Business Brokers often double as business appraisers. I see a real problem with business brokers and their valuations teams it seems like a huge conflict of interest to me. Many times the business broker sales person is also a licensed business evaluator. But the job should be done by a CPA or a non-involved “Certified Business Appraiser” and not the same Business Broker making the listing for the sale of that business.

See: http://www.cpa2biz.com

Other books on this subject I found relevant are:

“A CPAs Guide to Valuing a Closely Held Business” by Gary Trugman.

“The Value Reporting Revolution: Moving Beyond the Earnings Game” by Robert Eccles.

One should find it ironic that a sales man for a business broker company can tell a prospect anything he wants to and then in the purchase agreement and even the deposit agreement from the buyer have a clause in the contract that says something to the effect that you have done your due diligence and nothing we have said verbally or in writing was used to affect your decision. As a franchisor I take issue with these things. You see these same business brokers have all kinds of web sites, which they charge franchisors to be on to sell their franchises. Yet a franchisor cannot do the same thing due to regulations, then the business brokers charge the franchisor one half the franchise fee for a commission.

Very questionable activity as was also talked about in the Journal of Accountancy, not about franchises but about real evaluations. I have seen accountant students sitting in Borders Cafщ studying their rather large text books on the subject and also heard horror stories from bankers of under evaluating businesses, business brokers under valuating when working for the seller and over evaluating when working for the buyer; all in order to secure the commission and make the sale. This sort of incentive yields abuses and cheating in the game. Similarly the real estate agent who hires an appraiser knows those who are heavy-handed evaluators and uses them to her advantage when needed. The truth is anything is only worth what someone will pay you for it. Accountants, many of them are crooks out right, while many of them are simply doing business as usual while everyone else pays for their little sins. All these people, humans who hold themselves out as professionals are simply doing what this species is very much known for; taking advantage of a situation for their own personal gain. We need to have adequate rules which reward honesty, but all we have is attorneys making rules? Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs