Jim Myers

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! 🦃 🍁

As we gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to express what I'm truly thankful for in my life. 🙏

I'm thankful for my wonderful friends and family, for all the opportunities I've been given in my life, for all the people I've been blessed to work with over the years and for my amazing clients both past and present.

From family and friends to colleagues and clients. I'm truly thankful for all the people I've gotten to know over the years.

May God bless you and your loved one’s during this day of thankfulness. Happy Thanksgiving! ✨

11/27/2024

What makes successful entrepreneurs different from those who miss the mark? 🤔

It's not luck. As someone who’s owned and operated multiple businesses myself, it’s safe to say that we likely share some of the same challenges that all entrepreneurs face.

It’s easy to get stuck working in your business instead of on it, stumble when faced with uncertainty, and neglect your personal well-being when running a business. I want to discuss some of these challenges that most entrepreneurs face and share some tips that’ll help you become a more resilient business owner.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻 𝘃𝘀. 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 🛠️ 🏢

One of the most important things to understand as an entrepreneur is whether you're working in your or on your business. These two things are not the same, so you need to find clarity around where you are putting your energy and find a balance between the two.

I know this phrase may seem a bit overused, but that’s because it holds a lot of truth for business owners.

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆 📉 📊 ‍

How do you manage your business in times of uncertainty? Focusing on your goals and keeping the end in mind will help you navigate the unknown, even when things are out of your control. You have to be confident in what you're trying to accomplish and stay focused on the end game. This will keep you focused and determined when you are faced with adversity.

𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 🔊 🚫

If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to block out all outside noise so that you can focus on your business's big picture. You really have to think about what you want to accomplish, and it’s hard to do so when inviting outside distractions into your daily work routines.

But that’s easier said than done nowadays when we have access to all the world's information at our fingertips.

For instance, I used to jump online to check the news first thing in the morning. When doing this, I often found myself distracted at work, thinking about everything else going on in the world. But when I decided to cut out all of the distractions and solely dedicate my focus every morning to how I could get closer to reaching my goals, I started to see real results.

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 💼 👨‍👩‍👦

Every business owner knows how hard it can be to separate their personal life from their business. Because your business becomes your identity, it's what you do. But, at the end of the day, you must find balance here.

It’s essential to take some time away from your business and focus on other important aspects of your life. Spending time with friends and family, practicing hobbies, and taking breaks to unwind and relax are incredibly important for your emotional and physical well-being. Finding this balance will put you in a better state of mind and help you perform better in your business.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 🔍 ⚖️

It's easy to get overwhelmed when these issues arise, especially if things seem to be out of your control. That's why it's best to put things in place that will help you be more flexible when problems come up.

Having gone through these challenges, learning from my mistakes, and staying flexible have led to valuable lessons and new opportunities. I've been able to come out the other side stronger and more resilient. If you follow these tips, so can you!

If you need advice for your specific situation, I’m happy to help. Let’s chat! 🗣️ 📲

https://myersba.com/virtual-coffee/

11/25/2024

If your restaurant is currently facing difficulties, you’re not alone. 🍽️ 🙅‍♂️

Current trends in the restaurant industry show that small local restaurants are struggling to stay afloat right now.

The best way to keep a competitive edge in this market is to set your business apart from the crowd—requiring solid systems, operations, and great people on your team. 🗂️ 👥

Great operators have very good, well-trained people. These operators watch their costs and create compelling menus for diners.

They offer something different, like a high-quality product that's a little different from others, whether it's a farm-to-table concept, an ethnic concept, or fine steaks and great wine. 🥩 🍷

All these things work together to differentiate your business from others, but ultimately, it all comes back to operations.

Well-trained staff across the board, in the office, and in front—and back-of-the-house operations is essential for long-term success in the restaurant industry. 🌟

If you’re a restaurant owner looking for guidance, then schedule a quick chat with me to discuss your specific goals and needs. 📆 🗣️

https://myersba.com/virtual-coffee/

11/20/2024

𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 👀 🔙

In this blog post, I dive deep into my time spent helping companies on the brink of collapse—my experience, important takeaways and lessons learned from my time spent in this role

So head over to my site and for a great read 📰

I spent over eight years in turnaround consulting, working with businesses that were in serious trouble. In every case, our goal was simple—figure out what was going wrong and help the business get back on track.

11/18/2024

My Top Business for Sale ⬆️ 💼

If anything catches your interest, go inquire on my site!

Or head over if you're curious to see all my current listings for sale 🔗👇

https://myersba.com/my-listings/

11/15/2024

𝗤𝟯 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁—𝗠𝘆 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 🔑 📈

Just finished reading Axial’s latest M&A report, and there’s some great news for anyone thinking about selling a business. Buyer interest is still high—even with the economic ups and downs. Industries like healthcare, business services, and IT are in serious demand, so if you’re in one of these fields, you’re in a great spot.

