How do I plan my ski shop’s summer months for a buyer?

Start with cash. Prepare a simple month-by-month cash flow for a full year, showing when money comes in and goes out. Highlight the months with low sales and how you bridged them. The cash flow planning guide offers a way to lay this out.

Then describe how you use the time. Summer might mean ordering for the next season, repairing rental equipment, tuning, hosting events or selling bikes, camping gear or other goods. Explain what works and what you would try. A buyer can judge the plan better when it is concrete.

Cover staffing. Which employees stay through summer, and which leave and return? Explain how you keep people loyal and how hiring works in the fall. Show how pre-season orders are timed so you are not paying for stock long before it can sell. The inventory guide may help you explain this. Finally, put your ideas in a short written plan the buyer can use. A business plan template gives a structure, and your accountant can help you check the figures behind it. Be ready to explain what you would change if you stayed, since that shows the buyer that you have thought about the shop’s next steps.

Key takeaways

• Prepare a month-by-month cash flow showing the quiet months honestly.
• Describe what you do in summer, from ordering to repairs to other sales.
• Explain staffing and when pre-season orders are paid for.