Exit planning for
privately held businesses.
The price you receive for your business is built in the years before a sale. We help owners prepare early so they exit on their terms, at the value they have earned.
The best exits are built, not timed.
Most owners think about their financial systems in terms of this month and this year, not a future sale. That is normal. But the businesses that sell for the most, and sell the fastest, are rarely the ones that cleaned up their books the year before going to market. They are the ones that had been doing the work all along.
Buyers pay for earnings they can trust and a business that can run without its owner. Both take time to build. An exit plan gives you that time, along with a clear view of where your value stands today and what it could be.
Unexpected offers, a partner's departure, or a change in your own plans can force a sale before you are ready. Planning ahead keeps your options open and the leverage on your side of the table.
Who This Is For
- Owners planning a sale, partner buyout, or succession in the next one to ten years
- Owners who want to know what their business is worth today and how to raise it
- Businesses where the owner still holds most key relationships and decisions
- Partners who need a clear, fair path for one owner to buy out another
- Owners who are not sure they want to sell but want to be ready if the right offer comes
From our blog
Practical articles on the preparation that shapes your eventual sale price.
Six areas that decide
your eventual sale price
Baseline Valuation & Value Gap
We establish what your business is worth today and measure the gap between that number and what it could be worth with the right preparation.
Normalized EBITDA & Add Backs
We identify and document legitimate add backs so a buyer sees the true earning power of your business, supported by records that hold up in diligence.
Reporting a Buyer Can Trust
Clean, consistent monthly reporting that reconciles to your tax returns. Buyers pay a premium when the numbers are easy to trust.
Reducing Owner Dependence
We build the financial systems, controls, and management reporting that let the business run without you holding every decision.
Choosing Your Exit Path
A third party sale, a partner or management buyout, or a family transition. Each path has different timing, value, and structure. We help you choose with clear numbers.
Timing & Deal Readiness
When the business is ready, we organize the data room and anticipate buyer questions, reducing the delays and retrades that erode value late in a deal.
One team from preparation to closing
Exit planning is where our services work together. You never have to hand your story to a new advisor halfway through.
Fractional CFO
We build the reporting, controls, and normalized earnings a buyer expects to see.
Learn More →Business Valuation
We measure your value at the start and track it as the work raises it.
Learn More →Sell Side Advisory
When you are ready, we run a confidential process to the right buyers on the right terms.
Learn More →A clear path from
today to your exit
Assess
We review your financials, operations, and goals, then establish a baseline valuation.
Plan
We agree on a target timeline, an exit path, and the specific improvements that will move your value most.
Build
We put the reporting, normalized earnings, and management depth in place, measuring progress as we go.
Execute
When the time is right, we take the business to market or structure the internal transition.
We work alongside your other advisors
Tax, estate, and personal wealth planning stay with your CPA, attorney, or financial advisor. We coordinate with them so your business plan and your personal plan point in the same direction.
Exit planning questions from owners
When should I start exit planning?
Ideally three to five years before you want to exit, and at least one to three years ahead. That runway lets you show buyers a consistent track record rather than a recent cleanup, which supports a stronger price and smoother terms.
Do I need a valuation first?
A baseline valuation is usually the first step. It shows where your value stands today, identifies the gap, and tells us which improvements will matter most to a buyer.
What if I am not sure I want to sell?
That is common, and it is a good reason to plan. The same work that prepares a business for sale also makes it more profitable, easier to finance, and less dependent on you, whether you sell or not.
Can you help with a partner buyout or family transition?
Yes. Exit planning covers every path, including a third party sale, a partner or management buyout, or a transition to family. We help you compare the timing, value, and structure of each.
Ready to plan your next chapter?
Request a confidential exit readiness conversation. We will show you where your value stands today and what it could be.
251-751-4744 · contact@sunsetig.com · Serving clients nationwide