Thinking about buying a business? Start here.
Join Maria Gafiuk (Entrepreneur Strategist at ATB Financial) and Jonathan Lacasse (Lacasse Advisory Services) and the City of Spruce Grove for an exclusive deep dive into the mechanics of a successful acquisition.
This session bridges the gap between finding a "hidden gem" and understanding what it’s actually worth. Jonathan Lacasse brings specialized expertise in business valuations, ensuring you don’t just find a business, but you buy it at the right price.
What You Will Learn
Overview of the Buying Process: The A-to-Z of what you need to know.
Defining Your Vision: Aligning your skills, goals, and lifestyle with the right acquisition targets.
Finding “Hidden Gems”: How to source off-market opportunities before they hit public listings.
Mastering Business Valuation: Jonathan Lacasse breaks down how businesses are valued so you can separate a great business from an expensive one.
Value vs. Price: Understanding why what a business is “worth” and what a seller is “asking” are often two very different numbers.
Personal vs. Commercial Goodwill: Identifying what value transfers with the business and what walks out the door when the owner leaves.
The Art of Recasting Financials: Normalizing owner compensation and discretionary expenses to reveal true earning power (SDE/normalized EBITDA).
Asset vs. Share Sales: Understanding how deal structure changes what you own at closing and when it’s worth bringing in tax and legal experts to confirm the implications.
Due Diligence Deep Dive: Learning what red flags can look like early and when it’s worth engaging the right experts to investigate before moving forward.
Strategic Financing: Leveraging seller notes, FI loans, and creative capital partners to get deals done.
Who Should Attend?
Business Startups: Those thinking of starting a business or acquiring an established business.
Aspiring Owners: Professionals looking to transition into ownership with reduced risk.
Strategic Buyers: Existing owners wanting to grow through market share acquisition.
Savvy Investors: Those looking to identify and capitalize on undervalued assets.