Important questions to ask when looking at a business...or preparing to have your business looked at by prospective buyers. • What’s for sale?  What’s not for sale?  Does it include real estate? Are some of the machines leased instead of owned? • What assets are not earning money? Perhaps these assets should be sold off. • What is proprietary? Formulations, patents, software, etc.? • What is their competitive advantage? A certain niche, superior marketing or better manufacturing. • What is the barrier of entry? Capital, low labor, tight relationships. • What about employment agreements/non-competes? Has the seller failed to secure these agreements from key employees? • How does one grow the business? Maybe it can’t be grown. • How much working capital does one need to run the business? • What is the depth of management and how dependent is the business on the owner/manager? • How is the financial reporting undertaken and recorded and how does management adjust the business accordingly?