Business Exit Strategy

“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry” – adapted from “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns

Succession Planning – Your Preferred Option

Our philosophy is that every owner should have multiple options available to them for their succession / exit plan to maximise their chances of longer-term success.

You may very well have a preferred option and it makes sense to explore that option first and to do everything you can to make that happen. We can help by providing the necessary transaction experience and expertise to maximise your chances of success.

However, in our experience there is always a risk that your preferred option will not be able to to be realised, or it may not materialise in a way that results in the outcome that you had envisaged. For example, it’s very common for an unsolicited approach from a potential purchaser to ultimately be at a value that’s lower (and potentially significantly lower) than your value expectations.

Also, the circumstances for you or your business may change substantially meaning that options either open up or close down. For example, winning or losing a significant contract or customer; the departure of key employees; or poor health for a key person.

These events could be positive or negative in nature but either way, they may have a significant impact on any potential transaction. For example, we have seen situations where a business is suddenly significantly more profitable, which makes the business unaffordable for the potential purchaser (e.g. for senior management or family). In some ways that is a good position to be in!

The Exit Strategy Options Available

Therefore, in our view it is best to have an understanding of what other options are available to you as an Owner to make sure that you have a back-up option available to you.

We can assist by helping to ensure that you are clear on the value of your business, what your options are and to discuss the courses of action that you are prepared to commit to get your preferred outcome.

Integration with your Ongoing Business Strategy

Our experience is that there are always common threads between different strategic options, regardless of what your preferred option is. Depending on the nature of your business, these might include quality of management and systems; governance; key clients and repeat business; strategic advantages and positions (e.g. markets, products or services, people, locations) along with individual succession plans for the Owner(s).

These commons threads need to be fully integrated into your ongoing business strategy to ensure that the is a direct link between exit strategy and overall business strategy.

We can help you clarify that multi-dimensional strategy and assist in the implementation of the overall process, including execution of your preferred option(s).