The Story Behind the Numbers

Value Added Ideas For Business Owners and Their Advisors


Isn’t Having a Large Customer A GOOD Thing?

You’ve heard that it’s risky to “put all of your eggs in one basket,” but did you know that the risk of having too few customers can actually translate into decreased business value How does Customer Concentration impact value? First, as a reminder, business valuation is based on both qualitative and quantitative factors that impactRead More…

Read More »


Driving Workforce Engagement AND Business Value Through ESOPs

Having a trained, loyal workforce in place helps maintain a healthy, vibrant culture, which is considered an intangible asset in the world of business valuation.  In fact, one of the 8 Key Value Drivers of a privately owned business is ‘Employees and Culture.’ In the simplest terms, a company whose team experiences low turnover andRead More…

Read More »


Goodwill—What is it and How is it Measured?

Goodwill, or ‘blue sky,’ is probably the most misunderstood component of business valuation. Business owners are often curious about goodwill in their business and how it is valued, and they are also often confused.In their minds, the intangibles including renown of the business, the years of successful business operation, their client list, their trained staff,Read More…

Read More »


Hot Topic for Your Next Client Meeting: Value Planning

This time of year many business owners spend an inordinate amount of time looking at their financial statements, especially related to tax planning for their business. Business owners are keen on using their financial statements to work on tax planning but fail to see how time spent on value planning can increase the value ofRead More…

Read More »


Don’t let your clients throw their year-end financial statements in a drawer…

January means it’s time for year-end financials, and as business owners everywhere are looking at revenues and profit numbers from the prior year, there is an abundance of insight hidden in the financial statements that many business owners are missing.   What if you offered a unique conversation with the business owner that illustrates how theRead More…

Read More »


Welcome, Marty!

Marty P. Mathias has joined the CapVal team as a Business Valuation Analyst and Certified Fraud Examiner in litigation projects, supporting business owners and business advisors across the country. Formerly a principal at a regional public accounting firm, Marty worked closely with owners of privately held businesses on a variety of aspects of business managementRead More…

Read More »


COVID’s Surprising Impact on Business Value

Something notable happened with many business owners while managing through COVID that could impact the value of their businesses. It doesn’t have anything to do with their financials, and it doesn’t get much attention in the news. We’re talking about delegation. Many business owners responded to COVID by putting delegation of business operation decisions andRead More…

Read More »


Transitioning Ownership in the Service-Based Business

It was August 1999, nearly 25 years after Ted Gunkel founded Madison Valuation Associates, and he had an important choice to make. He could retire and sell the office furniture and computers, or he could pass the torch of ownership to the next generation of key employees of his valuation firm.   Ted wanted theRead More…

Read More »


This Week’s Featured Client Meeting

(based on actual client but details changed for privacy) We met recently with an experienced business owner to begin the process of valuing her business for purposes of transitioning her ownership.  After our final meeting, as she prepared to leave she remarked that she enjoyed having a chance to look at her business from aRead More…

Read More »


You have an interested buyer…now what? 3 Ways to be prepared.

Numerous clients have shared recently that they are seeing an increase in unsolicited inquiries about purchasing their business, some of which are legitimate inquiries from buyers or business brokers.  While it is natural to be excited that you are a ‘target’ for an interested buyer, it is critical to slow down, stay calm and respond,Read More…

Read More »


← Older posts Newer posts →