How to plan a successful business sale and ensure a good exit

When looking to sell a business, preparation is key and needs planning. Jo Thornley, head of brand and partnerships at Dynamis, offers some advice. Though a business sale can take months to set up and negotiate, the actual process of preparing to successfully exit your business may take much longer. So, if you want your sale to go as smoothly as possible or are looking to maximise your returns, it’s never too early to get your business into a shape. Once you specify your planned exit, all your strategic decisions about running your company will be designed to meet that purpose. And a well-crafted exit strategy will both optimise your trading profit and also increase its eventual selling price. For those entrepreneurs who may have spent years building up their business, planning for an exit will make sure your business will continue to thrive after you leave. And this should bring a great deal of satisfaction.