All posts by kkelly10

Donn Raabe, Broker at Chicagoland Sunbelt, Sells Tutoring Franchise

March 7, 2011 kkelly10 Leave a comment

Raabe successfully negotiated a business sale in the $10 billion dollar supplemental education industry. This is a franchise re-sale. Upon closing this deal, Raabe lists another tutoring franchise.

Contact: Domenic Rinaldi
Address: 8745 W. Higgins Road, Suite 220, Chicago, IL 60631
Phone: 773-243-1603
Email: drinaldi@sunbeltnetwork.com
URL: www.chicagolandsunbelt.com

CHICAGO, IL – March 2, 2011 – Chicagoland Sunbelt (www.chicagolandsunbelt.com) announces today that Donn Raabe completed the sale of a franchise tutoring business in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago. The business was a turn-key operation, complete with everything a buyer needed to ‘hit the ground running’. Thirty-nine people inquired and 11 prospective buyers were shown the business. Two offers were made and the winning offer closed on the sale of the business in less than a month. As a result of this success, another franchise selected Raabe to represent them in the sale of their successful franchise.

The business has great recognition amongst the consuming public. Catering to students from kindergarten to seniors in high school, the business offers tutoring programs in several subjects including: reading, math, writing, study skills, phonics, vocabulary, SAT & ACT exam preparation, high school entrance exam preparation. The franchisor supports franchisees via manuals, business templates, and software to run the business, curriculum, and marketing materials. The buyer will be in business for themselves, but not by themselves, and will be affiliated with one of the most successful franchise concepts in the past 25 years. This particular location has a nearly 20 year history of success that attracted the seller to the business.

Educational spending has been on a record growth curve for nearly the past two decades. Today, the supplemental educational market is approaching $10 billion dollars annually just by itself, and continues to see double-digit growth nearly every year.

“People looking to buy a business are very interested in tutoring,” stated Raabe, “They see it as a very steady, secure business to buy and are attracted to a business that they feel really helps children and helps the community as a whole. The challenges in this deal – and believe me there were challenges – seemed to recede when we re-focused on what value the business has for the community.”

“We see every day, buyers who are tired of a paycheck looking to buy a business in order to make a difference,” said Domenic Rinaldi, Managing Director of Chicagoland Sunbelt. “We get over 200 inquries from buyers every month looking to buy a business. If you have a business to sell, now is a great time to be on the market. We are seeing sellers getting great deals now.”

The buyer had a background in education and was excited to own his own business.

Raabe’s new listing is of one of the Chicagoland area’s most successful franchises. It is consistently rated in the top third in sales in the Chicagoland area. “Given the strong interest in the last transaction,” commented Raabe, “I expect that we will see a very good group of qualified buyers competing for this business.”

About Donn Raabe

Donn Raabe has been bringing people together and facilitating transactions for nearly 30 years, mainly in Chicago and suburbs. As a business broker, he draws on his own experience of having owned and operated a $2.5 million consumer electronics retail store. Raabe is versed in marketing, recruiting, managing transactions, and contract negotiations. He is committed to facilitating win/win outcomes for sellers and buyers and is held in high esteem for his ability to creatively help clients resolve issues.

As a licensed real estate broker in Illinois for over 20 years, he specialized in representing sellers and buyers of investment, commercial and industrial properties ranging in size from $50,000 to over $3,000,000. Raabe held senior positions within the 1,300,000-member National Association of RealtorsÒ, the world’s largest professional real estate association, where he managed corporate sales, marketing, training and client services. He also held executive positions with the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute (CCIM), the Realtors’ Land Institute, and the International Association of Assessing Officers.

In addition to his business interests, Donn is involved in community, service, and professional organizations. He and his wife Carol enjoy volunteering at the Chicago home of L’Arche (“The Ark”), an international ecumenical community for developmentally disabled adults.

To learn more, see his bio at: www.chicagolandsunbelt.com/team-Raabe.htm

About Domenic Rinaldi

Domenic Rinaldi is the President and Managing Partner of Sunbelt Chicago. He was awarded the professional designation of Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and is considered an expert in the field of business brokerage. He is a seasoned executive who brings over 24 years of proven experience in merger/acquisition, sales, service, marketing and operations to the business brokerage arena.

