Indiana Business Law Blog
Buying a small 
business in Indiana is an exciting venture that can set you on the path to success. One critical decision stands between you and your dream: Should you buy the company itself or just its assets? Let’s explore these two approaches to help you navigate this important choice. For simplicity, let’s assume the business is organized as an Indiana limited liability company (LLC).
Stock Purchase vs. Asset Purchase: The Basics
If you decide to buy the company itself, you’ll be purchasing the interest in the LLC—often referred to as a “stock sale.” While LLCs don’t technically have stock, the term persists as a carryover from the days when corporations, which do have stock, dominated the business landscape. Another name that is becoming more common is “equity sale,” which covers stock in a corporation, interest in an LLC, and any other form of equity.
The concept of the right of publicity, sometimes referred to as “name, image, and likeness” (NIL) rights, particularly as they apply to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes, has gained significant attention in recent years, especially with the rise of social media and the increasing commercialization of personal brands. Indiana’s right of publicity, codified at 
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.
Determining the value of a small business is a critical step for various purposes, including selling the business, merging with another company, or resolving shareholder disputes. Business valuation involves assessing the economic value of a company, and several methods can be used to achieve this. Business valuation is both an art and a science. A proper valuation requires a trained expert, and they are not cheap. The valuation of a small business can run from a few thousand dollars to several tens of thousands of dollars.