers, acquiring a business means leaving a stable career, investing a substantial portion of their savings, taking on debt, and assuming responsibility for employees, customers, and the future of the company. Even when the opportunity is attractive,...

21 August, 2026

For many New Mexico business owners, their small business is one of their largest financial assets. Despite that, few have a realistic understanding of what that asset might be worth, and even fewer have a solid grasp on what drives value in a sale. That may seem inconsequential if selling is still years away, but putting a value on your business is more than an exit-planning exercise. It can help you make better decisions today, identify...

14 August, 2026

Starting a business with a friend, colleague, or someone in your family can feel uncomplicated at first. Because a level of trust already exists, business owners often make the mistake of skipping a formal partnership agreement. Unfortunately, even strong relationships can run into headaches when expectations are not clear. You never know when disagreements can arise over issues such as responsibilities or future decisions. Why Have a Partnership Agreement?  A partnership agreement is one of the most...

07 August, 2026

Successful Deals Rely on Questions At the heart of any good deal is a series of questions. Selecting a business that is right for you is about asking the right questions and probing deeper when those answers seem problematic. Brokerage professionals are an essential ally in the negotiation process as they possess the skills necessary to complete complex deals. The Importance of Proper Communication and Understanding Without a degree of mutual understanding, it is quite difficult for parties...

31 July, 2026

Have You Investigated These Key Points? Maintaining a cool head is essential when buying any business. Many businesses may seem like an excellent opportunity at first glance, only to unravel once carefully evaluated. Your excitement about owning a particular business must take a back seat to the cold, brutal facts. In this article, we’ll explore the most important questions that any buyer must look at before agreeing to any deal. The Performance of the Business  You, as a...

24 July, 2026

If you’ve ever applied for a mortgage or loan, you’re likely already quite familiar with the concept of collateral. Collateral is an asset that is pledged to secure a loan. It offers lenders a way to recover losses when borrowers default. When it comes to buying a business, prospective buyers typically assume that they will need substantial personal assets to qualify for financing. While collateral can no doubt strengthen a loan application, it is interesting to...

17 July, 2026