Where do I find businesses for sale and how do I choose?

The first step of a business takeover is finding businesses for sale.

Search for a business for sale in your own network

Research shows that most business takeovers happen within existing networks. Start with your own business and private network and mention you are interested in taking over a business. Also consider LinkedIn and Higherlevel. You can also search with a consultant, your accountant (NBA), the bank, sector organisations (in Dutch), the BOBB (in Dutch), and trade journals. In the table below, you find several websites for business takeovers.

Please note! Read the terms and conditions of the business takeover websites. Sometimes you cannot stay anonymous or you need to pay to create a profile. Business takeover websites by commercial parties can be a good option, but they are not the only option.

The website Startpagina bedrijfsovername-databanken (in Dutch) provides an overview of all business takeover websites in the Netherlands.

Create a search profile

In order to get an idea of the type of business you are looking for, you make a search profile. In this profile, you ask yourself what type of business you want to take over. For example, you might dream of taking over a camping in the Dutch province Zeeland, but do you want to clean sanitary facilities every day? In short, do the work activities that are part of the type of business fit you?

With the search profile you make clear what you plan to do to make the business successful. What do you like? What are you good at? What challenges do you want to overcome? What gives you energy? What drains your energy?

In your search profile, you include the following

• takeover price
• sector/type of business
• region/location
• number of employees
• company turnover (high or low)
• online shop or business premises

Business plan

There are several factors that play an important role in choosing to actually take over a business. You gain insight into these factors by making a business plan.

The information the seller has provided forms the basis for your business plan. The most important goal of a business plan is to make a well-considered decision. To do so, explore the following:

• Whether you as an individual are the right fit to take over this business. This is about your qualities and the knowledge and experience you have. The entrepreneur scan (in Dutch) provided by the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK can help you with this.
• What do the market and future forecasts look like. In the sector-specific section you will find useful information about the market. Other useful sources of information are financial statements and publications, sales brochures and product catalogues, trade journals and trade fairs, sector organisations, consumer organisations, (market) research agencies, and databases.
• The financial feasibility: the possibilities, the profit forecast, and your future financial position.

A few tips for making a business plan for your business takeover:

• Take a good look at the strengths and weaknesses of the business, but also at yourself as an entrepreneur. Look at opportunities and threats for your market, national or international developments, and how those influence the success of your business.
• When making a business plan, you can opt to use the template of a future financer.
• Many questions will arise for you. Therefore, speak with clients, suppliers, and competitors, and listen, look, and feel.
• Make clear agreements with the seller. This way, you are sure to get all the information you need.
• Search the Business Register for more information, such as a Business Register extract and financial statements.

Video Starting with a business takeover

Watch this video if you are starting as an entrepreneur through a business takeover. For English subtitles, click the Settings wheel, choose Subtitles, and then select English .

Waar moet je op letten als je een bedrijf overneemt? | KVK - YouTube