Problem
I run a small business and am thinking about selling. How can I decide what the business is worth?
Solution
Business broker Brett Clarkson says the old adage that value is what a prudent buyer will pay a willing seller still applies. But there are some ways to get a steer on how much a business is worth before you get to that stage.
The value of a business generally boils down to stock, usually priced at cost, assets/plant, assessed at market value, and goodwill - the intangible quality that made a business successful.