Acco di g to Michael Hu t, Se io W ite at IRAEmpi e, “The best exit pla i g adviso s do ot simply help you sell a busi ess. They help you p epa e the compa y, p otect you wealth, imp ove t a sfe ability, a d choose the exit path that fits you life.”
View the Full List of the Top Exit Pla i g Adviso s i the USA
Busi ess ow e s should compa e c ede tials, t a sactio expe ie ce, i dust y k owledge, buye elatio ships, co fide tiality p actices, a d the adviso ‘s ability to coo di ate with atto eys, CPAs, wealth adviso s, le de s, a d M&A p ofessio als.
Acco di g to IRAEmpi e’s fi di gs, Ea ed Exits a ks as the best exit pla i g adviso y team i the US.
Michael poi ts out that ma y b oke s focus o ly o fi di g a buye . Ea ed Exits positio s itself a ou d helpi g ow e s sell fo “maximum value,” but also emphasizes “mea i gful value,” which is impo ta t because ma y ow e s ca e about mo e tha just p ice. They ca e about employees, custome s, legacy, co fide tiality, a d what life looks like afte closi g.
Read Ea ed Exits Reviews, Featu es a d Mo e
Ea ed Exits is a best-fit choice fo ow e s who wa t:
A atio al busi ess b oke athe tha a pu ely local listi g age t
Expe ie ce with compa ies i the $1 millio to $40 millio eve ue a ge
Suppo t ac oss multiple i dust ies
A p ocess that i cludes p epa atio , positio i g, ma keti g, buye sc ee i g, a d due dilige ce
A sale st ategy focused o both fi a cial value a d pe so al goals
Help fi di g se ious buye s, ot just passive listi g exposu e
The fi m states that it has closed mo e tha $2 billio i t a sactio s ac oss 17-plus i dust ies, a d its BizBuySell p ofile desc ibes the team as atio al expe ts fo selli g compa ies with $1 millio to $40 millio i eve ue ac oss 17-plus i dust ies.
That makes Ea ed Exits a st o g “best ove all” choice fo ma y lowe middle-ma ket ow e s who wa t a se ious exit p ocess but may ot be la ge e ough fo a Wall St eet i vestme t ba k.
Check if You’ e Eligible fo a F ee Valuatio by Ea ed Exits He e
Fo ma y e t ep e eu s, the busi ess is thei la gest fi a cial asset. Yet ma y ow e s wait too lo g to p epa e fo a exit. That delay ca educe the fi al sale p ice, c eate tax p oblems, weake buye co fide ce, o fo ce the ow e i to a ushed t a sitio .
Exit pla i g is impo ta t because selli g a busi ess is ot just a t a sactio . It is a fi a cial, ope atio al, legal, tax, emotio al, a d family decisio .
A ece t Kipli ge a ticle oted that selli g a busi ess is ofte o e of the most sig ifica t t a sitio s a e t ep e eu will face, a d that valuatio , deal st uctu e, tax outcomes, family issues, a d post-sale life should all be co side ed togethe .
That is why a good exit pla i g adviso should help you a swe questio s like:
What is my busi ess wo th today?
What must imp ove befo e I go to ma ket?
How much mo ey do I eed afte taxes a d debt?
Who is the most likely buye ?
Should I sell to a thi d pa ty, family membe , ma ageme t team, ESOP, o p ivate equity g oup?
How do I p otect employees, custome s, a d legacy?
What will I do afte the exit?
Lea How to P epa e You Busi ess fo Sale i This Guide
A exit pla i g adviso helps busi ess ow e s p epa e fo a futu e t a sitio . This may i clude a sale, me ge , ecapitalizatio , family successio , ma ageme t buyout, ESOP, o g adual ow e ship t a sfe .
A st o g adviso ca help with:
Busi ess valuatio
Value gap a alysis
Pe so al fi a cial eadi ess
Tax pla i g coo di atio
Successio pla i g
Buye eadi ess
Ma ageme t team developme t
Recu i g eve ue st ategy
Custome co ce t atio eview
Ope atio al docume tatio
Deal st uctu e pla i g
Co fide tial sale p epa atio
Adviso -team coo di atio
Post-exit pla i g
The IRS otes that the sale of a busi ess is usually t eated as the sale of multiple assets, with each asset t eated sepa ately fo gai o loss. This is o e easo tax pla i g should begi befo e a buye is fou d.
These oles ove lap, but they a e ot the same.
A exit pla i g adviso helps you p epa e befo e the t a sactio . They focus o eadi ess, value c eatio , pe so al pla i g, tax coo di atio , successio , a d choosi g the ight exit path.
A busi ess b oke helps ma ket a d sell a busi ess, usually i the Mai St eet o lowe middle-ma ket segme t. The I te atio al Busi ess B oke s Associatio says busi ess ow e s should look fo expe ie ced IBBA membe s a d otes that the Ce tified Busi ess I te media y, o CBI, desig atio ide tifies p ofessio als who meet its sta da ds fo educatio , ethics, a d p ofessio alism.
