SELLING
Is It The Right Time To Start Planning Your Business Exit?
Our 6-step process called “AIM & ACT” provides an effective guide to successfully selling your company. AIM allows you to uncover your exit goals, develop an exit plan, improve your company’s value, and market your company to a broad number of buyers. ACT supports the due diligence and closing process to ensure you can transitioning to the next chapter of your life without any doubts or regrets. In every step of the process we maintain the highest level of document security and communication confidentiality to protect your interests.
OUR 6-STEP SELLING PROCESS: AIM & ACT
Step 1: Assess
Business owners must first assess their goals, future needs, and the value of their business to decide/ if it is the right time to sell. We work with company leadership to assess your goals and objectives. Then, we formulate a strategy to secure the resources your company needs to achieve its goals and become more valuable along the way.
- Are you ready to sell? How much do you need to get out of the business?
- Is the business ready? How much is the business worth?
- Involving others in the process
Deliverable: Exit Goals, Exit Plan, and Potential Buyer Criteria
Duration: 1 to 3 weeks
Step 2: Improve
Whether you’re ready to sell in the next 6 months or the next few years, you can Improve your company in cost-effective ways that will make it more attractive to potential buyers. With a strategic plan in hand, we set out to improve your company in preparation for a sale. By making even minor improvements before going to market you can increase the selling value of your company considerably.
- Business improvements based on how much time you have
- Analogy – like selling a house
- How to select highest return improvements that drive value
Deliverable: Executive Summary and Confidential Information Memorandum
Duration: 1 to 3 months
Step 3: Market
To effectively market your company for sale, it is critical to promote the company’s most important value contributors. High-quality documents are required to cast the best possible light on your company and to attract high-quality buyers. We search for potential buyers all across the nation and around the world.
- Broker vs. No broker
- Analogy – Leap of faith
- Data room - document bottleneck, confidentiality
- Marketing the business: Adjusting financials, marketing tools
Deliverable: List of high potential buyers
Duration: 2 to 4 months
Step 4: Agree
Selling your business is different than selling your product or service. But, you can learn what to do and say to appeal to potential buyers. We negotiate your transaction terms confidently – usually facing multiple competing offers – in order to achieve the deal that your company deserves. Finally, we help you select the best fit and agree on the best terms.
- Talking to potential buyers – Turn ons and Turn Offs
- Evaluating the offer - What’s a good offer?
- Transition Periods – Become your own employee
- Bidding War vs. Zero Offer Scenario
Deliverable: Multiple Offers and Binding Letter of Intent
Duration: 2 to 4 months
Step 5: Close
A successful close means completing the due diligence process in a short time frame, without renegotiation of the deal terms and closing. When and only when you are completely comfortable with the terms on which we have agreed, we close the deal and transfer the funds into your pocket.
- Due Diligence – What is it, how it can go wrong
- Case Study - Doyen
- Plan for transition, talking to team
- Reasons deals fall through
Deliverable: Fully executed definitive agreement
Duration: 1 to 3 months
Step 6: Transition
After closing the deal, you are now ready to transition into the next chapter of your life. Whether this means remaining involved in the company, starting another company, or retiring, you’ll have our support.
- Plan for immediate or gradual transfer of authority and responsibility to new owners
- Budget agreed upon if earn out is involved
- Consider plans for the next chapter of your life.
Deliverable: Transition Plan and Earnout Budget
Duration: 1 to 3 months
CASE STUDIES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We use three methods for determining the value of your company: Discounted Cash Flow analysis, an analysis of recent comparable transactions, and replacement valuation. We use the three methods to come up with a range of valuations, and then arrive at a dollar amount that makes the most sense for your company based on the current M&A and economic environment.
Clients who keep the lines of communication open with us and with their potential buyers are usually the most successful in landing an acquisition. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “Time kills deals”, it is very true of the mergers and acquisitions process. The most successful sellers are responsive and engaged in throughout the entire acquisitions process.
It is important for sellers to be straight-forward about their goals from the onset. Being honest about your intentions and plans for your company post-acquisition (i.e. ensuring key management/employees stay with the company, keeping key partnerships, etc.) is key to establishing a trusting relationship.
6 to 12 months is typical for our clients to receive 1 to 3 offers