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Being Prepared Mentally To Sell Your Company

Things to avoid when the times comes to exit

Talk with anyone directly involved with buying and selling small to mid-sized privately held businesses and you will hear real life situations where sellers had second thoughts about selling their company in the final weeks of the event happening. When this occurs, it adds stress and expense to the deal and can take what was supposed to be a wonderful, potentially life changing event, and turn it in to a nightmare…a nightmare that can be fully avoided with proper planning.

Here are some real-world situations that have given business owners second thoughts - ask yourself, could any of these happen to me?

  • Just weeks before the transaction was to close, the reality set in for the seller that they had nothing to do starting the following week of the deal closing. Forty years of going to their business and suddenly no schedule, no meetings or trips on the calendar and stress set in. The seller was so mentally invested in the business that they didn’t think through their life post deal closing. The deal collapsed as the seller changed their mind about wanting to exit and led to a lawsuit by the acquirer to reclaim the expenses they incurred pursuing the transaction.
  • A seller who realized too late that something as simple as how they would introduce themselves to new people they met in the future was now creating mental uncertainty. For years they introduced themselves with great pride as the owner of XYZ company as they met people at industry or social events and upon selling their business, were suddenly worried about how they would present themselves. This situation didn’t kill the deal but it did delay it and caused entirely unnecessary stress for all parties involved.
  • The seller that certainly knew personal cash flow would be important but hadn’t really planned for this, including how they would be paying for healthcare coverage post transaction. So as the transaction closing date approached, the urgency of thinking and planning for this accelerated and although it didn’t kill the deal, it added an unnecessary layer of anxiety and stress for the seller and her family as they scrambled to figure things out.

Talk with any business broker or investment banker and they can share many stories like this. What they all have in common is that with proper exit preparation, you can avoid them. And know that although your lawyer and CPA will play a critical role in your business sale process, they are NOT the ones that will help you take a holistic exit preparation approach inclusive of the mental preparations.  Get holistic exit preparation guidance from those that have been down this path and can help you get your business and yourself mentally prepared for the event.

Use Greenpoint Testing to Achieve Your Desired Exit Valuation

It only takes 106 questions, scanning 10 essential business functions, to stress test your readiness for a successful exit.

However, these questions require thoughtful commitment to achieve your desired exit valuation.

During this up to hour-long online testing, you'll see questions such as the following.

Sample Question 02

After internalizing each question, select among three answer options – Agree, Unsure and Don’t Agree – choosing the answer which best describes you and your business.

Then, complete the Greenpoint questionnaire to unlock your personalized report, which will reveal any gaps in your planning, pointing to the action steps needed to maximize your desired exit valuation.

Format: Digital

Delivery method: Email

Report included: Your Greenpoint results

Stethoscope Frees You to Work On Your Business, Beyond In It

120 questions, scanning 10 essential business functions, free you to work ON your business, rather than solely IN your business.

With each question requiring thoughtful commitment to identify opportunities to further your success.

During this up to hour-long digital Q&A, you'll see questions such as the following:

Sample Question 02

After internalizing each question, select among three answer options – Agree, Unsure and Don’t Agree – choosing the answer which best describes you and your business.

Complete the Stethoscope questionnaire to unlock your personalized report, which will expose gaps [if any] in your planning, and tips for future growth, resulting in action steps needed to maximize your thinking as a business leader.

Format: Digital

Delivery method: Email

Report included: Your Stethoscope results

Be Ready for The Probe of Due Diligence

109 questions, scanning 10 essential due diligence disciplines, to prepare for a roadblock free Probe of your business in anticipation of sale.

And to potentially increase the value of your business by your professional transparency.

With each question requiring thoughtful commitment to identify opportunities to further your success.

During this up to hour-long digital Q&A, you'll see questions such as the following:

Sample Question 02

After internalizing each question, select among three answer options – Agree, Unsure and Don’t Agree – choosing the answer which best describes you and your business.

Complete the Probe Diagnostic Tool questionnaire to unlock your personalized report, which will expose gaps [if any] in your planning for a due diligence Probe, resulting in action steps needed to maximize your readiness when diligence is due.

Format: Digital

Delivery method: Email

Report included: Your Probe results