<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=windows-1250"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005>Sorry to hear you're having troubles.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005>As a starting point, I heartily = suggest you consult an experienced CPA and a business-savvy attorny who work with = small business owners. I have a little experience in this kind of thing from a = consulting business I had, not pianos (in another life).</SPAN></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005>If you and I were the only tuners = in an area and you wanted to sell the business, I wouldn't give you a nickle for = it. I would simply take over the business as it came to me. If you found a = tuner, new or experienced, who wanted to buy it, he would still have to establish = himself with each client. I'd probably have a chance to whittle into that = business, too.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005>My point is that the biggest = assets in most service businesses are the client list (always fragile, new owners have = no guarantees of continuing relationships) and the local reputation, which basically goes poof as soon as people find out that you, their = trusted Gulbransen Guru, Mason Mystic and Knabe Knoodler, are no = longer there. This is true in spades when the business is basically = "you."</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005>Anyway, this kind of thinking = should help keep the "valuation" on the very small side, I hope. After all, the = biggest value consideration any business has is it's ability to generate cash = flow after costs, in a favorable relation to any debt it carries. In your case, = assuming you are a one-man-band like me, your "business cash flow" and your = "personal earnings for alimony/child support" are really the same thing. No = fair considering the same dollars up for grabs in both categories, I say!</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV>Alan R. Barnard</DIV> <DIV align=left> <DIV><SPAN class=833191805-12042005>Wishing you all the best from = </SPAN>Salem, MO</DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On = Behalf Of </B>Zissrichard@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, April 11, 2005 10:14 PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> valuing a tuning = business<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial> <DIV>I need to appraise my tuning practice for a divorce = settlement. Has anyone bought or sold their practice recently or know someone who has?</DIV></FONT><BR> <P>--<BR>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR>Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.6 - Release = Date: 04/11/2005<BR></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=2>--<BR> No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR> Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.6 - Release Date: = 04/11/2005<BR> </FONT> </P>