Domenic’s career began at Sprint Corp, where he spent 13 years in sales and operations. As VP of their Hospitality Division he led a national organization to $250 million in annual revenue. His experience as Chief Operating Officer of an e-commerce travel company offered the opportunity to grow a Silicon Valley startup into an international solutions provider. Additionally, Domenic’s small business experience running a New York City technology company gave him firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing business owners. It was at this privately held company he learned the business of raising venture capital and driving a small company to profitability, which ultimately resulted in an acquisition.

Domenic is recognized by colleagues and associates as a leader with determination and integrity. He has helped countless business owners develop, execute and maximize their exit strategies. The business press frequently turns to Rinaldi as a subject matter expert oin small and lower middle market transactions in Chicago. Most recently he was quoted in Crain’s Chicago Business: www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20110212/ISSUE02/302129999/get-the-right-price-for-your-small-business-now#axzz1Dwsox4K7.

To learn more, visit his bio at: www.chicagolandsunbelt.com/team-Rinaldi.htm

About Chicagoland Sunbelt

Chicagoland Sunbelt is a business brokerage firm that focuses on helping people buy, grow and sell businesses in Chicagoland and the surrounding Midwest. Having sold hundreds of businesses, Chicagoland Sunbelt specializes in a broad range of industries, including business services, distribution, food & beverage, franchises, personal services and retail. Its experienced team of M&A brokerage consultants also develop and execute comprehensive strategies designed to meet individual financial and non-financial goals.

Chicagoland Sunbelt is also a proud member of Sunbelt Midwest, which operates offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Illinois. For your next business purchase or sale, visit Chicagoland Sunbelt at www.chicagolandsunbelt.com/sellers.htm.

Business, Retail

Dan Kite, the Managing Partner of Chicagoland Sunbelt’s Downtown Office, Sells Vending Route Business

March 2, 2011 kkelly10 Leave a comment

Our River North office first sale was completed speedily in just over 3 months. Kite’s professionalism and the proprietary methods of Chicagoland Sunbelt led to a rapid sale. The vending industry is a $45 billion dollar industry in the United States.

Contact: Daniel Kite
Address: 350 W. Hubbard Street, Suite 470, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312-878-1235
Email: dan.kite@sunbeltnetwork.com

URL: www.chicagolandsunbelt.com

CHICAGO, IL – March 2, 2011, 2011 – Chicagoland Sunbelt (www.chicagolandsunbelt.com) announces today that Dan Kite, MBA and Managing Partner at Chicagoland Sunbelt, completed the sale of a vending route business. In order to sell the business, Kite and Chicagoland Sunbelt reached out to their internal database of over 10,000 active buyers to create demand for the business. In addition, the firm reached out to over 50 vending route operators via direct telephone contact. The business was also marketed to the general public through an extensive on-line campaign. It was as a result of this on-line campaign that the buyers learned of this opportunity. The buyers made an offer the same week they were shown the business and closed the transaction three weeks later.

The business profile was very attractive to the market. The vending machine route is concentrated geographically. All the machines were owned not leased, meaning that in addition to buying a strong cash flow business, the buyers received valuable physical assets. That route’s geographic concentration made it easy for the buyers to buy the business and gain a supplemental income apart from their full time pursuits.

“The sale moved along at such speed because both parties were so motivated,” stated Kite. “Our seller was not interested in operating the business going forward but realized that he could sell the business for a rewarding sum in place of shutting it down. Our buyers had identified this industry as a solid performer that could provide significant supplemental income with fairly minimal investment of time.”

Domenic Rinaldi, Certified Business Intermediary and Managing Director of Chicagoland Sunbelt, added: “Dan brings a level of professionalism and energy that drives business transactions to successful conclusions. Business owners, like the seller in this transaction, know they will be in good hands with Dan Kite.”

About Dan Kite

Daniel Kite is President and Managing Partner of Sun Street, LLC, an affiliate of Chicagoland Sunbelt. Chicagoland Sunbelt is part of the Sunbelt Network which is the world’s largest business brokerage firm. Sun Street, LLC was formed as a partnership between Mr. Kite and Chicagoland Sunbelt to expand Sunbelt’s rapidly growing brokerage firm into the downtown Chicago market.

Kite has twenty years of entrepreneurial business experience and is considered an expert in business development, franchising, retail operations, technology development and real estate development. Kite began his career working with his family’s business. The business, the Marcus Corporation based in Milwaukee, WI, is the sixth largest movie theatre chain in the country and owns or operates over sixteen full service hotels.

He has owned, developed, operated, and sold his own businesses, including a chain of Blockbuster Video stores, Screenz Computing Centers, and Tailor’s Touch. He has also founded two software companies and has licensed his technology to Fortune 500 companies throughout the nation. Kite has been both a franchisee and a franchisor giving him a unique perspective on the world of franchising. Dan most recently spent five years as a Director of a private equity firm.

