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How Business Owners Can Leverage AI

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Artificial Intelligence has certainly received more than a bit of attention in the last two years. It’s no wonder that many business owners wonder how best to use this tool to gain an edge over the competition.

Currently, the cost of ChatGPT-4 is only $20 per month, which is a very nominal cost considering its capabilities. For that cost, users gain access to a powerful large language model or LLM. ChatGPT-4 allows users to put in a prompt and quickly receive an answer. Since ChatGPT-4 is a neural network, it is possible for you to customize how data is generated. 

An AI Virtual Assistant?

Almost anyone can appreciate the benefits a virtual assistant can bring. With ChatGPT-4, it is possible to use the technology as a digital VA that can simulate the work you might otherwise need to hire people to do. AI tools have become better and better at providing pinpointed information. More and more, business owners are viewing artificial intelligence as a tool that can serve the function of a virtual assistant or in some cases even a trusted business advisor. 

One example of how you could leverage ChatGPT-4 is to help you with your website’s SEO. Instead of hiring an expert, AI can assist you by generating lists of valuable keywords and SEO instructions. 

Other ways business people have used ChatGPT include everything from customer services and support to employee training. Its functionality is incredibly versatile and can serve many niches. 

Creating GPTs

GPT stands for “Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.†This term basically refers to a language model and framework used for artificial intelligence. This type of AI uses neural networks for tasks that involve language. 

Through GPTs, people now have the ability to create assistants or bots. To date, over 20,000 GPTs have been created. These are highly specific programs that have the ability to use internal data in ways that users deem fit. The more refined the prompt you put in, the more precise the information that you will receive. 

Another tool that could be helpful to business owners is Voice Chat GPT, which can transcribe what you are saying in real time. There is also Visual Chat GPT, which can verify visual information, for example, identifying the type of bird in a photograph.

Creating Personas 

In order to get the most out of ChatGPT-4, you can prime it and tell it what you want and need. Through ChatGPT-4, it is possible to create “personas†to bounce ideas around and get different information and feedback. For example, it is possible to create CEO and marketing manager personas, to name just two. The information you receive will differ depending on the persona you turn on. Different information and responses will then be generated via these different personas. This tool allows you to ask and receive responses on a wide variety of business-related questions. 

Protecting Information 

One word of caution in using these tools is to be careful regarding importing confidential information into ChatGPT or other AI tools. While efforts may be made to keep information confidential, it is still possible that other companies will use this information for training purposes. Any sensitive information about your business, employees or customers should be carefully guarded. 

The bottom line is yes, you can use AI to improve and expand your business, and you can start doing this right away. It’s important to note that artificial intelligence is a fast moving and evolving technology. For that reason, the way you can utilize it today may be entirely different in the coming years. 

Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.

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Options for Family Owned Businesses

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If you own a family-owned business, you may feel as though there are more factors to consider when it’s time to sell. In this article, we’ll examine some of the best options that business owners can use. You’ll want to keep in mind that both internal and external strategies are available to you. Let’s take a closer look. 

3 Types of Internal Transactions 

One of the top options for selling a family-owned business is to simply transition the ownership of the business within the family. This is an often-exercised option for many reasons. For example, one of the benefits to this strategy is that selling a family-owned business to a relative will keep the business in the family. Oftentimes this decision best suits the emotional preferences of the owner. A major risk is that the family member will fail to operate the business successfully, and this point underscores the importance of only transferring ownership to a family member that is ready for the task.

A second option is what is known as the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). ESOPs are often utilized in companies when selling to a third party could prove to be problematic or difficult. Architectural, construction and engineering companies are all good examples of businesses that can be difficult to sell to third parties.

Choosing to hire a CEO who manages the owners exit strategy is a third option for business owners to consider when selling. This is a time-tested strategy that many business owners have appreciated. Using this CEO strategy allows the owner to essentially retire and live off of company dividends while at the same time delaying the sale of the company for years.

External Transactions to Consider

The previous three examples specifically focused on internal transactions. Now, we’ll turn our attention to external transactions, as there are several viable external transactions that work for family-owned businesses looking to sell. 

A management buy-out or MBO, is an option that shouldn’t be overlooked. Selling to key employees with the company has many pros, for example, key employees understand the business as well as its current and future challenges and potential.  An MBO does have negative aspects to consider such as the fact that owners typically don’t receive the highest possible asking price as they have to provide financing.

A second external transaction for a family-owned business is an outright sale to a third party. One pro of a third-party sale is that an all-cash closing is possible and after the transaction is settled, the owner is free of the business. A potential downside of a third-party sale is that the sale process could be lengthy.

