How do I see the booking calendar and deposits of a catering company?
Ask the seller for the booking calendar for the coming season and match every confirmed event to a signed contract and a deposit record. Check the bank statements, not just a spreadsheet. Then ask what happens to the deposits and the events if ownership changes, since those obligations may become yours.
Begin with the calendar itself. Ask for each event, with its date, client, guest count, menu and the status of the booking: tentative, confirmed or paid. Separate weddings and private events from corporate or repeat clients, because they behave differently when a new owner arrives. Ask how far ahead the shop is usually booked and compare the current calendar with the same point last season.
Next, trace the money. Each deposit should show up in the business bank account, and the calendar should agree with the contracts. Ask where deposits are held, since money taken for future events is a promise to deliver, not income already earned. If the seller has spent it, you may inherit events that are already paid for.
Finally, ask how the transfer will work. Will the clients be told? Will they be offered refunds? Do any contracts name the owner personally? Your lawyer can read the cancellation and assignment terms, and your accountant can explain how the deposits should be shown in the sale price adjustments.
Key takeaways
- Match each calendar entry to a contract and a deposit in the bank records.
- Treat deposits as obligations to deliver, and ask where that money sits.
- Find out how clients will be told about the sale and who holds each contract.
- Compare the current calendar with the same point last season, and separate weddings from corporate and repeat clients before you draw conclusions.
Related reading
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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