Build your business to get it sold
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Bob Burke is a consultant who helps natural and specialty products companies bring products to market and grow their businesses. He discusses how to build a business that can be successfully sold. Key points include focusing growth in areas like sales, margins, and cash flow positive operations to increase value for potential buyers. Demonstrating traction across multiple retail channels and a strong brand also makes a business more attractive to acquire.
Build your business to get it sold
- 1. How to Build Your Business to Get it Sold February 23, 2011
- 2. Meet the Presenter Bob Burke Contact: 978-‐975-‐9902; Bob@NaturalConsulting.com 8 Cobblestone Lane, Andover, MA 01810 Websites: www.NPCInstitute.com www.NaturalConsulting.com
- 3. Natural Products Consulting Advisory work in assisting bringing natural, organic and specialty products to market across most classes of trade Write business plans for raising capital and growth strategies for management teams Co-‐Author/Publisher of the Natural Products Field Manual, Fifth Edition and The Sales Manager s Handbook Co-‐produce and co-‐lead seminars on Becoming a More Effective Sales Manager in the Natural and Specialty Channel and Financing your Natural or Specialty Products Company Serve as outside director of: Stonyfield, EcoFish, Nutrabella, American Halal, tsp Spices
- 4. Natural Products Field Manual • Now – Newly revised, updated, expanded Fifth Edition • Complete, comprehensive, 4 volume, guide on how to go to market for natural, organic and specialty products • Includes CD-‐Rom with directory of top natural retailers, mass-‐market natural buyers, distributors, brokers, industry resources, budget models, new item forms and store logos • Practical, proven, best practices shared and illustrated by industry veterans • Rich, insightful guest editorials by notable natural buyers, brokers and CEO s • $20,000 in coupons • Half Day consulting by author • www.NPCInstitute.com
- 6. Building Value towards a Successful Exit Q. Where are you taking your company? A. For many it is finding a strategic buyer willing to pay an irrational price for their company What drives value to buyer Strategic – faster entry into new sector, potential to grow into significant business Financial – provide resources to accelerate growth, tee up for strategic buyer or IPO Buyers pay for: Growth Positive cash flow Gross margin Traction in a number of channels Value of brand Strength (that you own and is not impaired, and can serve as a platform for growth for the acquiring company) Breadth
- 7. Focus is Essential in Building Company Value We can do anything, but we can’t do everything What is the one thing to pin your future on? Develop a criteria to evaluate and prioritize new opportunities Revenue Margin Expected annual contribution Management time and focus Operational fit Strategic fit
- 8. Growth Early stage… cracking the code Optimizing pricing Testing merchandising Positioning in the category Category growth Brand growth Maintain strong year over year sales growth – above 20% Pipeline fill – Distribution growth Velocity growth Evidenced by Whole Foods Portal data UNFI Supplier Insight SPINS/IRI Sales per point of distribution growth Other distributor or retailer data (e.g. if DSD)
- 9. Positive Cash Flow Investors/Acquirers prefer companies with positive cash flow in this climate Don’t want to be funding losses, want capital to drive growth Should have a realistic cash budget that keys off your sales budget so you can anticipate shortfalls in advance What is the plan to get to breakeven cash flow How many customers x sku s x turns x avg. price x contribution/case
- 10. Gross Margin Need a sustainable gross margin to have fighting shot at profitability Motto should be: rewarding and forgiving gross margins Defined: ( Net sales – fully loaded COGS)/Net sales Generate above average gross profit margins (for your product type) Most food companies 40%+ Most personal care companies 50%+ Most nutrition companies 60%+ Should show that you can sell everyday at regular price not just on deal Show contribution margins of 18% or better – (profit after selling & marketing expenses and variable costs) Consistently generate an EBITDA above 10% A decent gross margin folded into a strategic buyer should yield attractive contribution for them
- 11. Traction in a Number of Channels Ideally you can demonstrate that you can succeed across a number of classes of trade: Natural Specialty Grocery (supermarket) Mass (Target, Wal-‐Mart) Club C-‐store Military Food Service Spa Table top (Bed, Bath & Beyond, W-‐S, Macy s) Go for validation and evidence of traction, don t fill out the channel, give acquirer room to grow. Imagine the possibilities
- 12. What Do We Mean by Branding? A Brand is a promise: Benefits – differentiating in way meaningful to your consumer Values – what do you stand for? Wrapped in a personality (Godiva and B&J both super-‐premium) A great brand has authenticity and ultimately builds an emotional connection with the consumer. A great brand will engender loyalty, often results in higher pricing and gross margins Everything you do – packaging, promotion, pricing, publicity, either reinforces and builds your brand or diminishes it. Consumers want stories, not just facts Rich narratives help to establish a long-‐term emotional bond with consumers Your countervailing force against the power of the retailer and distributor is consumer demand…for your brand!
