How much is my business worth

This short course is for business owners and leaders who want a clear, practical understanding of how their business might be valued and what they can do to improve that value over time. It is written for SME and mid-sized business leaders who do not want to become finance specialists, but who do want to be better prepared for conversations with advisers, investors and potential buyers.

Across four modules, we look at simple valuation methods (including adjusted EBITDA multiples and price–sales ratios), how these numbers are used in practice, and where they are often misleading if you rely on them blindly. We then turn to the buyer’s point of view: how buyers think about contracts, recurring revenue, people, suppliers and intellectual property, and how these elements can move the valuation up or down.

You will also see how the sale process itself can increase or reduce the price you achieve. We cover ideas such as competitive tension between buyers, the risk of relying on a single bidder, and how “chipping” during due diligence can erode value if you are not prepared. Finally, we look at what you can do in the years before a sale to build capital value, create options, and make sure the business can run without you.

Each module ends with questions and exercises so you can apply the ideas directly to your own business and leave with a concrete list of actions.