One big takeaway for sellers: although demand is high, buyers are being very selective. They’re looking for businesses with steady cash flow, a solid management team, and clear growth potential.

So here’s my advice: if you’re considering selling, start by tightening up your numbers and making sure you have a strong team in place. Showing that your business can run smoothly without you is a big plus in a buyer’s eyes.

Feel free to check out the full article for more insights ⬇️

https://www.axial.net/forum/the-smb-ma-pipeline-q3-2024/?utm_campaign=MMR%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8RphEh0Y9ABojULC2mbSwzFEZ4WLmD4Qikf-zCOAWMfkrSCIfnavJoOGqF37IcKyg13T890kjl-wz-XwKoGlfLnxK8Sw&_hsmi=328543803&utm_content=328543803&utm_source=hs_email

11/14/2024

If you’re a business owner or thinking about becoming one, I’ve got to say—Northeast Ohio is an incredible place to do it. 💼 ✅

There’s something unique here that you don’t find in every market. It’s not just the opportunities; it’s the real sense of community and pride in entrepreneurship. Around here, people genuinely root for each other’s success. 👥 🥇

One of my favorite things about this area is the growing support system dedicated to helping business owners make it. We have organizations like Magnet https://www.manufacturingsuccess.org/ manufacturing companies, Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) https://case.edu/weatherhead/academics/entrepreneurship-through-acquisition
and Promise Partners (https://www.promise-partners.org/) first time owners.

And that’s just the start. Groups like TMA (https://www.turnaround.org/) and ACG (https://www.acg.org/) fantastic networking and resources for entrepreneurs in every stage. Our local chambers of commerce, like the one in Solon (https://www.solonchamber.com/) I’m a member, are great resources too—they bring people together, create real connections, and provide a ton of support.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗵𝗶𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁? 🤔
There’s a real pride in being a business owner here that’s hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it. This region has a long history of rolling up its sleeves and getting things done, and that’s exactly what you’ll see in our small business community.

If you’re an entrepreneur in Northeast Ohio, you’re part of a network that values hard work, integrity, and lifting each other up. We’re not just running businesses—we’re building a community.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘁❓
So, if you’re a business owner or thinking about buying a business, take advantage of what’s around you. Start with local resources and groups that can help you along the way.

Get to know other business owners, join a chamber, and attend events—there’s a real benefit to being part of this network. Whether you’re looking to grow, stabilize, or start a new venture, there are people and organizations here that are invested in your success.

If you’re in the Cleveland, Akron area, or anywhere around Northeast Ohio, you’re in good company. You’ve got resources, a supportive community, and a network of people who understand the hard work it takes to build a business.

Tap into it, get involved, and let’s keep making Northeast Ohio a fantastic place to own and grow a business. If you’re unsure which organizations to join, don’t hesitate to reach out! 📲 💬

11/13/2024

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 ⛅ 🌅 🕐

From a young age, I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I wasn't ready to make the jump early in my career. I tend to plan out my life in terms of being on the right end of the risk-return curve, and in my early years, it wasn’t in the cards for me.

The first time I really took on the risk of being solely responsible for my income was when I joined GE Capital in 1995 for a position based on 100% commission. I ended up staying in that role for eight years, and it was in that role that I realized that if you hustle and stay focused, good things happen.

𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 🏔️

But as the years passed, my desire to pursue entrepreneurship grew stronger, and I knew I just had to get out there and try it for myself. I had partners who were familiar with the trucking industry, and I ended up buying a trucking company a month before the great collapse in 2008.

As you can imagine, this did not end well for me, as the business eventually went under. And yes, I had to lick my wounds for a while, but I was able to get back on my feet.

Throughout that experience, I learned a lot about putting together a deal, doing proper due diligence, having the right capital structure in place, and ensuring I brought on the right partners. Even if the outcome didn’t go as I had hoped, I learned some valuable lessons that would help lead me to future success in my career—I just didn’t know it at the time.

𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 🏊‍♂️

As the years passed, I knew my journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t over, and I eventually took the leap and acquired a moving and storage business. This time around, I brought in all the lessons I learned from last time to ensure a bright future for my newly acquired business. Over three years, I sustainably built up my business and ended up selling it for much more than what I bought it for.

𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 🌟

Well, there are a lot of things, really, but if I had to narrow it down to just one, I would have to say being able to build up those around me in my business. What you do to grow your business does not solely benefit yourself but those around you in your business as well.

As a business owner, there's a direct line between what you do every day and your employees' opportunity set. I felt a sense of purpose and pride knowing I was working to better the lives of those that I worked with.

𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 🗣️

The advice I’d give to those currently looking to buy a business is simple: Do your due diligence ahead of time and make sure you really understand what you're buying and what skills you need to grow that business. Also don't worry too much, just take the leap; you've got this!

11/11/2024

Happy Monday Everyone! 😁

Today, I wanted to share some “Monday Motivation” to hopefully get everyone started off on the right foot this week.