- 13. “Imagine the Possibilities” Show the acquirer the running room on ACV or distribution growth Extending the brand into different categories Upgrading and expanding the team Upside on gross margin through synergies, scale, taking manufacturing in-‐house Give the buyer access to channels they are not in. The message is that with the resources and know-‐how that a strategic or financial buyer can bring, they can run your $20M business up to $200M, and hence justify a bold valuation.
- 14. Audience Poll II
- 15. Core Materials Executive Company Business Financial Summary Presentation Plan Model • 2-‐5 pages • May need two • Comprehensive • Detailed bottoms-‐ • Something -‐ Stand-‐up oral 20-‐25 page up you can send pitch document -‐ Detailed for to virtually investors anyone The goal of all of these: Get a meeting 15
- 16. A non-‐confidential Executive Summary is critical • Cover all core parts of the business in 3-‐5 pages • Topics (usually in this order – same for business plan) -‐ Problem -‐ Your solution -‐ Business Model -‐ Underlying magic, technology, unique selling proposition (secret sauce) -‐ Marketing and Sales -‐ Competition (features/benefits – comparison slide) -‐ Team -‐ Projections and milestones (Financials, historic & projected) -‐ Status and timeline -‐ Summary and Call to action 8 Exit strategy/market comps 8 Ask/Use of Proceeds 8 Capitalization to date 16
- 17. The Pitch • The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint -‐ 10 slides -‐ 20 minutes -‐ No font smaller than 30 points • Ten slides -‐ Problem -‐ Your solution -‐ Business Model -‐ Underlying magic, technology, unique selling proposition -‐ Marketing and Sales -‐ Competition (features/benefits – comparison slide) -‐ Team (sometimes found more towards the back) -‐ Projections and milestones -‐ Status and timeline -‐ Summary and Call to action 17
- 18. The Pitch • 20 Minutes -‐ People arrive late, leave early -‐ Typical 1 hour time slots, do 20 minute pitch, 40 minute discussion • Thirty Point Font -‐ Headlines so you can tell story and audience won t read ahead of you. -‐ If too dogmatic, find out age of oldest person and divide by two = optimal font size 18
- 19. Business plans should be ~ 20 pages long and demonstrate comprehensive thoughtfulness • Be concise; write well; look professional • Same topics as Exec Sum, with more on -‐ Company history -‐ Market Overview -‐ Operations -‐ Management bios -‐ Details on Sales/Implementation strategy 8 Sales cycle; go-‐to-‐market strategy -‐ Financials: 8 Commentary on historic and gross margin; the story behind the numbers 8 Bottoms-‐up projections -‐ Appendix 8 Management resumes 8 PR 8 Product details/sell sheets 19
- 20. Insights on the Business Plan Process • Writing the plan not only helps explain the business to a prospective investor but helps the management team solidify: -‐ Objectives (what) -‐ Strategies (how) -‐ Tactics (when, where, who) • Make it a solo effort (creation of plan a team effort, writing should one person) • Pitch, then write plan – Perfect your pitch (see what works what doesn t and then write plan) • Put in the right stuff (same topics as prev. Executive Summary) • Focus on Executive Summary – needs to be fantastic, eyeball sucking, pulse altering, for people to read beyond it. 20
- 21. Avoid A.T.A.M.O. ™ Moments
- 22. Understand How a VC Thinks • VCs see hundreds/thousands of business plans and get pitched endlessly • Their goal: Time management See 1000 Deals Read 100 Talk about 50 Diligence light 10 Diligence heavy 5 Do 1-‐2 Investors look for a reason to say no 22
- 23. Referrals • Best way to approach a potential investor • Cold Calls -‐ Voice mail; delete • Submit plan via email: Over the transom -‐ What does that say about how creative you ll be in getting customers? -‐ Is that the best you can do? Creative? • Get a referral -‐ Find someone who really knows the VC 8 Startup-‐oriented corporate lawyers 8 Startup-‐focused or industry-‐focused recruiters 8 Portfolio companies: VC website, check portfolio…ask for coffee 8 Other entrepreneurs 8 LinkedIn search – get introduced 23
- 24. Summary of Materials for Investors Prepare Executive Summary Pitch Business Plan Financial Model Be Concise Compelling Realistic Purpose of material is to get a meeting, not checks today Preempt obvious questions/concerns and be mindful issues which might knock you out of consideration.
- 25. Q&A
- 26. Contact Information Bob Burke Contact: 978-‐975-‐9902; Bob@NaturalConsulting.com 8 Cobblestone Lane, Andover, MA 01810 Websites: www.NPCInstitute.com www.NaturalConsulting.com