Daniel Kite holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University where he graduated, Magna Cum Laude.

To learn more about Dan Kite visit www.chicagolandsunbelt.com/team-Kite.htm

About Chicagoland Sunbelt

Chicagoland Sunbelt is a business brokerage firm that focuses on helping people sell, buy and grow businesses in Chicagoland and the surrounding Midwest. Having sold hundreds of businesses, Chicagoland Sunbelt understands a broad range of industries, including business services, distribution, food & beverage, franchises, personal services and retail. Its experienced team of M&A brokerage consultants also develops and executes comprehensive strategies designed to meet individual financial and non-financial goals.

Chicagoland Sunbelt is also a proud member of Sunbelt Midwest, which operates offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Illinois, For your next business purchase or sale, visit Chicagoland Sunbelt at www.chicagolandsunbelt.com.

Business, Deals, Financial, Transportation & Logistics

Fred Stephenson Joins Chicagoland Sunbelt as Business Broker

February 24, 2011 kkelly10 Leave a comment

Stephenson brings years of entrepreneurial and financial expertise to the growing River North Chicagoland Sunbelt office.

Contact: Daniel Kite

Address: 350 W. Hubbard, Suite 470, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312-878-1231
Email: dan.kite@sunbeltnetwork.com
URL: www.chicagolandsunbelt.com

Chicago, February 17, 2011 – Daniel Kite, President and Managing Partner of Sun Street, LLC, an affiliate of Chicagoland Sunbelt, www.chicagolandsunbelt.com, is pleased to announce that Fred Stephenson has joined the downtown office of Chicagoland Sunbelt as a business broker. Stephenson’s career as an entrepreneur, banker, and merchant trader prepared him well for his new role as a business broker as it provides him a unique perspective and practical deal making skills as he moves forward to help business owners sell their business. Stephenson entrepreneurial experience stems from when he founded and headed a commodities transportation business that served processors, manufacturers and exporters in a round-the-clock, no-holidays operation. In nine years Stephenson quadrupled the business to over $2 million in annual revenue and built the staff to nearly 20 employees.

“We’re very excited about the addition of Fred Stephenson as a Business Broker. We believe that he has a unique set of skills that will make him very successful as he helps people sell a business and provide the best results,” stated Dan Kite, “I was struck by Stephenson’s business knowledge and experience as well as his ability to understand the personal and financial implications for an individual when it comes to them selling their business.”

Most recently Stephenson was a banker at Charter One Bank providing financing and to small and medium sized businesses. He arranged conventional and SBA loan packages for manufacturers, distributors, line haul and local transporters, research concerns, franchises, software makers, staffing companies, contractors, professionals, property managers and service industries of all types. His clients ranged in size from $5 to $20 million in revenues.

Stephenson started his career in domestic corn trading where he advised and executed trades on behalf of users, merchants and speculators with interests in the commodity futures and options markets. Stephenson became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and designed accounting software and control systems for grain consumption/payment and options and futures risk management. Fred oversaw the grain consumption and inherent risk of a major miller as well as managed the sale of the consequent by-product to markets ranging from individuals to domestic conglomerates to worldwide exporters.

Fred’s experiences have allowed him to gain insight to a wide spectrum of businesses and to develop the skills necessary to help business owners sell their businesses in a matter that rewards them financially and helps them transition to the next phase of their life.

Stephenson graduated from Purdue University in 1980 where he studied economics with a focus on agriculture and business management.

About Dan Kite

Dan has twenty years of entrepreneurial business experience and is considered an expert in business development, franchising, retail operations, technology development and real estate development. Dan began his career working with his family’s business. The business, the Marcus Corporation based in Milwaukee, WI, is the sixth largest movie theatre chain in the country and owns or operates over sixteen full service hotels.

He has owned, developed, operated, and sold his own businesses, including a chain of Blockbuster Video stores, Screenz Computing Centers, and Tailor’s Touch. He has also founded two software companies and has licensed his technology to Fortune 500 companies throughout the nation. Dan has been both a franchisee and a franchisor giving him a unique perspective on the world of franchising. Dan most recently spent five years as a Director of a private equity firm.

Daniel Kite holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University where he graduated, Magna Cum Laude.