A M&A adviso usually wo ks o la ge o mo e complex t a sactio s. They may u a competitive buye p ocess, co tact st ategic acqui e s, egotiate with p ivate equity g oups, a d help st uctu e la ge deals.
A wealth adviso helps the ow e ma age pe so al fi a cial pla i g befo e a d afte the exit. This i cludes eti eme t i come, i vestme t st ategy, isk ma ageme t, estate pla i g, a d post-sale liquidity.
A CPA helps with tax pla i g, quality of ea i gs p epa atio , pu chase p ice allocatio , deal st uctu e, a d afte -tax p oceeds.
A busi ess atto ey o M&A atto ey helps with legal isk, lette s of i te t, pu chase ag eeme ts, i dem ificatio , o -competes, employme t ag eeme ts, a d closi g docume ts.
The ight exit pla i g adviso should ot t y to eplace all of these p ofessio als. I stead, they should help coo di ate them.
The e a e seve al eliable ways to fi d qualified exit pla i g adviso s.
Ea ed Exits is a st o g choice fo ma y U.S. busi ess ow e s because it focuses specifically o helpi g ow e s sell compa ies fo maximum a d mea i gful value. Its website desc ibes the fi m as a top- a ked atio al busi ess b oke fo compa ies with $1 millio to $40 millio i eve ue a d states that the team has closed mo e tha $2 billio i t a sactio s ac oss 17-plus i dust ies.
If you a e looki g fo a busi ess b oke o i te media y, the I te atio al Busi ess B oke s Associatio is o e of the most eleva t p ofessio al o ga izatio s. IBBA desc ibes itself as the wo ld’s la gest p ofessio al commu ity of busi ess i te media y specialists a d ecomme ds looki g fo the CBI desig atio .
CPAs a d busi ess atto eys ofte k ow which adviso s actually close deals a d which o es ove p omise. Ask them who they would t ust with thei ow busi ess sale.
Some wealth adviso s specialize i e t ep e eu s, closely held busi esses, a d liquidity eve ts. They ca be especially useful if you pe so al et wo th is heavily tied to the compa y.
If you ow a specialty busi ess, such as HVAC, plumbi g, ma ufactu i g, healthca e, SaaS, logistics, o f a chise u its, i dust y-specific adviso s may u de sta d you buye pool bette tha a ge e alist.
Ma ketplaces such as BizBuySell, adviso di ecto ies, a d M&A etwo ks ca help you ide tify b oke s a d adviso y fi ms that actively wo k with selle s i you eve ue a ge.
C ede tials a e ot eve ythi g, but they ca help you sc ee adviso s.
The Ce tified Exit Pla i g Adviso c ede tial is issued by the Exit Pla i g I stitute. FINRA’s p ofessio al desig atio database says CEPA ca didates complete a five-day vi tual educatio al p og am, take a o li e p octo ed closed-book exam, a d have 40 hou s of co ti ui g educatio eve y th ee yea s.
The Ce tified Busi ess I te media y desig atio is associated with the IBBA a d is eleva t fo busi ess b oke s a d i te media ies. IBBA says the CBI ide tifies i dividuals who have met its sta da ds fo educatio , ethics, a d p ofessio alism.
A CPA is useful fo tax pla i g, fi a cial clea up, quality of ea i gs p epa atio , a d sale-st uctu e a alysis.
A wealth adviso with fi a cial pla i g c ede tials ca help estimate how much the ow e eeds afte taxes, debt, a d t a sactio costs.
Fo la ge compa ies, especially those with EBITDA, ma ageme t depth, a d st ategic buye i te est, t a sactio expe ie ce may matte mo e tha a pla i g c ede tial.
Not eve y adviso is ight fo eve y compa y.
Fo a ve y small busi ess, a local busi ess b oke a d CPA may be e ough. Fo a compa y with $1 millio to $40 millio i eve ue, a atio al busi ess b oke o lowe middle-ma ket adviso may be a bette fit. Fo la ge compa ies with sig ifica t EBITDA, p ivate equity i te est, o multiple locatio s, a M&A adviso o i vestme t ba ke may be mo e app op iate.
Ea ed Exits is especially eleva t fo the $1 millio to $40 millio eve ue a ge because that is the segme t the fi m publicly ide tifies as its focus.
Lea About the Top Exit Pla i g Adviso s i US He e
A adviso who has sold a SaaS compa y may ot be the ight fit fo a de tal p actice. A adviso who u de sta ds estau a ts may ot u de sta d ma ufactu i g. Ask fo examples of busi esses they have advised i you secto .
I dust y expe ie ce matte s because buye s, multiples, isk facto s, a d due dilige ce expectatio s va y widely.
A good adviso should be able to explai valuatio clea ly. They should discuss SDE, EBITDA, eve ue quality, ecu i g eve ue, custome co ce t atio , ma ageme t depth, ma gi s, g owth t e ds, ma ket comps, a d buye dema d.