What keeps me motivated?

It might sound a bit familiar, but beginning with the end in mind.

This is a direct quote from Stephen M. R. Covey, author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

This has always stuck with me after reading his book, and I continue to use it daily to keep myself motivated and on target throughout the week.

Starting with the end in mind helps me understand exactly what my goals are.

Now, every morning, when I start my day, I think about what I need to get done in order to achieve them.

Having a clear vision keeps me motivated, even when times get tough.

If you’ve been struggling with motivation, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to the best of us.

But trust me, keeping the end in mind will put you back on the right track, just as it did for me.

So here’s to staying motivated and a great week ahead! ✨

11/06/2024

The demand we’re seeing right now from interested buyers is THROUGH THE ROOF! 📈 💥

As the end of the calendar year approaches, more and more people are looking to get a deal done. 📆 🤝

So what does this mean for you?

Well, this could mean different things based off what role you fit into:

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀:
With the high level of acquisition activity, the best opportunities aren’t going to stick around for very long.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀:
A larger pool of interested buyers means a faster sales process and more leverage to negotiate a desirable price for your business.

But no matter if you’re a buyer or seller, the same advice applies:

Get a Move On! 🏃💨

If you don’t want to miss out on your chance, schedule a virtual coffee session with me so we can sit down and discuss your best options moving forward. 📲 ⬇️

https://myersba.com/virtual-coffee/

11/05/2024

So, I thought I’d ask a quick question today…

Why do we strive to lift up our clients? 🤔

This might sound like a dumb question to ask because, as business professionals, we all want to provide the most value for our clients.

And yes, we do this for reasons like retaining our clientele and building a reputable name.

BUT, there is another reason why…

Because we genuinely care about our clients!🌟

Over time, we form genuine relationships working with them and are motivated to help them to the best of our ability.

We all want to see our clients succeed and feel a sense of accomplishment, seeing them reach their goals and aspirations.

So, what can you do to better help your clients?

Introduce them to exciting new investment opportunities. 📈

Our clients are always searching for new ways to grow and expand.

And sharing these opportunities gives your clients valuable options to grow and reach their business goals.

So, if you’re looking for new ways to provide more value to your client…

Come take a look at my current business listings! 👀

If you see anything that might be a good fit for them, make sure to send it over their way.

Who knows? Your recommendation could lead to their next big success. 🔗 👇

https://myersba.com/my-listings/

10/31/2024

If you’re thinking about buying a business, Ohio is a state that’s got a lot of great opportunities for your next investment‍. 📈 ✅

I might be a bit biased, but I’ve been in this market for 30+ years now (dang, I’m getting old). Needless to say, I know what I’m talking about.

Even if you’ve narrowed down the location to Ohio, finding the right business for sale takes some strategy. So why don’t I walk you through some of the best ways to go about it?

1. Start with Online Platforms 🖥️
Like everything nowadays, the search begins online. Websites like BizBuySell.com and Axial.net list thousands of businesses, including many in Ohio. You’ll see everything from “salary businesses”—those smaller, owner-run setups that provide steady income—to fully staffed operations that can run without you hovering over them. The variety in choices might be appreciated but on the other end, it’s easy to feel buried under a mountain of choices.

​​But here’s the thing: you’ll see a lot of variety in quality. Some listings look great, but the business might barely get by. That’s where having someone to help you pick through the good, the bad, and the in-between can save you time and headaches.

2. Explore Off-Market Opportunities 🗝️
Now, this is where things get interesting. Some of the best opportunities are “off-market”—businesses that are for sale but not actively advertised. To find these, you’ll need some good old-fashioned networking.

Sometimes, knowing the right people—a local attorney, an accountant, or even reaching out directly to owners—can reveal hidden gems. And don’t forget about looking at competitors or suppliers. It takes a bit of legwork, but you can uncover some pretty solid options this way.

3. Get Clear on What You’re Looking For 🎯
Before diving in, take a step back. What kind of business are you after? Are you looking for a business that provides a steady income? Or are you seeking a growth-oriented platform you can build and eventually sell? Your answers will help narrow down your search significantly.

Then, think about geography. How far are you willing to travel? If you’re in Cleveland, is Columbus doable? How about Dayton or even Pittsburgh? Getting clear on this now will help you avoid wasted time down the line.

4. Seek Expert Advice 🗣️
Don’t try to tackle this alone. I get calls from friends and clients all the time saying, “Jim, what do you think of this listing?” I’m always happy to reach out to the other broker, dig into the details, and find out if it’s a good fit or if there's any red flags.

Buying a business is a big deal, and having someone who knows the ropes can make all the difference. So if you’re serious about this, give me a call. I’ll help you find a business that fits your goals and sets you up for success. I can help you make sure you’re not just buying a business—but buying the right one. 📲 ⬇️

https://myersba.com/virtual-coffee/