How do I show a roastery’s wholesale order history without hiding any gaps?
Show the whole record, month by month, account by account, and mark each gap with its reason. A lost client, a paused order or a slow season is easier for a buyer to accept when you explain it than when they find it themselves. Hiding a gap costs you trust in everything else.
Gather every wholesale order for the period you are showing, from invoices and the bank, and arrange them by account and month. Resist the urge to pick the best stretch. A buyer who sees a clean run of orders will go looking for the part you left out.
Mark the gaps clearly. For each account that slowed or stopped, write one or two honest lines: the cafe closed, switched to another roaster, changed ownership, or paused over a quality issue you have since fixed. If you do not know, say so. Where a gap was your own doing, such as a late delivery or a change in terms, include that too.
Next, show what replaced the lost orders and whether new accounts came from your efforts or by chance. Mention any account that could return, and any that is at risk now. Finally, line the history up with your financial statements so the two agree. If they do not, explain the difference before the buyer asks. Your lawyer can advise how to describe the accounts in the sale documents. A buyer who finds the gaps has your explanations in hand, which calms the conversation.
Key takeaways
- Show every month and every account, not just the best stretch.
- Give each gap a plain reason, or say that you do not know.
- Include accounts at risk of leaving now.
- Make sure the history agrees with your financial statements.
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 CanadaIndustryHow to sell your business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernment7 steps to increase your business’ value—before you sell it
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