If you are looking to sell your privately-owned company, you need to prepare and complete a number of critical steps. As you plot out your strategy, it is beneficial to have an experienced team by your side to help you avoid potential pitfalls, while also extracting the maximum value from the business you have worked so hard to build.

Dentons’ Exit⁺ brings together leading lawyers, M&A advisors, accountants, and wealth management professionals to help you develop and implement an effective strategy for selling your business and preparing for life after exit. In collaboration with global investment firm AB Bernstein, accountancy and advisory firm PKF O’Connor Davies and M&A firm STS Capital Partners, we provide entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses with an offering tailored to your unique needs. 

Exit⁺ Readiness Assessment

How ready are you to plan a successful exit?

Our Exit⁺ Readiness Assessment is a free online self-assessment where we ask you to answer a few questions about yourself and your business, including where you are today and what you hope to achieve with your exit. Based on your answers, you will receive a personalized report evaluating your current level of readiness and providing recommendations on the areas you need to address in order to prepare for a successful sale and maximize your company’s value and after-tax proceeds. Your assessment report is free of charge and you are under no obligation to purchase any advisory services.

About Exit⁺

Learn more about Exit⁺, including our innovative Exit⁺ Navigator program, a “freemium”, value-added program we offer to a select number of companies on an invitation-only basis. Exit⁺ Navigator benefits include a 60-minute Q&A session with members of the Exit⁺ team, who will discuss your Exit⁺ Readiness Assessment findings with you and ask you probing questions in order to learn more about your business and life goals. Following this consultation, the Exit⁺ team will send you your Exit⁺ Roadmap – a personalised “to-do list” of recommended action steps aimed at increasing your company’s valuation and ensuring the successful sale of your business, as well as preparing you for life after exit.

As an Exit⁺ Navigator member, you will also have access to Dentons Intelligence⁺, a dedicated team of data analysts with unparalleled research capabilities that can help expand your pool of potential acquirers and identify synergies with your shortlisted buyers which may result in a substantially higher sale price.

AskExit⁺ Video Series

Watch our legal, accounting, M&A and wealth management experts field questions from entrepreneurs and family business owners about the sale process and how to prepare for life after exit, with each advisor offering their own unique perspective and practical insights. Each video is between 6-8 minutes in length.

Is it time to sell?

For many would-be sellers, an exit is motivated by a desire to make a lifestyle change, either personal or professional. However, the timing of the sale is rarely a straightforward process. We discuss the considerations which should guide you when deciding when to sell your business.

What is my business worth? How do I maximize value at exit?

Assessing your company through the eyes of potential buyers is crucial. In this video, we discuss the key drivers for maximizing your company’s valuation and how to determine the optimal structure for your transaction.

How do I set my priorities in the sale process?

Selling your business is a very personal decision and there are often many competing priorities to consider. Valuation vs. maximization of cash proceeds, tax implications and post-exit wealth management are just some of the topics that our experts address.

Theoretical ‘best’ buyers and the impact they have

We look at the pros and cons of each type of potential purchaser – strategic, financial buyer, management-led buy-out – and how each will evaluate your business. By understanding what drives each buyer and the impact that the choice of purchaser has on transaction structure and life after the deal, you can ensure the best fit for you and your business.

Structuring a tax efficient transaction

It’s all about what you keep! Tax planning and structuring is essential. Our experts share key considerations, how to take stock of your tax situation, the principles buyers follow when acquiring a business, and how to maximize what is kept in your pocket.

Preparing for life after the deal

Your life after a sale will, to a great extent, depend upon the category of buyer you sell to, so consider this and the lifestyle you want to have before you embark on your exit journey. Our experts share the different options before you and help you to understand what is motivating you to sell.

Disclaimer

The contents of this material have been prepared for informational purposes only without regard to the investment objectives or financial or tax or legal situation of any particular person or entity resident or domiciled in any particular jurisdiction. No action is being solicited with respect to any such person or entity. No information set out herein shall be construed as investment, legal, tax, accounting or other professional advice. We do not accept responsibility or liability to users or any third party in relation to the use of this material or its contents. Your receipt or use of this material does not create any attorney-client or other professional relationship. No information herein shall be construed as a recommendation or representation concerning the suitability or appropriateness of any of any investment strategy, advisory product or service; or an offer to buy or sell, or the solicitation of any offer to buy or sell, any security, service, financial product or instrument.