Buy a business in Montreal
Buying an existing business can be faster and less risky than starting one, but only if you know what you are actually buying. Lorne helps buyers find the right business, test the numbers and the operation behind them, and structure a deal they can finance and run.
How Lorne helps buyers
- Search. Defining what you can run and afford, then identifying businesses that fit, including ones that are not publicly listed.
- Valuation. Testing the asking price against normalized earnings and what the business really needs to operate.
- Due diligence. Financial statements, operations, lease, supplier agreements, staff, legal structure and the owner's real role.
- Financing. Preparing the file for banks, BDC and vendor financing.
- Deal structure. Asset or share purchase, price and terms, conditions and transition, reviewed with your accountant and lawyer.
- Transition. Planning the first months after closing, when most of the risk is.
Thinking like the operator you will become
The question is not only whether the numbers are right, but whether you can produce them. Lorne has run a 51-location network and reviews a business the way an operator would: who really does the work, which customers and suppliers depend on the owner, and what it will cost to replace them.
Considering an existing franchise? See franchise resale.
Fees
Buyer mandates, such as a search or due diligence on a specific business, are scoped and quoted after the free first consultation.
Questions owners ask
Should I buy the assets or the shares?
Each has different tax and liability effects for the buyer and the seller. Lorne frames the business choice; your accountant and lawyer confirm the structure.
Can you find businesses that are not listed?
Sometimes. Many owners would sell to the right buyer but have not gone to market. A clear description of what you are looking for makes discreet approaches possible.
Talk it through before you commit
The first consultation is free and carries no obligation. Most clients start with a phone call: describe your business and what you are considering, whether expanding, selling or buying, and Lorne will tell you plainly what it would take.