Frequently Asked Questions…

Can anyone sell my business?
It is illegal in most jurisdictions in Canada, for a party to broker and/or represent a buyer or seller in the purchase and sale of a privately-held business, unless the party is a specifically registered under provincial legislation to perform such services, or a practising attorney providing a legal service.

JAMES R. DUBROY LTD is a duly registered under Ontario’s Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002, and as such it is both a business brokerage and a real estate brokerage.

For a confidential, exploratory conversation, please click here to contact James.

How to choose the right business brokerage or business intermediary?
In all professions, there are generalists and there are those who focus.

In business brokerage or with business intermediary services, generalists tend to list any type or size of business and are often franchises or residential real estate agencies that also list small businesses for sale. In either case, a generalist’s website will typically reveal an array of small or marginal businesses for sale.

Brokerages that focus tend to concentrate on a particular size or type of business. The higher the level of focus, the greater the expertise.

JAMES R. DUBROY LTD, a business brokerage boutique, has focused for nearly three decades in providing highly customized service to owners of substantive business operations located for the most part in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Buyers of course can be from anywhere, though, in most cases the buyer will be from the same geographical area or in the same field as the entity being sold.

For a confidential, exploratory conversation, please click here to contact James.

Can anyone value or appraise a business or company?
In theory, yes, anyone can value a business. Since ownership of a business often represents major or significant value to shareholders or business owners, it is best, however, to engage the services of an individual specifically trained in business valuation.

James Dubroy, a Certified Management Consultant and the broker of record of JAMES R. DUBROY LITD, a business brokerage boutique, has completed the rigorous program study of Canada’s pre-eminent business valuation organization, and has nearly three decades of experience in providing expert business valuation and appraisal services and advice.

To enquire about our business valuation and appraisal services, please click here to contact James.

Do I need a business or management consultant, and how do I choose the right one?
Business or management consultants are often sought out when business owners and/or managers of organizations, are faced with particular problems, challenges or opportunities.

Choosing the right consultant is critical.

James Dubroy is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and as such is specifically trained and experienced in assessing and defining business and management problems, developing business and management strategies, and implementing recommendations dealing with business and management issues.

Government funds are available to assist small to mid-sized firms in Canada that need business or management consulting services, and James is a CMC specifically pre-qualified to provide such consulting services. This government-funded management advisory service helps owners and/or management define issues, set priorities and establish action plans. Engagements cover a wide range of projects from strategy and human resources to financial planning and marketing.

For further information on business and management consulting and/or on government funding of such services, please click here to contact James.

What about fees?
Fees vary with the nature and scope of the engagement, and are as agreed on a case-by-case basis between the parties.

• Business brokerage or real estate brokerage fees are either a flat fee, or percentage commission, or some combination of both, depending on the particulars of the undertaking.
• Business intermediary and/or business valuation services are typically conducted on the basis of a flat fee.
• Business or management consulting assignments can be conducted on the basis of a unit rate (e.g. hourly, daily, weekly) against achievement of pre-determined milestones, a fixed price contract, and/or arranged as a success-based fee.

To enquire about obtaining a quote for a particular engagement, please click here to contact James.