Blog

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Selling Your MSP: By the Numbers

When you sell your MSP with The Host Broker, our processes assure that your business is going to receive enough interest from potential buyers to return fair market value (or greater). In today’s blog, we’ll demonstrate by looking at milestones in the selling process from a numbers perspective. Thousands of Potential Buyers For our new listings, we create a one-paragraph summary of the business which acts as a teaser for interested buyers. It identifies the nature of the business, the geographical scope, some high-level financial metrics, the seller’s reason for exiting, and anything else that is unique about the business. […]

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How to Avoid Selling Your MSP for Only $14,000

In this podcast episode, Joe, Jeff, and Hartland Ross discuss the importance of having an exit strategy and processes in place for MSPs to avoid burnout and increase the value of their business. He also highlights the benefits of acquiring and growing a book of business and advises sellers to understand the limitations of their business and what it is worth. The conversation also touches on the emotional process of selling a business, and how one may want to consider what they plan to do once the business is sold.

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Beyond Valuation: What Sellers Consider in Determining the Best Offer

So much attention is paid to the valuation in M&A for IT services businesses but sometimes the importance of other factors isn’t fully appreciated. Buyers should realize that sellers also judge offers by the deal terms, payment structure, timeliness of the sale, and whether the sale is an asset or share sale. Additionally, having a level of trust between buyer and seller, having a cultural fit between both companies, and addressing the seller’s role post-close are crucial factors for putting forward an attractive offer. The combination of these factors, which we’ll discuss in today’s blog, may influence a lower valuation […]

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First Impressions Do Matter. Hey Buyers we are talking about you!

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are complex transactions that require a great deal of preparation, negotiation, and collaboration between the parties involved. One of the most critical aspects of any M&A deal is making a good first impression. Unfortunately, many buyers overlook the importance of a first impression, assuming that the valuation and payment terms are all that matter to a seller. However often the seller’s perspective is that they want a good home for their clients, their employees, and themselves if they’re staying on post-acquisition. In this blog post, you’ll learn the importance of a good first impression in M&A […]

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Questions to Ask When Selecting an M&A Advisor

As the IT services industry continues to grow, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become a crucial strategy for MSPs, hosting companies, and other IT service providers to expand their capabilities, their team, their customer base and to remain competitive. However, the likelihood of a successful transaction largely depends on selecting the right advisor. M&A advisors help companies find potential acquisition targets and/or buyers, negotiate deals, and manage the transaction process. The wrong advisor can lead to mistakes, missed opportunities, and ultimately, a failed transaction. Selecting an M&A advisor with industry experience, professional skills, and a large business network is essential. […]

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Are You Ready to Sell Your MSP?

Selling your business is both a milestone and a life-changing decision. On the one hand, there’s a clear path to lasting financial security after years of hard work and stress. On the other hand, selling at the wrong time or in a wrong way might not give you the results you want, neither financially nor psychologically, or personally.  Are you ready to sell your IT service business? Here are a few considerations to take into account. Can you attribute profit by service and by client? The first step in preparing your company for sale is applying a few optimizations to […]

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6 Red Flags to Spot in Buyers Interested in your IT Service Business

When it’s time to sell your IT service business, you want to find a deal that’s fair to everyone — great compensation for you, growing future profits for the buyer, and a fitting new environment for your team — without wasting a lot of time.  Some buyers, however, don’t think that way. Whether they are not serious about the deal, want to aggressively negotiate down the price, or try to lock you into an exclusivity clause to keep their options open, you should be able to spot typical buyer red flags and avoid them to find a great new home […]

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What Questions Should an MSP Owner Consider Before Selling the Business

What questions should an MSP owner consider before selling their business? Find out in a webinar presented by The Host Broker and eBridge Marketing Solutions with special guest, Josh Peterson, the CEO of Bering McKinley and BMK Community. The first question to consider is: what valuation does the owner need to achieve their goals? We emphasize the importance of considering this question early on and not waiting until the owner receives an offer or lists the business for sale. We also mention the personal and financial factors that should be taken into account when determining the valuation and the need […]

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Adjusted EBITDA Explained for IT Service Providers

Any business owner who tracks their books knows how valuable EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) can be. EBITDA measures core (or operating) business profitability, before debt, taxes, or asset maintenance come into play. Even though EBITDA is not part of GAAP, it’s almost universally included in income statements because it helps external parties better understand how a business is performing. Knowing EBITDA answers a critical question — is this a fundamentally good business?  If EBITDA is negative, for example, it tells you that the business has serious operating issues. It might be spending too much on marketing to attract […]

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Deal dynamics: less than $5M in revenue for MSPs

Are you doing less than $5M of revenue as an MSP? In this latest episode of The Business of Tech, The Host Broker’s Hartland Ross joins Dave Sobel to talk about deal dynamics for MSP earning less than $5M in revenue per year. If you enjoy this video, you might also want to check our previous interview with Dave Sobel where we discussed trends in managed services. Watch it here! The Host Broker offers a free evaluation for owners of IT services businesses considering exiting. Learn about the acquisition process and find out what your company may be worth on […]

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