Thinking about Entrepreneurship? How about Buying a Business or a Franchise? - *Webinar (Live)* - PW

Promotional Video HERE

Overview of This Live Webinar:

Switching from having a job to running your own business is not as hard as you might imagine. This workshop provides the framework to help you decide if entrepreneurship is right for you and whether you should pursue a non-franchise acquisition (ETA) or license a franchise.

Designed for first-time buyers, especially later-stage career professionals interested in owning a business, this session explores the realities of buying into an established cash flow versus starting from zero.

Key Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Compare Business Models: Understand the difference between buying an independent operation (ETA) versus a franchise system, including the impact on creativity, control, and costs.
• Analyze Financial Viability: Understand how to see if the business is priced correctly and displays signs of good financial health.
• Master the Sourcing Process: Discover how to build a "deal funnel," from signing NDAs to executing a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) and managing due diligence.
• Navigate Financing: Understand how to finance the purchase.
• Identify Red Flags: Learn strictly defined "pass" criteria, such as high customer concentration (>30% revenue from one client) or declining 3-year growth trends.
• Evaluate Franchises: Gain insight into estimating the total investment costs including royalty structures, and the reality of being an owner-operator vs. a semi-absentee owner.

Who Should Attend:

• First-time business buyers or recently laid-off professionals looking to control their own destiny.
• Individuals interested in opportunities close to home in the DC Metro (MD/DC/VA) market.
• Aspiring owners willing to leverage assets and personal guarantees to build their business.

Speaker: Subodh Nayar - Senior Business Counselor (Mason SBDC), Small Business Owner & Serial Entrepreneur.

Co-sponsor(s) & Partner(s): Prince William County Department of Economic Development and Tourism & Prince William Chamber of Commerce

Cancellation Policy: Contact the Center regarding cancellation earlier than 24 business hours prior to event. Kindly email – help@masonsbdc.org (preferred) or call 703-261-4105 to notify the team.

Special Instruction: This live webinar will be presented via Zoom. Webinar access details (Zoom invitation) will be provided after registration.