Exiting your business

Alongside the decision to start a business, the decision to exit is among the most consequential that ownership and management will ever make. Making a good decision requires a clear assessment of your goals, the current business environment, and your business’ market appeal. For those tasked with governance and oversight, gathering and analyzing critical information is necessary to fulfill their obligations to the business and shareholders.

This guide, the first in a series on exiting your business,  provides a set of questions that will help business leaders gather the information necessary to embark on the exit process, including:

• Current business strategy
• Market/industry conditions
• Tax planning
• Operations
• Financial information
• Control and risk management
• Assets
• Culture/human capital
• Legal and regulatory
• Identifying potential buyers

Having a more thorough understanding of these critical areas of your business early in the process will help you to prepare for the journey ahead. It can also help determine which areas should be improved to enhance the structure of a potential deal and make the company and its assets more attractive to buyers and investors. 

If you’re currently considering an exit, but want to better understand the process, we can help—contact your local advisor or reach out to us here.