The Rea Report Winter 2015 | Page 5

Value of Your Business So, what exactly is a business valuation? In plain English, a business valuation is a process in which you find the true value of your company. The major assumptions in any valuation are what the future cash flow is and what the risks are related to that cash flow. There are a number of key value drivers that help shed light on the overall business value. Key Drivers In A Business Valuation A business valuation enables you to identify the key drivers that will increase the value of your company. You can determine how measurable changes in these value drivers will affect the overall value. The following are the three major areas where you can focus on in order to increase business value: • Increase your sustainable cash flow. Investors buy future cash flow, so increasing the future cash flow of your business will increase its value. Investors love to buy cash flow that is sustainable and can grow in the future. • Lower the risk associated with your business. A major factor in determining the price paid for a business is the required rate of return required by the buyer. The more risky the investment, the higher rate of return needed to entice a buyer. There is an inverse relationship between value and the required rate of return. It is important that you understand your risk areas and take steps to reduce them. • Increase the annual growth rate. The expected growth rate of the future cash flow levels will impact the value of a business. The higher the growth rate, the higher the value of the business. You can increase the value of your business by focusing on profitable and sustainable growth. also benefit from more cash in your pocket, improved employee attitudes and increased customer satisfaction. The Bottom Line So your ultimate goal is to maximize your business’s value, right? How can you do this? You need to increase future cash, decrease business risk and increase growth opportunities. For example, every dollar you create through a business valuation process can increase your overall value four to five times. If you can increase your bottom line by $100,000, your value can increase by up to $500,000. This provides more income for you now and a bigger payoff down the road. Sounds nice, right? So what are you waiting for? Get to know your business’s value today by scheduling a business valuation. Positive changes to these drivers will affect your overall value. You could 5