27/11/2025

Selling a business can be complex but there are steps you can take to maximise the value of your business and minimise the stress of selling.

Beswicks’ Corporate Senior Associate Rebekah Jones provided some key tips and advice in a recent webinar in Stoke-on-Trent, telling an audience of 90 business owners that one of the most important things to get right when selling a business was the choice of professional advisers.

Rebekah explained: “I can’t emphasise enough the importance of having an expert team around you. You need an experienced team advising you on the legal, financial, tax and operational aspects of your sale.

“This can significantly reduce the stress of the process, allowing you to continue focusing on running your business to maintain its success and protect value.

“The best advice I can give to business owners is to choose advisers who are experienced, have the right knowledge and expertise, and who you get on well with. You need the approach of your advisers to align with your approach and for them to work as a team, being in constant communication with each other. The earlier that you engage with trusted advisors, the greater value they can add.”

Rebekah shared two other tips at the webinar to help the business sale process go smoothly:

Get Sale-Ready

It’s never too soon to start preparing your business for sale by ‘getting your house in order’. If you’ve got up-to-date policies, terms and conditions, financial records, contracts and documentation in place, your buyer will have confidence in the purchase and the due diligence process is far less likely to unearth major problems. Buyers will use an ill-prepared state of affairs as a reason to drive down value.

Ensure All Documentation Is Thorough

Being thorough in the way the due diligence and disclosure exercises are approached and undertaken as a part of a sale process is essential as it can put you in a stronger negotiating position, minimise delays and can act as a shield of protection following completion of the sale in relation to liability under the legal documentation. Be pro-active, not reactive. What would you want to know if you were buying your business?

10 Key Areas Of Focus To Prepare For Selling A Business

  • Succession

Can your business operate without you? If not, what steps can you take or implement to achieve this and to incentivise key staff members to grow the business, drive value and support a sale process.

  • Operational and Commercial Information

This helps the buyer understand how the business runs. For example, business plan and growth projections, IT systems overview, customer database, business continuity processes, market research, supplier lists, product and/or service descriptions and analysis and sustainability strategies/practices. Are there any major risk areas within your business generally? How are these mitigated?

  • Corporate and Legal Compliance Documents

These prove ownership, structure, compliance and generally demonstrate good operational practice.

  • Financial Documents

Used to verify the business’s profitability, stability, and valuation. For example, the last three to five years of financial statements (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow), management accounts (year-to-date figures), forecasts, debtor analysis, tax and VAT records.

  • Contracts and Agreements

Shows ongoing commitments and sources of revenue. For example, major customer and supplier contracts, leases for property, vehicles or equipment, loan and financing agreements. Would any contracts or agreements be affected by a change of control of your business?

  • Employee and HR Records

Essential if the business employs staff. For example, employee contracts and job descriptions, payroll records and pension details, staff handbook and HR policies, and details of any ongoing disputes or tribunal claims.

  • Property and Assets

Confirms what’s being acquired and under what terms. For example, freehold or leasehold property, rent or service charge agreements, equipment ownership papers or lease/hire agreements, and inventory lists of stock and materials.

  • Insurance

Are you adequately insured in respect of both risk and amounts covered?

  • Disputes

Are there any ongoing or anticipated disputes, investigations or enquiries?

  • Intellectual Property (IP) and Branding

Ensures the buyer knows what rights they’re acquiring. This could include trademarks, patents, website domains and copyright ownership documentation.

 

If you are selling a business or preparing your business for sale, get in touch with our corporate law experts by emailing enquiry@beswicks.com or phoning our Stoke-on-Trent solicitors on 01782 205000 or our Altrincham solicitors on 0161 929 8494.