Business owner Archives - Your ExitMap

Manufacturer Stuck in the “Neutral Zone”

John F. Dini — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:07:44 +0000

Here is how exit planning helped a business owner out of the Neutral Zone. This manufacturer reached out to an exit planning consultant after receiving a book on planning as a gift from a local professional. He was in no particular hurry to leave his business. In the preceding twenty years of ownership, he had grown it from a local vendor to home builders into a nationally known specialty house. The company provided him with a good living, generating roughly $700,000 a year in free cash flow for each of the previous five years. He wanted to continue for at least a few more years ... Read more

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The Exit Planning Fallacy – A Business Owner’s Perspective

John F. Dini — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 16:59:40 +0000

One of the most common sales pitches you might hear from someone claiming to help you “enhance value” goes something like this: “I’ve reviewed your company and believe it’s worth $4.2 million today. With the right planning, it could be worth $7.7 million. Would you rather exit with $4.2 million or $7.7 million?” That’s not really a question—it’s a setup. Of course, no business owner would willingly choose the smaller number. But the real issue isn’t which number you prefer. It’s what it actually takes to bridge that gap—and whether you’re being given a full picture. Are You Falling for the Planning Fallacy? There’s a ... Read more

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Are You Financially Ready to Exit Your Business Even if it Happened Tomorrow?

Brett Andrews — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:09:50 +0000

Exiting a business is a significant decision that requires careful consideration, particularly regarding financial readiness. Whether you’re considering retirement, pursuing new ventures, or simply ready to move on, being financially prepared is crucial for a smooth transition.

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How to Separate Yourself From Your Business – Why It’s So Important

Todd Jarvis — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 14:51:58 +0000

When you run your own business, oftentimes one of the most confusing aspects of the job, especially if you are new to the experience, is understanding how to separate yourself from your business. And this issue can show up in so many ways, from achieving a work/life balance and managing your time to how you get paid and even how much taxes you owe. With this in mind, here we will offer a big-picture overview of this issue, and in future articles, we’ll drill down to some of the finer details of keeping your business and personal assets separate. Although it might not seem overly ... Read more

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What’s Your Purpose in Retirement?

Steven Zeller — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 23:16:28 +0000

Retirement can be an exciting milestone. It’s also a major lifestyle change. Oftentimes, your daily workday tasks (professionally or if you run your own business) will likely no longer exist. Transitioning into retirement for some is an easy process. Perhaps their profession is not their absolute passion, and they always had other pursuits and hobbies they are ready to explore once exiting from their day job. But for others, their profession or business is their passion. They put all their time and energy into it and are dedicated to their profession for many years. Now suddenly, retirement is on the horizon and work is coming ... Read more

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Key Employees: Build and Protect Business Value

Pat Ennis — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 20:18:33 +0000

Key Employees You may have people working in key roles who are instrumental in growing and building the value of your business. These key people can be identified as having the following characteristics: Makes a substantial business contribution Possesses critical information or knowledge Maintains and nourishes key contacts and relationships Sellable Business In helping clients plan to build a sellable business, and then eventually exit on their terms and conditions, we emphasize that “key people are a key value driver” in realizing success in both of those strategic goals. And, we find it helpful for owners to have two categories in mind when considering key ... Read more

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