Frequently asked questions
What do you need help with?
Selling a business
Everything you need to know about selling an educational business.
How much is my business worth?
A business’ value will depend on factors which can’t be put into a calculator such as the location, the number of students you have, the quality of the brand, the extent of repeat business, the future prospects and so on.
Critically, your business is worth what someone will pay for it. Please contact us, and after you have provided us with some initial documents, we will give you a confidential estimate of what we might be able to sell your business for; and by when.
Critically, your business is worth what someone will pay for it. Please contact us, and after you have provided us with some initial documents, we will give you a confidential estimate of what we might be able to sell your business for; and by when.
Why should I use a broker, and not try and sell my business on my own?
1. We will keep your name and location totally confidential.
2. We only release it to genuine enquiries under confidentiality obligations. You do not want your customers and competitors knowing that you are thinking of selling.
3. We will present your business in the most professional and attractive way to buyers.
We have an extensive and up-to-date database of buyers wanting to buy educational businesses.
4. Selling a business is very time-consuming and will distract you from running your business successfully.
5. In simple terms, we will get you a lot more money for your business than you could on your own.
2. We only release it to genuine enquiries under confidentiality obligations. You do not want your customers and competitors knowing that you are thinking of selling.
3. We will present your business in the most professional and attractive way to buyers.
We have an extensive and up-to-date database of buyers wanting to buy educational businesses.
4. Selling a business is very time-consuming and will distract you from running your business successfully.
5. In simple terms, we will get you a lot more money for your business than you could on your own.
How much do you charge?
We work on a success fee. We only get paid when we sell you.
• We are transparent with our Success Fees. The success fee is 6% of the total of what we sell your business for.
• If we cannot sell your business, we do not charge for our time and effort.
• If we need to write and design a prospectus for your sale, an Information Memorandum, you will pay for the costs of production and design.
• We are transparent with our Success Fees. The success fee is 6% of the total of what we sell your business for.
• If we cannot sell your business, we do not charge for our time and effort.
• If we need to write and design a prospectus for your sale, an Information Memorandum, you will pay for the costs of production and design.
How long will it take to sell my business?
We have sold one business within 24 hours of being instructed; others have taken up to 12 months. However long it takes, we are on hand at every stage to speed the process up, minimise the stress and find the best buyers for your business. Speed of sale depends on:
• How ready your business is for sale
• How attractive your business is to buyers
• How quickly you provide information we ask for
• How realistic your price expectations are
• The overall economy and investor confidence
• The speed of both sides’ lawyers and accountants
• How ready your business is for sale
• How attractive your business is to buyers
• How quickly you provide information we ask for
• How realistic your price expectations are
• The overall economy and investor confidence
• The speed of both sides’ lawyers and accountants
Where do you find the buyers for my business?
We have an extensive international database of Buyers looking to buy educational businesses in the UK and Ireland.
We talk to our buyers regularly. Our buyers come from a host of backgrounds meaning that we have a broad coverage of the buyer market, such as substantial private equity backed firms, trade buyers, wealthy individuals and international investors.
We talk to our buyers regularly. Our buyers come from a host of backgrounds meaning that we have a broad coverage of the buyer market, such as substantial private equity backed firms, trade buyers, wealthy individuals and international investors.
What are the main steps to sell?
We have established a 9-step process to sell educational businesses. It’s detailed, extensive and, most importantly, it works.
Buying a business
Everything you need to know about buying an educational business.
How do you act for the buyer?
Every buyer is different. The crucial thing to help you get the right business is that we fully understand your brief. We have a short questionnaire that we talk through step by step at our first meeting. We will then summarise this in a briefing document to make sure that we have fully captured your brief.
Things that are essential for us to know include:
• Sub-sector of education you are interested in
• Location requirements
• Turnover and profitability requirements
• Staff requirements
• Any red flags that would rule out a business
We then consult our existing databases and, if needed, go out to market and make confidential enquiries on the buyer’s behalf. We negotiate a daily rate for finding a business for the buyer to buy.
Things that are essential for us to know include:
• Sub-sector of education you are interested in
• Location requirements
• Turnover and profitability requirements
• Staff requirements
• Any red flags that would rule out a business
We then consult our existing databases and, if needed, go out to market and make confidential enquiries on the buyer’s behalf. We negotiate a daily rate for finding a business for the buyer to buy.
Why buy an educational business in the UK/Ireland?
• The UK and Ireland have lots of excellent educational businesses, doing a superb job.
• The UK and Ireland have established business cultures.
• If you are an international investor, sterling is relatively weak.
• Like healthcare, education is more resilient to the ups and downs of the economy. People always want to invest in their education.
• The UK and Ireland have established business cultures.
• If you are an international investor, sterling is relatively weak.
• Like healthcare, education is more resilient to the ups and downs of the economy. People always want to invest in their education.
