Van-Go and company Help! I need help to ask a potential broker the right questions

[kimoonyx]

Hi Guys,

Its been a while since I posted here because I have been super busy with Game Store Setups and maneuvering for the new generations of consoles. However I have been very active with you guys in the past and have always received some great points of view. I need to bounce this off of you because I feel this is a huge step, and will probably result into me going to contract a broker to sell my setups. I have never utilized a broker because how my company is represented is very personal to me.

This guy stuck out to me,as there is no up front cost (I cant deny that it is a plus lol) and because I have actually heard of the company that backs his local firm (I wont post the name to assure you that this is no advertisement.) the firm that backs this specific broker according to him has 220 offices nationwide, so I am really excited at the prospect of them really being able to get the word out about my offering.

We had an initial conversation yesterday and I felt good about it, and based on an email I received from him late yesterday evening so did he. He has my non disclosure agreement now and will be reviewing it and sending it back soon so I have this time before the conversation ramps up to prepare and really ask him the hard questions to make sure I am not getting into business with someone who will misrepresent my company.

Questions that do not need to be asked are his background, and who he has already sold for, as he sent me an impressive resume, and reference sheet, listing clients and businesses he has sold, so that I can do my due diligence which is beginning today.I already know he wants no money upfront, only a piece of the sale.
I've got the most obvious question covered (what percentage do you expect to receive if we strike a deal.) But beyond that..I was wondering if you guys had any good questions to offer up to really make him squirm and allow me to get an even better sense of what i'm jumping into.

I hope i will get all the love on this one that I have come to expect from this group of forward thinkers. I am a huge fan of this free resource!

[Freelancier]

So you have a list of companies they've sold and references. Assume the references are the super-happy customers. Try to talk with some of the others, especially those in a similar situation as you. Find out if they're really happy, whether they'd want to further expand the relationship, what surprised them after working with the guy for a while (either about the guy or about their own business).

I think the biggest risk is he ramps up faster than you can keep up. Second biggest risk is that he does indeed sell your stuff wrong, so you need a way to approve/reject any sale he brings you.

Does this broker bring something to the table -- specifically a set of customers you're having trouble breaking into -- that you can't get in another way that's just as reasonably priced? Do you need to provide all the marketing materials to him or does he create his own... how does that work?

Sounds exciting. Don't let the excitement rule your brain, though.

[Green Payment Solutions]

Wow love your website. We have a serious gamer in my office. Are you talking about franchising fees for your business or are you talking about game development? I have read many non- disclosure and non-compete clauses. That was with my other business import/export in South Korea. My business partner also has an app development company as well. My name is Bryan.

[kimoonyx]

Thats a good answer FreeLancer...ooo...that rhymes! Thats a good ans-ah free lan-sah, your tha shiz... im gonna use those pointers, to improve mah Biz!!!... :)

Sorry, I'm not sure what happened there. Perhaps the best of all of that advise is not to let excitement rule my brain. You've got me pegged there... I am excitable for sure... Fortunately the crutch free entrepreneurial lifestyle has taught me that about myself and thus I tend to overcompensate, trying to restrain to not act impulsively...(when I can help it lol) Good call on making sure I secure a way to reject deals, my mind was all about securing them...i'm not sure if I would have remembered to negotiate that ability. Regarding keeping up I have trustworthy "boots on the ground" that I have worked with in the past that can assist me if volume ramps up. If it moves beyond what I can handle with my inner circles than... well just typing that in presses that excitability button! lol

I'll be sure to find out exactly what he is bringing to the table in terms of marketing.

Thanks again for taking the time FreeLancer

[kimoonyx]

Bryan up there at Green Payment Solutions just got a taste of my responsiveness!! Thanks for your advise and conversation today Bryan, I look forward to receiving your information.