Each year, 350,000 Baby Boomers in the US, including 49,000 Eastern Washington & N Idaho, are positioned to sell their businesses, but only 20-30% succeed. Sadly, many legacies are lost. As owners retire, they seek capable successors.
Paulson Exchange helps local business owners prepare for a successful transition and connects retiring owners with the next generation of entrepreneurs in Washington and Idaho.
Whether you are considering retirement, planning several years ahead, or looking to acquire a business, we provide practical guidance from valuation through closing—while helping preserve the local businesses that make our communities strong.
Retire on your terms. Acquire with confidence. Preserve a local business legacy.
Serving Kootenai County and the greater Spokane area.
Know What Your Business Is Worth—Before You Need to Sell. Request a business Valuation.
Kris Fuehr, Founder/Agent
Spokane
Josh Allison, Partner/Agent
Pacific Northwest
Monica Sanchez, Agent
Central WA
Sit down and chat with us: Coffee Tours & College Classes
We’d like to get to know you! Come on by for an informal chat at one of our coffee tours. We’ll build the agenda based on who shows up and if you’d like to discuss business valuation or business acquisition, Kris will take concepts from her Gonzaga Course: “Buying and Selling a Business” from a top-rated workshop in its fifth-year running.
We will reference real-life business transitions and lessons learned from others. We’ll explore less-obvious approaches to acquisition and transition. Bring your real-life examples and aspirations and we’ll help connect you and get you on the right track.
Spotting business opportunities
Essential buying considerations
Evaluating and valuing businesses
Due diligence process
Financing options and SBA tips
Negotiation and closing deals
Transition and training for new ownership
Selling? Sell your business to employees, partners, or on the open market. First, learn what your business is worth today. When it’s time to retire, we can help you sell it yourself or let us find you a suitable buyer. Transition the ownership on your terms and at your pace. Start by discovering the value of your business with a free assessment today.
Our first tip: Keep your business sale under wraps and only reveal your intentions to sell to the right people with the right context. We treat your sale as confidential.
Buying? We support entrepreneurs who are ready to take the leap into business ownership. Buying an existing business can be life-changing but with less risk than starting from scratch. We assist in finding and evaluating potential businesses to align with your lifestyle and finances. Whether you're looking to flip or hold, we'll help you find the best fit for you.
Our first tip: Plan on securing 10% down. You can secure financing for the remainder, using the business's profits to manage payments.
More resources for entrepreneurs:
Audio Podcast: My Business is Driving Me Nuts!
eBOOK: Start or Buy? Buying a Profitable, Established Business
Freshen up a Ripe Biz: Flipping a Business eBook
Audio Podcast: “My Business is Driving Me Nuts!”
Whether you're an accidental entrepreneur or a pro at your business, you may find your company missing goals, consuming too much of your time, or operating rudderless. This series applies concepts from top thought leaders from eMyth* to Traction*, and cuts to the real work that will improve your business life and create a legacy that survives you.
Start or Buy? A guide for investors, entrepreneurs, and first-time buyers. Download this book for a perspective on whether starting your own business or buying an established, ongoing business is a good fit for you. Find how to search for the right fit, finance the business, and conduct due-diligence. See examples, templates, and step-by-step guidance to buying a profitable business that is an ongoing concern.
Freshen the Ripe: Flipping a Tired Business. Find a fixer-upper in an area of your strength and increase its value. Old businesses are a great opportunity to add technology, sales & marketing, improve operations, or bring in skilled people.
Learn from experts on how they’ve serialized business acquisitions through absentee ownership. A self-sustaining business can be attainable if you set it up correctly or convert an existing business to an independent state.
Industries we work with most:
Manufacturing
If you own a manufacturing business, you have a high-value business to sell due to its asset-base and equipment with inherent value. Whether you manufacture food or equipment, together, we have a good chance of finding a buyer quickly.
Niche
The more specialized and interesting the business, the better! Bring your unique businesses, we love them!
Industrial
Construction, repair, maintenance, infrastructure businesses that are the backbone of our economy. We have many investors and entrepreneurs looking for your line of business, particularly where services and contracts are in place.
Coffee Shops/Drive-Throughs
There is a lot of interest in buying coffee shops and drive-through businesses.
Services
Services have special considerations when selling. Ownership, intellectual property, documented processes, and customer contracts are all considerations when selling a services-based business. Contact me with questions about your value.
Technology
We have many buyers seeking technology firms. A technology company has a strong valuation.
“Entrepreneurship is not just risk taking. It's a vision followed by project-by-project management and a series of daily decisions.“
“When all is said and done, a business is a living legacy that may never have an end.” -KF