February 2022. Where are we? The fumes of the corona pandemic with all its attendant restrictions are slowly dissipating. For some sectors, it will be true that air is finally coming back after a lot of misery. However, the takeover market thunders on in all its ferocity. Like some kind of "underground," steaming on despite all the restrictions of the past two years as if nothing is or was wrong.
Sure, there has been a dip. Business sellers were also uncertain, cautious and pulled back at the beginning of the pandemic, but that was only temporary. There was and is a pressing succession problem in SMEs.
Moreover, additional effects such as staff shortages, logistical problems and now inflation have also sometimes brought forward the sale of the business. Buyers also temporarily held back, but are now coming from all over again, so the takeover market has reportedly been back to pre-pandemic levels for some time.
Management buy-in
In addition to a crowded acquisition market, we are also dealing with an overstretched job market. You hear it everywhere; businesses are stuck with unfilled vacancies (even after acquisitions) and thus find it difficult to realize growth plans. The job market is so heated that desirable personnel are being pulled on all sides. There is literally an attempt to pluck them from anywhere, loose or permanent . This applies not only to 'hands', but equally to the need for strong, experienced managers and leaders to manage growth plans of ambitious businesses.
Just when you had decided to realize a long-standing latent desire: entrepreneurship through a business acquisition. We also see that, as a starting entrepreneur(management buy-in), you have to stand firm nowadays in order to resist all temptations/offers that come your way, while an acquisition process lies ahead of you that can also take a long time and is uncertain. So why not grab that new job or interim job (again) and push forward your plans for your own business? You've probably done that many times before.
Cry for successors
However, the succession market is also crying out for you. Maybe not as loud and visible, but that cry is definitely there. The demand for successors or co-entrepreneurs currently exceeds the supply of strong MBI'ers. The aforementioned succession problem is very current and sometimes even amplified by corona: the need among older entrepreneurs to step back earlier than planned. In addition, many markets and businesses are growing strongly, creating a growing need for fellow entrepreneurs to take that (growth) step.
Now might be a great time to start looking for your own business. A business that perfectly matches your experience and ambition and that needs your profile. Those businesses are plentiful at the moment! Money is also plentiful in the market, although you will also have to put in your own resources. So the third piece of the puzzle, the successor (currently stuck in jobs and temp jobs), is still the missing link in many cases.
So do some soul-searching before you (again) decide to take that job or interim job, while that long-cherished entrepreneurial opportunity might be a lot closer than you thought.
