Module 1: How a Dealership is Valued

• Trends to Look For in Dealership Performance
• How is a Dealership Valued
• What is Goodwill and How is it Calculated
• What are Normalized Earnings and How are they Calculated
• Real Estate – Should I Buy or Rent?

Module 2: How to Buy a Dealership

• Various Structures – Asset Sale, Share Sale, Minority Partner Buy-In
• Vendor Take Back – How Does that Work?
• Securing Your Financing – Debt Methodologies
• Finding Professional Services – Bankers, Lawyers, Accountants

Module 3: Finding the Opportunity

• Urban, Suburban, Rural – The Advantages and Disadvantages When Buying
• Do I Need / Want an Equity Partner
• Avoiding the Pitfalls of a Partnership

Module 4: The Art of the Deal

• How to Negotiate A Fair Deal
• Recognizing the Good Deal versus the Bad Deal
• How to Find the “Red Flags” in the Buy-Sell Agreement

Module 5: So Now You are a Partner or a Dealer

• What to Look for as a Majority Partner or a Minority Partner
• Majority Partners – Methods to Increase Your Stake
• Retained Earnings versus Dividends – Monitoring

Module 6: Self-Assessment and Action Plan

• Creating Your Specific Action Plan – How to Begin the Process and What to Include
• Assessing Your Own True Net Worth – How Much Can You Invest?
• Assessing Your Ability to Meet Lender Requirements for Securing Financing
• Assessing Your Ability to Meet Manufacturer’s Requirements for Approval (what is truly important in securing their support)