Prepare for Your Next Chapter
Whether you're thinking about retirement, sale, or succession, planning ahead gives you real choices. Let's make sure you have the options you want when the time comes.
Back to HomeWhat This Planning Process Offers
Leaving a business you've built isn't something to leave to chance. Whether you're five years away or fifteen, the decisions you make now can significantly affect the options available to you later. This service helps you understand what affects business value, what preparation would be worthwhile, and how to approach the eventual transition on your terms.
By working together, you'll gain clarity about what your business might be worth in different scenarios. You'll understand which exit routes make sense for your situation and which don't. You'll have a realistic action plan for strengthening your position over time. And when you're ready to move forward, you'll have done the groundwork that makes the process considerably smoother.
More than that, you'll have peace of mind. Rather than worrying about whether you're preparing properly, you'll know what needs attention and what can wait. Rather than wondering if you're being realistic about value or timing, you'll have honest assessments based on experience. And when the time comes to actually exit, you'll do so with confidence.
The Challenge of Planning an Exit
Most business owners don't think seriously about exit planning until they have to. Perhaps retirement is approaching and suddenly the question becomes urgent. Or a potential buyer has expressed interest and you're not sure if it's a good offer. Maybe you're considering succession within the family but aren't certain how to structure it fairly.
By that point, many valuable options have already been foreclosed. If you haven't maintained proper records, that affects value. If your business is too dependent on your personal involvement, that limits buyer interest. If you haven't thought through tax implications, you might face unexpected costs. These aren't impossible problems, but they're considerably easier to address with time rather than under pressure.
The difficulty is that exit planning feels premature when you're still actively building the business. It's easy to think you'll deal with it later, when the time is right. But the truth is that preparation done years in advance often makes the difference between having genuine choices and feeling forced to accept whatever option presents itself.
A Thoughtful Approach to Exit Planning
We begin by understanding your situation and aspirations. What kind of exit would you ideally like? When might that happen? What concerns do you have about the process? What do you hope to achieve, both financially and personally? These conversations help us understand what success looks like for you specifically.
From there, we conduct a thorough assessment of where things stand now. We look at business value from multiple perspectives—not just a single figure, but a realistic range based on different scenarios and exit routes. We examine what might enhance that value and what might limit it. We review your options honestly, including which ones are realistic for your particular business and which probably aren't.
We then develop a practical action plan. Not an overwhelming list of everything that could possibly be done, but a prioritised set of steps that make sense given your timeline and situation. Some things might need attention soon. Others can wait. Some preparation is straightforward. Other aspects require careful consideration. We help you see the path clearly.
Over the following twelve months, we work through that plan together, adjusting as circumstances change. We meet quarterly to review progress and address new questions. And when you're eventually ready to move forward with an exit, we provide transition support to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
What We'll Assess
- Current business value from different perspectives
- Factors that enhance or limit value
- Exit routes available for your business type
- Your personal goals and constraints
What We'll Develop
- Realistic timeline for your exit
- Prioritised preparation actions
- Understanding of tax and legal considerations
- Clear picture of what success looks like
The Planning Journey
We start with extended discussions about what you're hoping to achieve and when. These aren't superficial conversations—we take time to understand not just your financial goals but also what matters to you personally. Perhaps you want to ensure employees are looked after. Maybe you're concerned about maintaining your legacy. Perhaps you have family considerations that affect timing or structure.
Once we understand your situation, we conduct a comprehensive business value assessment. This isn't a simple calculation—we look at value from multiple angles, considering different exit scenarios and what buyers in your sector typically look for. We're honest about what the numbers suggest, even when that means having difficult conversations about expectations.
We then map out the realistic options available to you. Sale to a third party, management buyout, family succession, gradual wind-down—each has different implications and requirements. We explore which routes make sense for your particular circumstances and which probably don't, explaining why in clear terms.
Over the following year, we work through the action plan together, meeting quarterly to check progress and adjust priorities. Some quarters you might make significant headway. Others, business demands might mean exit planning takes a back seat. We adapt to your reality while keeping the longer-term picture in focus. And throughout this time, you have someone to discuss decisions with—whether about the business itself or about your exit preparation.
Investment in Your Future
Comprehensive Exit Planning Support
This investment covers the planning phase—everything needed to understand your situation, develop a clear plan, and prepare properly over twelve months. If proper planning adds even ten percent to your eventual exit value, this represents a substantial return. More importantly, it gives you genuine choices rather than having to accept whatever presents itself.
What to Expect from This Process
We need to be realistic about what this planning phase achieves. It won't suddenly make your business worth more—value comes from the business itself, not from planning. What it does is help you understand that value accurately, identify what might enhance it, and prepare properly so you have real options when the time comes.
Most people who go through this process find they have considerably more clarity within the first few months. They understand what their business might realistically be worth in different scenarios. They know which preparation steps matter most. They've identified potential obstacles and have plans to address them. And they feel less anxious about the eventual transition because they know they're preparing properly.
Over the twelve months, you'll work through the priorities we identify, making steady progress towards strengthening your exit position. Some aspects improve quickly. Others take longer. But by the end of the planning phase, you'll be in a significantly stronger position than you would have been otherwise. And when you're ready to actually pursue an exit—whether that's next year or in five years—you'll have done the groundwork that makes the process considerably smoother.
Approaching This with Confidence
Exit planning involves discussing sensitive topics—value, timing, legacy, and often quite personal considerations about what comes next. We approach these conversations with discretion and respect. If after our initial assessment and first planning sessions you don't feel this is proving useful, we'll refund your investment. No complications—just an honest conversation about whether this is working for you.
We're also realistic about expertise. Exit planning touches on accounting, legal, and tax matters that require specialist advice. We help you understand what you need and can connect you with appropriate professionals, but we're clear about the boundaries of our role. Our value is in helping you think through the options and coordinate the overall preparation, not in providing specialist technical advice.
Before you commit to anything, we can have an initial conversation to explore whether exit planning at this stage makes sense for your situation. Sometimes it's too early. Sometimes circumstances suggest waiting. We'll be honest about that assessment, even if it means suggesting you return to this in a year or two.
Beginning the Planning Process
If you're thinking about your eventual exit—whether that's soon or still some years away—the next step is simply to arrange a conversation. We'll discuss your situation, your timeline, and what you're hoping to achieve. From that discussion, we can usually determine whether formal exit planning would be valuable at this stage.
That initial conversation is confidential and carries no obligation. We understand that discussing exit can feel premature or awkward, particularly if you're not ready to tell others about your plans. These conversations stay between us unless and until you decide otherwise.
If exit planning makes sense for your situation, we can discuss timing and get started with the assessment phase. If it doesn't seem quite right yet, we'll explain why and might suggest when to revisit the question. Either way, you'll have had a chance to discuss your situation with someone who understands the complexities involved.
How to Begin
Ready to Plan Your Next Chapter?
Your exit deserves careful thought and proper preparation. Let's discuss how to give you the choices you want when the time comes.
Start the ConversationOther Services We Offer
If exit planning isn't your immediate priority, one of these other services might better address your current business needs.
Start-Up Support
For those in the early stages of building a business, this programme provides steady guidance as you navigate the first six months and establish your foundations.
Team Development
Help with the practical aspects of building and managing teams. From recruitment to performance conversations, we work on what matters for your situation.