Business Exit Strategies

Which exiting method is right for my company: Employee buy-out, third-party, or ESOP?

Market Analysis

Have I done a competitive analysis to know what my company is worth?

Financial Statements

Are my accounting records and financial statements up-to-date and accurate?

Have I created a five-year history of my financial statements?

Advisory Team

Have I assembled a team to sell my company (lawyer, accountant, insurance, valuation company)?

Value Gap 1.0

Have I reviewed all the major drivers of value in my company?

Have I received a current valuation?

Value Gap 2.0

Have I identified the value gap in my company and the dollar amount attributed to it?

After I have closed the value gap, what will my valuation be?

Buyers

Have I identified potential buyers?

Preparation

Am I ready for the buyer’s due diligence team?

Tax Strategies for Selling

Am I getting capital gains treatment or ordinary income rates?

What is my federal income tax rate going to be? What state tax rate am I going to incur?

Estate Planning

Is my will up-to-date?

Have I considered transferring shares and business interests to family members or trusts?

Retirement

Do I have enough money to retire and am I ready to exit my business?

Contingency

What contingency plans do I have in place if needed?