ServicesExit Planning
Exit Planning in Bastrop
Exit planning lays out the ways you can leave your business, what each one asks of you and what it tends to return. We set the options side by side so you can choose a path with clear eyes and enough time to prepare.
Plan your exit before you have to
Plenty of owners only begin thinking about leaving when something forces it, like a health scare, a falling-out with a partner or an offer they did not expect. Planning a year or more ahead opens doors a hurried sale keeps shut: room to tidy the books, make the business less reliant on you and choose the kind of buyer you want.
We begin with the routes available to you. Selling outright to an outside buyer, selling to a key employee, handing the business to family, a partner buying you out, or a sale where you finance part of the price all differ in price, timing, risk and how long you remain involved. We explain each one in plain terms and show how it suits a business of your size and kind.
We are business brokers, not your attorney or tax advisor. We work with your CPA and lawyer so the plan stands up in the documents as well as in discussion.
What exit planning includes
- A side-by-side look at exit routes
- We compare the realistic ways out for your business, including who the likely buyers are, how deals of that kind are usually financed and how long you would stay on after closing.
- A starting valuation
- Free, confidential valuations give you a baseline. Knowing what the business is likely worth today shows the gap, if any, between where you are and what you need.
- A readiness review
- We look at what buyers and lenders will examine: clean financials, customer concentration, lease terms, key staff and how much of the daily work depends on you. Each weak spot comes with a practical way to strengthen it.
- A timeline with checkpoints
- You get a written sequence of steps with rough dates, so preparation happens in order and nothing important is left for the final month.
- Coordination with your advisors
- We share what your CPA and attorney need to plan around the deal structure, so tax and legal questions are raised early instead of at the closing table.
Signs it is time to plan your exit
Customers ask for you by name
If the business runs through your relationships and your knowledge, a buyer sees risk. That takes time to change, which is exactly why planning starts early.
Retirement has a date, the business does not
You know roughly when you want to step back, but there is no plan for what happens to the company on that day.
An unsolicited offer arrived
An offer out of the blue is worth weighing carefully. Without a valuation and a view of your other choices, it is hard to know whether it is fair.
Partners want different things
One partner wants out in two years and another wants to grow. A planned buyout or staged exit avoids a forced decision later.
Personal and business spending are mixed
Buyers and lenders want books they can read. Separating the two now makes your earnings easier to prove when it counts.
What shapes the cost of exit planning
Your first consultation and your valuation cost nothing and stay confidential. If the plan leads to a listing with us, there is no up-front charge, no retainer and no fee tucked away for later, because we are paid only when the seller is. What changes the effort involved is the shape of your business and the route you choose.
The exit route
A straightforward sale to an outside buyer is simpler to plan than a staged family transfer or a deal where you finance part of the price.
How tangled the business is
Multiple entities, shared ownership or real estate held separately all add steps to sort out before a buyer sees anything.
How much preparation is needed
Clean books and a capable team mean a short runway. Heavy owner dependence or messy records mean more months of groundwork.
Your outside advisors
Your CPA and attorney set and bill their own fees. We help keep their work focused so you are not paying for questions that could have been settled earlier.
How we build your exit plan
- 1
A private first talk
We meet at our office or talk by phone or video about your goals, your timeline and where the business is today. Nothing goes to anyone unless you agree.
- 2
Value and readiness check
We go over your financial statements and how the business runs, then give you a likely value range and an honest list of what would help or hurt a sale.
- 3
Weighing the routes
We go through every realistic way out and what each costs or gains you in price, speed, risk, financing and your role after. The choice of path is yours.
- 4
Getting the business ready
In the months that follow you work down the readiness list, and we touch base at every checkpoint on the timeline.
- 5
Turning the plan into a sale or transfer
Once the business is ready, the plan turns into a deal. That could be our Sell a Business service, a partner buyout or succession, or a sale including the building through Business and Property Sales.
Common exit planning questions
When should I begin planning to leave?
One to three years ahead of your exit is ideal. That leaves room to show consistent earnings, train someone to take over your duties and fix anything a buyer would ask about. A shorter window can still work, but you will have fewer options.
Will my staff or customers hear about it?
Not through us. We keep exit planning confidential, and deciding when and how to tell employees is part of the plan, usually well down the road.
Could I sell to a family member or employee rather than an outside buyer?
Yes, and it often works well. The catch is that inside buyers tend to have less cash, so the deal may depend on outside lending or on you financing part of the price. We show how that affects your risk and your timeline.
Am I obligated to list with you after planning?
No. The plan belongs to you. Should you decide to sell, we would be glad to handle the listing, but whether and when to proceed is your call.
What happens if my valuation comes in low?
Then you found out early, with time left to do something about it. We identify exactly what is holding value back and which of those things can realistically be improved before a sale.
How does owning my building affect the plan?
It adds a choice: sell the building along with the business, lease it to the buyer or hold it separately. Each option changes the price, the financing and your income after you leave, and we go through them together.
Begin with a private conversation
Let us know where your business is today and when you hope to step away. We will set out your options and a reasonable first step, with no commitment and nothing shared unless you say so.