Selling your business is one of the most significant milestones in an entrepreneur’s journey. However, even the most attractive businesses can falter during due diligence if they are not properly prepared. This stage is where buyers scrutinize every aspect of your business to evaluate risks, verify claims, and confirm the value they’re willing to pay.

When it comes to planning an exit, understanding your business’s value—and the factors that drive it—is essential. Whether you’re preparing for a trade sale, IPO, or private equity investment, the right focus on valuation drivers can significantly enhance your outcomes. In this article, we explore the key components of valuation, strategies to improve them, and common pitfalls to avoid.

When planning your business exit, selecting the right type of transaction is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make. Each exit type comes with its opportunities, challenges, and suitability based on your goals and the stage of your business. In this article, we’ll explore the key exit types, trade sale, Initial Public Offering (IPO), private equity (PE), and management buyout (MBO), and help you identify which might be the best fit for your business.

Every business journey eventually leads to a crossroads: the decision to continue growing, transition ownership, or step away entirely. An exit strategy is your blueprint for navigating this critical phase, allowing you to realize the value of your hard work while setting the stage for future success, whether yours or the business’s.