A third option for family-owned businesses to consider is an initial public offering (IPO). Companies with revenues of $100+ million are seen as a potential candidate for IPOs. An IPO can receive a high valuation; however, it is important to note that management will need to remain with the company.

Business brokers and M&A advisors are experts in helping family-owned businesses chart the best path forward. No two family-owned businesses are the same. An experienced brokerage professional can evaluate your business and help guide you towards the sale option that makes the most sense for your business and your personal situation.

Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.

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Understanding the Modern Buyer

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A key part of the American Dream is the notion of being financially independent and controlling one’s own fate. While times have changed, the idea of the American Dream is alive and well. Entrepreneurs have long realized that one of the quickest ways of achieving this dream is to own a successful business. 

The majority of today’s buyers are well educated and come from the corporate world; however, they are typically not versed in the business buying process. Since these buyers are coming from the corporate world, they are fact-driven, meaning that they want to see the numbers and will pay attention to details both large and small. You can expect these buyers to want to see all necessary supporting documents. They will want to verify everything themselves. Additionally, you can expect them to employ many outside advisors. Summed up, today’s buyer is not an easy sale.

Another key fact about the modern buyer is that they are often what can best be termed as “event driven.†These are buyers that not only want to control their own destiny, but also need to buy a business for some other practical reason. For example, perhaps their current job was downsized or they were transferred to a location where they did not want to move. It is common that people don’t have the courage to quit their current job and say goodbye to the safety of a steady paycheck in favor of a leap into the unknown. It is quite common that there needs to be an event to stimulate the change.

Business brokers and M&A advisors seek to protect their clients while moving them closer to their goals. One of the ways that they can achieve that is by working with only serious and qualified buyers. The process of matching the right buyer to the seller involves asking a series of important questions such as the following:

  • Why is the person considering buying a business? 
  • How long have they been looking? 
  • What kind of business are they seeking? 
  • How much money do they have available? 
  • Have they ever owned a business before?

Every business is different. It should come as no surprise that each buyer out there has a different story and different goals. A one-size-fits-all approach to buying and selling a business simply doesn’t provide optimal results. Working with a qualified business brokerage professional is the easiest way for a seller to not only find the right buyer, but do so with the least stress possible.

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The Top Four Reasons Why Deals Fall Apart

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It takes a lot of work to buy or sell a business. When a once promising deal is not successful, this can be due to a wide array of reasons. However, understanding the reasons why a deal can fall apart in advance can serve to dramatically increase your odds of success.

Some of the reasons that deals fall apart are reasonable, while other reasons, to be blunt, are unreasonable. Let’s take a look at four common reasons that are seen in the world of business brokerage. 

Reason 1- Financial Issues on the Buyer’s End 

One of the most common reasons that deals fall apart is that buyers simply can’t find the needed financing. Working with a business broker or M&A advisor is a way to safeguard against this outcome, as an experienced brokerage professional knows how to pre-screen prospective buyers to increase the odds of success from a financial standpoint.

Reason 2 – Lack of Financials on the Seller’s End 

A second reason that deals fall apart is that the seller doesn’t have all of their financials in an up-to-date form. Sellers must constantly strive to put themselves in the shoes of a prospective buyer. Virtually no serious buyer would move forward with a deal without having a clear picture of the finances of the business. This is an issue that can be circumvented with the right level of planning and preparation. 

Reason 3 – Last Minute Surprises

A third common reason that deals fall apart occurs when a surprise happens at the last minute. It is almost impossible to safeguard against every possible surprise, however, an experienced business broker knows how to navigate the due diligence process so as to dramatically reduce the chances of unexpected problems. Again, brokerage professionals have tried and tested techniques which help reduce the chances of these unwanted surprises. 

Reason 4 –Business Issues Left Unaddressed 

Preparing a business to be sold isn’t something that happens overnight. Sellers should expect that any serious buyer will do more than “kick the tires,†but will instead have their experts go over every aspect of the business. Administrative, environmental, or legal issues that have not been properly addressed can serve to raise many red flags. Needless to say, this can scare prospective buyers away from a business. There is no replacement for proper preparation and meticulous due diligence months or preferably years in advance.

At the end of the day, there are many reasons that a deal can fall apart. Buyers and sellers simply can’t safeguard against them all. However, an experienced business broker or M&A advisor can often see problems on the horizon. Plus, when you work with an experienced professional, it can help keep emotions in check. It’s important to keep all parties involved focused on success. With the right team in place, it is possible to dramatically decrease the chances of surprise events ruining what would otherwise be a good deal.

Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.

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