Business buying tips – yep, you can get them from the sale of Twinkies. No, not from selling the Twinkies cakes, but from selling the Twinkies brand.
Hostess Brands, the company responsible for the famous treat, shut down in November after a baker’s strike. Now Hostess is looking to sell brands like Twinkies and Wonder to other companies. Buying an established business is tricky. Here are some business buying lessons we all can learn.
Business Buying Ideas A-Plenty
Snack food success story. There are many lessons to learn from the sale of Twinkies. The company says it may be near finding a buyer, but nothing is official yet. Plenty of information exists on profits, costs, distribution, and marketing. The value of some businesses is a little harder to calculate. Make sure you know what the business you buy is worth. CNN Money
The fan factor. Strong sales are one thing, but not many businesses can claim an artist has created hundreds of pieces of work based on their product over four decades, like Twinkies. Buying a business that has become an institution has definite advantages. Yahoo! News
A question of value. Still, calculating value can be harder than it looks. For example, some say Twinkies isn’t the brand it once was. Hostess failed to anticipate the shift in American eating habits toward healthier snack choices. Popularity of Twinkies ironically peaked again as the product disappeared from shelves. Time
Business Buying Can Be Tricky
Business buying mantra. Harry and Sally Vaishnav have five tips you’ll want to remember when buying a business. Keep these principles in mind or you may get more than you bargained for. Be sure to get the right advice, don’t be in a hurry, and leave your emotions at the door. Read on for the rest of these helpful tips. Small Biz Viewpoints
Work, luck, and timing. Learn more about what your average person trying to buy a business goes through. This article follows the efforts of Cory Pettersen, vice-president of a residential property management company. Pettersen decided to buy the company he was working for. Here’s what happened. The Vancouver Sun
How to buy a franchise. Those interested in owning their own business could consider buying a franchise instead. The process is similar in some ways to buying an established business. There is a ready-made product, a business plan, and a developed brand. Small Business Trends
Tips for buying a business blog. Lahaul Seth shares these suggestions for buying a blog. They begin with some tips to consider before making the purchase. Afterwards, as when buying any other business, your work is far from done. Seth also includes a to-do list for protecting your investment and growing your new business. Lion Blogger
Ti Roberts
Great roundup. I only hope that whoever buys Twinkies maintain the integrity and the taste of them to sustain the product and brand loyalty. They are my absolute FAV treat and I was mini heartbroken when they shut down. I’ve come across knock offs called “Cloud Cakes” – they come close but has nothing on the original. I’m interested to see what happens.
Ti