In Step Two, we establish:

1) The value of your business today

2) The potential cash flow of your business over the next few years

By determining the value of your company today and the amount of after-tax cash you can expect to receive from its transfer, we can establish if your financial objectives can be met. If your financial objectives cannot be met today, a business valuation will tell us how much your company must grow before you can exit.

We call the elements that build or preserve the value of a company “Value Drivers.” Value Drivers that preserve value (such as effective financial controls) reduce the risks associated with owning the business. Those that build value (such as a motivated management team) enhance the prospect that the business will grow significantly in the future.

Value Drivers are important whether your Exit Objective is to transfer your business to “insiders” (family members or key employees) or whether you plan to sell to a third party. If transferring to insiders, Value Drivers must be in place so that the business will generate the income stream you need to reach your financial objectives. If you plan to sell to a third party, buyers look for—and pay top dollar for—effective Value Drivers.

In Step Three, we will identify which Value Driers exist in your business, which are missing, and which are most vigorous. We also will examine what measures you’ve taken to protect the intrinsic value of your company.

Preparing a business for sale to a third party and completing the transaction takes more time and planning than transferring it to insiders. Keep in mind that only half of all businesses listed for sale do sell, and that sale prices are influenced by the ups and downs of the marketplace. We believe the best way to ensure success is to get organized well in advance of putting the company on the market. In addition to improving the likelihood of closing the deal, doing so also significantly reduces the stress on both you and your business.

Transferring ownership of your company to insiders (family members, co-owners or key employees) is the preferred method for transferring ownership, especially if your company is too small to attract the notice of a large third-party buyer. Typically, an insider transfer:

• Yields more cash than a third-party sale
• Allows the owner to exit sooner
• Involves less risk both in reaching the exit and in getting paid

The biggest question owners have as they consider this type of sale is, “How can my children/employees/co-owner pay me what I want for my company when they don’t have a lot of money?” Effective and careful planning can overcome this difficulty. During this process, there will also be a focus on minimizing income tax consequences for both seller and buyer, and on acquiring the cash to pay the purchase price.

None of us likes to think about what might happen to our business or our families if we were to die or become disabled. Business continuity planning can protect your rights in a number of important ways. If your co-owner leaves the company, dies, or divorces, the business continuity agreement can dictate what you will pay for the departing owner’s interest. Or, if you died or became disabled, the agreement could protect your family’s right to its share of the company.

Most owners live to see the day they leave their companies, but some do not. The purpose of business continuity planning is to make sure that if you can’t run your company, it will survive and your family’s financial security will be assured.

As a business owner, you are in a unique position in the world of personal wealth and estate planning because your company represents a significant portion of both your net worth and annual income. If your children are active in your business, this type of planning will be more complex. In Step Seven, we work to protect your personal assets and manage wealth both now and in the future—all while promoting family harmony.

In Step Two, we establish:

1) The value of your business today

2) The potential cash flow of your business over the next few years

By determining the value of your company today and the amount of after-tax cash you can expect to receive from its transfer, we can establish if your financial objectives can be met. If your financial objectives cannot be met today, a business valuation will tell us how much your company must grow before you can exit.

We call the elements that build or preserve the value of a company “Value Drivers.” Value Drivers that preserve value (such as effective financial controls) reduce the risks associated with owning the business. Those that build value (such as a motivated management team) enhance the prospect that the business will grow significantly in the future.

Value Drivers are important whether your Exit Objective is to transfer your business to “insiders” (family members or key employees) or whether you plan to sell to a third party. If transferring to insiders, Value Drivers must be in place so that the business will generate the income stream you need to reach your financial objectives. If you plan to sell to a third party, buyers look for—and pay top dollar for—effective Value Drivers.

In Step Three, we will identify which Value Driers exist in your business, which are missing, and which are most vigorous. We also will examine what measures you’ve taken to protect the intrinsic value of your company.

Preparing a business for sale to a third party and completing the transaction takes more time and planning than transferring it to insiders. Keep in mind that only half of all businesses listed for sale do sell, and that sale prices are influenced by the ups and downs of the marketplace. We believe the best way to ensure success is to get organized well in advance of putting the company on the market. In addition to improving the likelihood of closing the deal, doing so also significantly reduces the stress on both you and your business.

Transferring ownership of your company to insiders (family members, co-owners or key employees) is the preferred method for transferring ownership, especially if your company is too small to attract the notice of a large third-party buyer. Typically, an insider transfer:

• Yields more cash than a third-party sale
• Allows the owner to exit sooner
• Involves less risk both in reaching the exit and in getting paid

The biggest question owners have as they consider this type of sale is, “How can my children/employees/co-owner pay me what I want for my company when they don’t have a lot of money?” Effective and careful planning can overcome this difficulty. During this process, there will also be a focus on minimizing income tax consequences for both seller and buyer, and on acquiring the cash to pay the purchase price.

None of us likes to think about what might happen to our business or our families if we were to die or become disabled. Business continuity planning can protect your rights in a number of important ways. If your co-owner leaves the company, dies, or divorces, the business continuity agreement can dictate what you will pay for the departing owner’s interest. Or, if you died or became disabled, the agreement could protect your family’s right to its share of the company.

Most owners live to see the day they leave their companies, but some do not. The purpose of business continuity planning is to make sure that if you can’t run your company, it will survive and your family’s financial security will be assured.

As a business owner, you are in a unique position in the world of personal wealth and estate planning because your company represents a significant portion of both your net worth and annual income. If your children are active in your business, this type of planning will be more complex. In Step Seven, we work to protect your personal assets and manage wealth both now and in the future—all while promoting family harmony.