To learn more about Dan Kite visit http://www.chicagolandsunbelt.com/team-Kite.htm

About Chicagoland Sunbelt

Business, Education, Electronics

Kathy Beimfohr, CBI & Broker at Chicagoland Sunbelt, Successfully Sells Electronic Education Business

February 1, 2011 kkelly10 Leave a comment

Beimfohr, CBI, brought numerous interested buyers to the table and successfully negotiated a sale for a Baby Boomer wanting to retire. Baby Boomers looking to retire is a growing phenomenon in business brokerage.

Contact: Domenic Rinaldi
Address: 8745 W. Higgins Road, Suite 220, Chicago, IL 60631
Phone: 773-243-1603
Email: drinaldi@sunbeltnetwork.com
URL: www.chicagolandsunbelt.com

Chicago, February 1, 2011 – Chicagoland Sunbelt and Kathy Beimfohr, Certified Business Intermediary and Broker at Chicagoland Sunbelt (www.chicagolandsunbelt.com) were contracted by an owner of an electronic education business to handle the sale of his business. The successful transaction was completed in the last quarter of 2010. The seller wished to retire and needed to transition his business to a new owner. In addition to operating a business he founded and ran for seventeen years, the sale of his business provided funds for retirement. This transaction is part of a growing trend. In 2011 the oldest Baby Boomers turn sixty-five. There are seventy-six million Baby Boomers in the United States. The business community is looking at a period of businesses ownership transition as business owners look to sell one of their major assets –their business- and move on to retirement.

The seller founded the business seventeen years ago. The product serves the continuing educational needs of school administrators and superintendents. The seller gathered relevant educational theory and practice content from today’s leading experts. Interviews with leaders in education and business were the highlight of each edition. The unique content is delivered by DVD or streamed from the web. Three states have contracted with this business to supply continuing education to their education professionals statewide. “This company truly provides the first anytime/anywhere resource for busy administrators and educators,“ says Beimfohr, “making it extremely convenient and highly accessible information that is required for continuing education credits.”

Over one hundred interested buyers contacted Beimfohr and Chicagoland Sunbelt with interest in learning more about the business. This business was a truly one-of-its kind educational format with consistent revenues and a tremendous opportunity for growth. The combination of the industry served and the state-of-the-art distribution made the business very attractive to business buyers. Fifty-seven potential buyers actually were shown the business. Multiple offers were generated that produced successful results: the business sold for full asking price. The buyer and seller worked out a satisfactory transition including consulting from the seller as the buyer got up to speed and put his future plans in place.

“The interest in this type of business was remarkable”, says Beimfohr, “due to its position on the forefront of technology and the fact that it meets a consistent need of our nation’s educators.”

“It is important when considering the sale of your business to find the team that is right for you,” stated Domenic Rinaldi, Managing Director of Chicagoland Sunbelt, “and Kathy Beimfohr really provides leadership to sellers in a potentially stressful time. Her designation as a Certified Business Intermediary demonstrates her commitment to being a transaction professional.”

About Kathy Beimfohr

As a former business owner, Beimfohr brings extensive knowledge and experience that supports her ability to assist buyers and sellers alike meet their objectives. With seven years of experience at Sunbelt, Kathy has assisted numerous business owners in the confidential sale of their business ranging from main street operations to multi-million dollar enterprises. In her role as an intermediary, Beimfohr is able to identify key issues in the process of selling, create marketing strategies that bring results, negotiate offers, and work closely with a client’s advisors such as attorneys, CPA’s and others to help ensure a smooth and successful transaction.

She is a member of the International Business Brokers Association and has been awarded the professional designation of Certified Business Intermediary. This designation is earned through the IBBA who maintains industry standards within the business brokerage industry in order to ensure that professional conduct and ethics is extended to clients at all times.

About Chicagoland Sunbelt

About Certified Business Intermediaries – Source: International Business Brokers Association

A Certified Business Intermediary, or CBI, is the designation awarded by the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) to members that have met select educational requirements and ethical standards. IBBA, with 1,500 members worldwide, is the largest international, non-profit association operating exclusively for the benefit of people and firms engaged in the various aspects of business brokerage and mergers and acquisitions.

With the skills necessary to handle the marketing, negotiations and complex details involved, a CBI can successfully complete the purchase or sale of your business. A higher level of education and training means that a CBI will have more access to people and information than other business brokers. A CBI has professional affiliations with hundreds of other intermediaries in addition to the most current industry information regarding taxes, government and legislation.

A CBI’s experience and knowledge of current marketplace conditions is critically important when it becomes time to sell a business.