Selling a business is one of the most stressful events an entrepreneur can go through. While much research has been conducted into the financial risk of selling a business, the same level of attention has not been focussed on the reputational risks.
- What do stakeholders think of a business when it is put up for sale?
- Which reasons for selling the business does the public react most positively to?
- How can you protect the asset value of the business during a sale process?
- Why does effective communication play an important role?
In Q1 2021, Transmission Private commissioned research to find out what the reputational risks are when selling a business and how communication plays a pivotal role in ensuring the sale process goes smoothly.
Selected findings and recommendations
- 42% of stakeholders said that they would think a business was facing difficulty if they heard it was being put up for sale by a long-standing founder
- 49% of respondents said that they would think positively of an entrepreneur who said they were selling their business to retire
- 24% of the respondents said that they would look positively on a founder who said they were selling out to crystallise their wealth
- Stakeholders are liable to misunderstand the underlying rationale for a business sales process and assume the worst unless they are given good reasons otherwise
Plus, more raw data from our survey of 2,000 members of the public... and practical, hands-on suggestions on how to manage your risk and respond to potential issues. Download the full report below.
