Hmmm
BEWARE BUSINESS SALES AGENTS VALUATIONS
the reason most owner operated carpet cleaning set ups sell for equipment value only is market forces - i.e. thats all they are worth,
I know Jason is one of the smarter operators but hope he hasn't fallen foul of a classic business sales practice which is to quote a totally unachievable/unrealistic price and then get advertising money from desperate clients, IF NO MONEY AS GONE TO THE AGENT THEN THATS FINE.
I worked for one of the largest business sales agents in the country in the late 80's early 90's,
and they made their money from signing up and not from selling business's ie taking circa £400 advertising money from clients up and down the country who had little more then a wage giving business and no hope of selling; however they signed up over 20 - 30 businesses every week collecting a minimum £8000 in advertising contributions from said businesses and therefore made a small fortune, with minimal overheads, they then franchised their model and made even more (RTA business sales)
Another shocking/nonsensical valuer of businesses are accountants but thats another long story.
Basically no contracts, no residual/contractual income and where the owners own labour produces the profit as very little goodwill value if any.
If you can go away for a fortnight and still earn the same money as when you are working in your business then you have a business thats got some goodwill value, if when you go away it costs you £800 - £1200 per week in lost earnings then you are just self employed and have no real goodwill value.
Anyone with capital would look for a business that pays them regardless of their presence in it, only those with nothing would be at all interested in a business that is solely depending on the owners labour.
Just general points regarding the carpet cleaning industry which as to be one of the worst business models in history,way way below domestic cleaning, office cleaning and window cleaning that are all scaleable, repeat and highly sort after.
IMHO if an OWNER/OPERATOR goes out cleaning every day to get that 31,000 profit his business is worth
£25,000 TOTAL
If he sits at home and manages quotes/schedules/marketing etc with others cleaning and still earns £31,000 then it is worth £45000 - Just my opinion