ARE YOU & YOUR BUSINESS EXIT READY ?
Whether you’re considering a sale, merger, or succession, we provide you with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions when the time is right.
Your journey, your terms—let us guide you every step of the way.
Helping you navigate towards your next chapter
BUSINESS EXIT CHECKLIST
Your comprehensive guide which includes the 15 critical things you need to do before you can sell your business
WHO is this checklist for?
For business owners who want to prepare their company for sale so they have the option of an exit should they choose to do so.
WHY is it important ?
Because the majority of companies below £5m revenue are structured towards the lifestyle of their owners and are not considered attractive by investors.
WHAT is it used for ?
It can be used to evaluate your business before you consider a sale and identify the improvements required to add maximum value so you can reap the benefits for your efforts.
Most small business owners are unaware how difficult it is to exit
COMMON ISSUES
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If your business cannot operate effectively without the founder’s involvement in key areas like marketing, sales, and delivery, it creates significant execution risk. This dependency can jeopardise financial performance and the overall stability of the business.
Sophisticated investors are looking for a “well-oiled machine”—a business with the people, teams, and systems in place to succeed without heavy reliance on the founder. -
Is your leadership team effective as it could be in running day-to-day operations and delivering a growth strategy. You may be happy with the business just supporting your lifestyle but an investor will want to see longer term growth. Do you have talent gaps?
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Most business owners quote the profits shown in their company accounts to determine the value of their company but do not adjust the profits based on the dividends.
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This principle is called ‘transfer value’ It basically means an asset that can be quickly transferred to another owner without the business operation being interrupted with the revenue and profits being maintained.
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Relying heavily on one or a small group of customers for the majority of your sales and revenue creates a significant vulnerability for your business. This is known as customer concentration risk.
osing one or two major customers—especially after an ownership transition—can have devastating consequences. It can severely impact revenue, disrupt financing, and significantly reduce the overall value of the business.
Sophisticated buyers will flag this as a major risk during due diligence, which can jeopardize a sale or result in reduced offers. Addressing customer concentration risk is critical to safeguarding your business's long-term stability and value.
PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS INVESTORS
A guide for business owners which explains who buys small companies, what they look for and which sectors they target.
WHO WILL BUY YOUR SMALL BUSINESS ?
PRIVATE EQUITY
Its important to understand that unless you are making over £1m of profit, private equity is not going to be interesting in acquiring your business. This makes many SME’s just too small and have a too high risk profile.
LARGER COMPETITORS
Larger companies in your sector could well be interested in buying your business, however, they will probably look to rebrand your company and make immediate cost savings, which normally means staff redundancy’s.
PRIVATE INVESTORS
This is your most likely buyer. Usually a single investor or family office who understands small business rather than the corporate world view.