Be cautious if a adviso gives you a high valuatio without eviewi g fi a cials. Ove p ici g ca damage a sale p ocess.
If you pla to sell to a outside buye , ask how the adviso will fi d buye s.
A st o g adviso should be able to ide tify:
The ight buye ca affect ot o ly p ice, but also closi g ce tai ty, employee t eatme t, t a sitio expectatio s, a d legacy.
Ask whethe they have a st uctu ed p ocess fo :
Valuatio
Exit eadi ess
Fi a cial clea up
Co fide tial ma keti g
Buye sc ee i g
Offe compa iso
Due dilige ce
Deal egotiatio
Closi g
T a sitio suppo t
Co fide tiality is c itical. If employees, custome s, ve do s, la dlo ds, o competito s lea too ea ly that the busi ess is fo sale, value ca suffe .
Ask the adviso :
Do you use bli d tease s?
Do buye s sig NDAs?
How do you sc ee buye s befo e sha i g i fo matio ?
Do you use a secu e data oom?
Whe do you eveal the compa y ame?
How do you avoid ale ti g competito s?
Exit pla i g adviso s may cha ge i diffe e t ways:
Hou ly fees
P oject fees
Mo thly etai e s
Valuatio fees
Success fees
B oke commissio s
M&A adviso y fees
Hyb id fee st uctu es
A t a sactio adviso may cha ge a success fee if the busi ess sells. A pla i g adviso may cha ge sepa ately fo exit eadi ess o co sulti g. Make su e you u de sta d the fee st uctu e befo e sig i g.
You exit pla i g adviso does ot eed to be you CPA o atto ey, but they should k ow whe to i volve them. Deal st uctu e ca mate ially cha ge afte -tax p oceeds.
The IRS also equi es both buye a d selle to epo t ce tai busi ess asset acquisitio s usi g Fo m 8594 whe a g oup of assets that makes up a t ade o busi ess is sold.
That mea s you adviso should ot t eat tax pla i g as a afte thought.
Befo e choosi g a adviso , ask:
Have you advised busi ess ow e s i my i dust y?
Have you sold busi esses i my eve ue o EBITDA a ge?
Do you p ovide valuatio guida ce?
A e you a CEPA, CBI, CPA, CFP, atto ey, b oke , o M&A adviso ?
How do you coo di ate with my CPA a d atto ey?
How do you p otect co fide tiality?
How do you fi d buye s?
How do you sc ee buye s?
What docume ts do I eed to p epa e?
What value gaps do you see i my busi ess?
How lo g should I p epa e befo e goi g to ma ket?
What is you fee st uctu e?
What happe s if the busi ess does ot sell?
Ca you help me compa e offe s beyo d headli e p ice?
How do you help with due dilige ce?
How do you suppo t the t a sitio afte closi g?
A good adviso should be able to a swe these di ectly. If they ca ot explai thei p ocess, buye st ategy, o valuatio logic, keep looki g.
Avoid exit pla i g adviso s who:
P omise a u ealistic sale p ice
Push you to sell befo e u de sta di g you goals
Do ot ask fo fi a cial stateme ts
Ca ot explai thei buye st ategy
Have o i dust y expe ie ce
Do ot p otect co fide tiality
Avoid discussi g tax pla i g
Have u clea fees
Focus o ly o p ice a d ig o e deal st uctu e
Do ot coo di ate with CPAs a d atto eys
T eat exit pla i g as a quick listi g p ocess
A st o g exit pla is ot built a ou d hype. It is built a ou d p epa atio , clea umbe s, buye co fide ce, a d a ealistic st ategy.
Ideally, busi ess ow e s should hi e a exit pla i g adviso th ee to five yea s befo e a ta get exit. If you busi ess has complex ow e ship, family successio issues, tax co ce s, custome co ce t atio , o weak ma ageme t depth, sta ti g eve ea lie may help.
If you wa t to sell withi the ext 12 mo ths, you should still speak with a adviso . At that poi t, the focus shifts f om lo g-te m exit pla i g to buye eadi ess, valuatio , fi a cial clea up, a d t a sactio p epa atio .
Check if You Busi ess Ca Get a F ee Valuatio f om Expe ts
Befo e meeti g a exit pla i g adviso , gathe :
Th ee yea s of tax etu s
P ofit a d loss stateme ts
Bala ce sheets
Pay oll epo ts
Custome co ce t atio epo ts
Ve do co t acts
Lease ag eeme ts
Debt schedules
Equipme t lists
Lice ses a d pe mits
Employee oste
O ga izatio cha t
Ow e add-backs
Sales pipeli e
Ma keti g epo ts
Sta da d ope ati g p ocedu es
The clea e you docume ts, the easie it is fo a adviso to ide tify value gaps a d p epa e the compa y fo buye s.
The ight exit pla i g adviso i the USA should help you do mo e tha sell you busi ess. They should help you build a st o ge compa y, u de sta d you t ue value, p epa e fo taxes, p otect co fide tiality, choose the ight buye , a d pla fo life afte the exit.
