How do I show a buyer my deck company’s finished-project portfolio?
Present your finished decks as a short, organized portfolio: good photos, a job summary for each build, and the records that back up each one. Choose projects that show the range of work you do, and remove client names and addresses until a buyer has signed a confidentiality agreement.
Pick the projects for what they show, not just for how they look. A buyer wants to see the typical job, the bigger custom builds and some repeat or referred clients. For each, give the type of build, the materials used, how it was sold and how it went. A page for each job is enough, and a buyer can ask for more.
Back the photos with records. If a buyer can tie a photo to an invoice, a signed contract and the payment received, the portfolio becomes evidence of a working business rather than a gallery. Mention any jobs that went badly and how you fixed them; buyers tend to trust a seller who is open about problems.
Protect your clients. Blur house numbers, crop out identifiable fronts and leave names off until later. Once the buyer is serious, offer to arrange a visit to a finished deck, with the homeowner’s permission. Ask your accountant to make sure the jobs in the portfolio line up with the revenue shown in your statements. Update the portfolio before each viewing, so that the newest jobs are included and nothing looks stale or unfinished.
Key takeaways
- Choose projects that show your usual work, your biggest builds and some repeat clients.
- Tie each photo set to its contract, invoice and payment so the portfolio is checkable.
- Hide client identities until the buyer is serious, and ask homeowners before any site visit.
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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 CanadaIndustryHow to sell your business
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernment7 steps to increase your business’ value—before you sell it
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