Chef Mark Mattern, MBA, CEC

The Demographics of Buying a Business   A white paper published by BizBuySell recently covered the demographics of those buying a business.  It was fascinating reading with some of their key findings (quoted directly from page 2 of the report below). Business ownership runs in families: 55 percent of sellers have a parent or grandparent that owned a small business. 49 percent of sellers plan to exit their small businesses in the next five years, but only 29 percent are currently prepared for the sale process. Younger buyers are more ethnically diverse than their elders: 49 percent of 18 to 29 year-old buyers identify as a minority, compared to 19 percent of buyers in their 50s or older. The number one motivation for purchasing a small business is the chance to be your own boss, cited by 63 percent of all buyers. 12 percent of sellers and almost 10 percent of buyers are veterans. These are just the key findings of this report but there are many more findings we will describe and compare

Fall is a great time of year. Poached pears are magic. The idea of spring sweetened by the spice of fall garnished with the chill of winter ice cream. Chef Mark Mattern    

5 Things to Consider Before Opening Up a Restaurant If you're thinking about starting up a restaurant, here are the top 5 things you need to consider to make sure your restaurant is a success.  1. Concept:  The most important element of your restaurant is the concept. This is one of those areas that appears deceptively easy, but the reality is this requires a lot of thought and research.  2. Work with a consultant:  hire a brand consultant to work with you to develop a strategy for branding your business based on your target audience and your goals for your restaurant. 3.  Menu design:  When people think of the menu, they often think just about the food on it. But how that food is organized and displayed is important for maintaining your concept. 4. Be accessible:  Location is extremely important when it comes to opening a restaurant, and your success will largely depend on how easily people can get to your restaurant. 5. Work with a head chef you trust and respect:  Having unique