The Art of Business Valuation

A newly released book on valuation has hit the market. I know you are probably thinking, “Not another technical tome of 1,000 pages or more telling me how to develop the perfect valuation!” Well that is not what this is. The Art of Valuation is self-described as “reflections, stories, and strategies from business appraisal.” This excellent book is a compilation of “stories” from some of the best in the valuation profession. 

After all, “storytelling” is all the rage in business valuation right now, isn’t it? There is even a chapter in the book titled “A Business Appraisal Is a Story,” and, indeed, it is.  This book is a “must read” for those who are either interested in or have just joined the business valuation profession, but it is also very entertaining for those of us who have been around the profession for a while. I am fortunate to know personally many of the authors of the stories included in the book. Their stories did not disappoint. Some are reflections as noted in the subtitle, and, yes, some are strategies, but the bottom line is that they are all informative. They all have a lesson to be learned by the reader, experienced or inexperienced.

This book, which evolved from a project of The Appraisal Foundation’s Business Valuation Resource Panel, will stand the test of time. It is an enjoyable read, and the chapters, the stories, are of moderate length. It actually would make a good coffee table book for the reception area in any business valuation office. The personalities of the authors shine through. The book helps to humanize a profession that is often thought of as arcane and enigmatic. I highly recommend it.

The Art of Valuation is available from The Appraisal Foundation website.