ServicesExit Planning
Exit Planning in Leander
Selling well usually starts a year or more before the listing. We look at your numbers, your role in the business and what buyers will ask. Then we put a plan in writing so you know what to fix, what to leave alone and when to go to market.
What exit planning is, and when it makes sense
Exit planning is the work you do before you sell. It answers a few plain questions. What is the business worth now? What would make it worth more to a buyer? How long will that take? What kind of deal fits the way you want to leave?
Start here if a sale, retirement or step back looks likely somewhere in the next one to five years. Owners who need to be out within a few months should look at our sell a business page first. A short review before listing still catches problems on a tight timeline.
Everything we suggest comes to you in writing. You see what we would work on, why it matters to buyers and how our fee works if you later list with us. Nothing gets added later that you did not see first.
What the plan covers
- A starting valuation
- We recast your last three years of financials to show seller's discretionary earnings, the number most small business buyers price from. That gives you an honest starting value, not a hopeful one. See our business valuation page for how we build it.
- Owner dependence review
- Buyers get nervous when every customer call, vendor order and staff question runs through you. We map which jobs sit with you and which ones a manager or key employee could take over before the sale.
- Clean-up list for the books
- Personal expenses run through the company, cash sales that are not recorded and mixed accounts all cost you at the closing table. We list what to clean up and leave the tax side to your CPA.
- Lease, contracts and licenses
- A lease with two years left or a contract that cannot be assigned can stall a deal. We flag these early so you have time to renew or renegotiate.
- Deal structure options
- Asset sale or stock sale, all cash or part seller financing, a clean exit or a transition period. We lay out how each one affects your timing and what you walk away with.
- A written timeline
- You get a step-by-step schedule with what to do this quarter, next quarter and before listing. It is plain enough to share with your CPA and attorney.
Signs it is time to start planning your exit
You are the business
You quote every job, hold every key relationship and sign every check. Buyers pay less for that, or walk away.
You do not know what it is worth
Many owners guess from what a friend sold for. A real number tells you if your retirement math works.
One customer drives too much revenue
When a single account brings in a large share of sales, buyers worry it leaves with you. Spreading that out takes time.
Your books mix business and personal
Buyers and lenders want clean statements. Fixing this the month before listing is too late to help.
Your lease is running short
A buyer's lender usually wants the lease to cover the loan term. Renewal talks go better when you are not in a hurry.
What affects the cost
Your first valuation is free and stays confidential. If you later list the business with us, you pay nothing up front, and our fee is earned only once your sale closes and you are paid. Anything else we suggest is written out, with what it covers, before any work begins.
How clean the books are
Tidy statements take less time to recast. Years of mixed accounts take more digging.
Size and complexity
A single-location shop is simpler than a company with several sites, real estate or multiple owners.
Your timeline
A five-year plan with yearly check-ins is a different scope from a six-month push to get ready.
Partners or family involved
If a partner buyout or family succession is part of the exit, there is more to sort out. Our partner buyouts and succession page covers that work.
How we work through it with you
- 1
A first conversation by phone
You tell us your goals, timeline and what worries you. It is free and confidential, and nothing is shared without your OK.
- 2
Review of your numbers
You send tax returns, profit and loss statements and a list of owner perks. We meet at our office or by video to go through them line by line.
- 3
Your written plan
We hand you the valuation, the list of issues buyers will raise and the timeline. Each item says why it matters and roughly how long it takes.
- 4
Follow-up while you do the work
We stay in contact as you work down the list and refresh the value when your numbers improve. By the time you decide to list, the prep is behind you.
Exit planning questions owners ask
How far ahead should I start?
Two to three years gives you time to clean up the books and reduce owner dependence. One year still helps. Even a few months lets us catch problems before a buyer does.
Will my employees or customers find out?
Not from us. Planning happens privately at our office or by phone and video. You decide if and when anyone else is told.
Do you replace my CPA or attorney?
No. We focus on value, buyers and deal terms. Your CPA handles tax planning and your attorney handles legal documents. We are glad to work alongside them.
Do I have to sell through you after the plan?
No. You keep the written plan whether or not you list with us. If you do bring the business to us later, new listings go to registered buyers first.
What if the value is lower than I hoped?
Then you find out with time to act. The plan shows which changes move the number most, so you can decide if waiting and working on them is worth it.
Can you help with the move from owner to manager?
Yes. We help you sort out which roles need to be handed off and in what order, so a buyer sees a business that runs without you every day.
Find out where your business stands
Start with a free, confidential valuation by phone. You get a real number and a plain list of what buyers will ask about.