The book
Contents
Eight parts. Start anywhere. Each page has its own ID, so you can say "see KL-0201" on the phone. One chapter is written. The rest are sketches (outlines).
IWhy it matters
What a town can lose when its businesses leave local hands, and what this book will and will not do.
- KL-0101What a town can losesketchOur view: jobs, giving, and who answers the phone.
- KL-0102Who we are and what we will not dosketchWe teach, we watch public records, we introduce. We do not broker or advise.
- KL-0103How to read this booksketchEvery page has an ID, a date, and a Markdown copy for AI helpers.
IISpot the fox
Is this offer good for my town? Questions to ask before you answer an outside buyer.
- KL-0201Is this offer good for my town?draftedFive questions to ask about any offer, signs to look at twice, and what to do before you answer.
- KL-0202Questions to ask any buyersketchA list you can print and bring to the table.
- KL-0203Reading the paperworksketchWhere the real promises hide in a letter of intent.
- KL-0204'Partner,' 'investment,' 'roll-up'sketchFriendly words that can hide a loss of control.
IIIHand it down in the family
Plan early, write it down, and talk about it before it is urgent.
- KL-0301Start earlysketchWe think a handoff goes best when you start years ahead.
- KL-0302Write down how it runssketchWrite it down so someone else can run it.
- KL-0303Talking to the familysketchWho wants it, who does not, and what each one needs.
- KL-0304Fair is not always equalsketchWays to treat the family fairly when the business cannot be split.
- KL-0305When no one in the family wants itsketchYour next choice can still be local.
IVKeep it in the community
Local buyers, workers who buy, and where to find the money.
- KL-0401Who might buy locallysketchEmployees, a neighbor, a younger owner from the next county.
- KL-0402Workers who own: employee ownershipsketchHow employees can buy the business over time.
- KL-0403Co-ops and community-owned shopssketchWhen customers or townspeople own it together.
- KL-0404Local loans for local buyerssketchBanks, SBA-backed loans and seller notes.
- KL-0405Selling in piecessketchSell the building, the route, or the equipment to different locals.
- KL-0406The Opportunities boardcomingComing: owner-posted businesses and local buyers.
VGrow your business
Tools for young owners: reading your numbers, buying, starting, finding help.
- KL-0501Reading your numberssketchThree numbers every owner should know.
- KL-0502Buying a small business: first stepssketchFrom 'I wonder' to a first conversation.
- KL-0503Starting from zerosketchPermits, tax numbers and the first customer.
- KL-0504Finding a mentorsketchA mentor who has done it before can save you years.
- KL-0505Hiring and keeping helpsketchGood people are the real business.
VIStories: saved and lost
What happened, in order, and what might have changed it. Public facts, or told with permission.
VIIThe Watch
Public-record signals that a local business may have changed hands. Leads to check, never accusations.
- KL-0701The WatchcomingComing: a look at public records for outside owners.
- KL-0702What the Watch will look atsketchPublic records that can show a change of owner.
- KL-0703How to read a signalsketchA signal is a reason to ask a question.
- KL-0704What a signal is notsketchNot proof, not a verdict, not advice.
VIIIResources
Help from other organizations.
- KL-0801Where to get helpdraftedSmall business advisers, SCORE mentors, SBA-backed loans, employee-ownership help, chambers.
- KL-0802Loans for buyerssketchHow loans for buying a business usually work.
- KL-0803Employee-ownership helpsketchWhere owners and workers can learn more.
- KL-0804Plain-words glossarysketchFox, ESOP, letter of intent, earn-out, and more.
Agents: toc.json, llms.txt and the Markdown contents list the same pages.