In Step Two, we establish:

1) The value of your business today

2) The potential cash flow of your business over the next few years

By determining the value of your company today and the amount of after-tax cash you can expect to receive from its transfer, we can establish if your financial objectives can be met. If your financial objectives cannot be met today, a business valuation will tell us how much your company must grow before you can exit.

We call the elements that build or preserve the value of a company “Value Drivers.” Value Drivers that preserve value (such as effective financial controls) reduce the risks associated with owning the business. Those that build value (such as a motivated management team) enhance the prospect that the business will grow significantly in the future.

Value Drivers are important whether your Exit Objective is to transfer your business to “insiders” (family members or key employees) or whether you plan to sell to a third party. If transferring to insiders, Value Drivers must be in place so that the business will generate the income stream you need to reach your financial objectives. If you plan to sell to a third party, buyers look for—and pay top dollar for—effective Value Drivers.

In Step Three, we will identify which Value Driers exist in your business, which are missing, and which are most vigorous. We also will examine what measures you’ve taken to protect the intrinsic value of your company.

Preparing a business for sale to a third party and completing the transaction takes more time and planning than transferring it to insiders. Keep in mind that only half of all businesses listed for sale do sell, and that sale prices are influenced by the ups and downs of the marketplace. We believe the best way to ensure success is to get organized well in advance of putting the company on the market. In addition to improving the likelihood of closing the deal, doing so also significantly reduces the stress on both you and your business.

Transferring ownership of your company to insiders (family members, co-owners or key employees) is the preferred method for transferring ownership, especially if your company is too small to attract the notice of a large third-party buyer. Typically, an insider transfer:

• Yields more cash than a third-party sale
• Allows the owner to exit sooner
• Involves less risk both in reaching the exit and in getting paid

The biggest question owners have as they consider this type of sale is, “How can my children/employees/co-owner pay me what I want for my company when they don’t have a lot of money?” Effective and careful planning can overcome this difficulty. During this process, there will also be a focus on minimizing income tax consequences for both seller and buyer, and on acquiring the cash to pay the purchase price.

None of us likes to think about what might happen to our business or our families if we were to die or become disabled. Business continuity planning can protect your rights in a number of important ways. If your co-owner leaves the company, dies, or divorces, the business continuity agreement can dictate what you will pay for the departing owner’s interest. Or, if you died or became disabled, the agreement could protect your family’s right to its share of the company.

Most owners live to see the day they leave their companies, but some do not. The purpose of business continuity planning is to make sure that if you can’t run your company, it will survive and your family’s financial security will be assured.

As a business owner, you are in a unique position in the world of personal wealth and estate planning because your company represents a significant portion of both your net worth and annual income. If your children are active in your business, this type of planning will be more complex. In Step Seven, we work to protect your personal assets and manage wealth both now and in the future—all while promoting family harmony.

In Step Two, we establish:

1) The value of your business today

2) The potential cash flow of your business over the next few years

By determining the value of your company today and the amount of after-tax cash you can expect to receive from its transfer, we can establish if your financial objectives can be met. If your financial objectives cannot be met today, a business valuation will tell us how much your company must grow before you can exit.

We call the elements that build or preserve the value of a company “Value Drivers.” Value Drivers that preserve value (such as effective financial controls) reduce the risks associated with owning the business. Those that build value (such as a motivated management team) enhance the prospect that the business will grow significantly in the future.

Value Drivers are important whether your Exit Objective is to transfer your business to “insiders” (family members or key employees) or whether you plan to sell to a third party. If transferring to insiders, Value Drivers must be in place so that the business will generate the income stream you need to reach your financial objectives. If you plan to sell to a third party, buyers look for—and pay top dollar for—effective Value Drivers.

In Step Three, we will identify which Value Driers exist in your business, which are missing, and which are most vigorous. We also will examine what measures you’ve taken to protect the intrinsic value of your company.

Preparing a business for sale to a third party and completing the transaction takes more time and planning than transferring it to insiders. Keep in mind that only half of all businesses listed for sale do sell, and that sale prices are influenced by the ups and downs of the marketplace. We believe the best way to ensure success is to get organized well in advance of putting the company on the market. In addition to improving the likelihood of closing the deal, doing so also significantly reduces the stress on both you and your business.

Transferring ownership of your company to insiders (family members, co-owners or key employees) is the preferred method for transferring ownership, especially if your company is too small to attract the notice of a large third-party buyer. Typically, an insider transfer:

• Yields more cash than a third-party sale
• Allows the owner to exit sooner
• Involves less risk both in reaching the exit and in getting paid

The biggest question owners have as they consider this type of sale is, “How can my children/employees/co-owner pay me what I want for my company when they don’t have a lot of money?” Effective and careful planning can overcome this difficulty. During this process, there will also be a focus on minimizing income tax consequences for both seller and buyer, and on acquiring the cash to pay the purchase price.

None of us likes to think about what might happen to our business or our families if we were to die or become disabled. Business continuity planning can protect your rights in a number of important ways. If your co-owner leaves the company, dies, or divorces, the business continuity agreement can dictate what you will pay for the departing owner’s interest. Or, if you died or became disabled, the agreement could protect your family’s right to its share of the company.

Most owners live to see the day they leave their companies, but some do not. The purpose of business continuity planning is to make sure that if you can’t run your company, it will survive and your family’s financial security will be assured.

As a business owner, you are in a unique position in the world of personal wealth and estate planning because your company represents a significant portion of both your net worth and annual income. If your children are active in your business, this type of planning will be more complex. In Step Seven, we work to protect your personal assets and manage wealth both now and in the future—all while promoting family harmony.

In Step Two, we establish:

1) The value of your business today

2) The potential cash flow of your business over the next few years

By determining the value of your company today and the amount of after-tax cash you can expect to receive from its transfer, we can establish if your financial objectives can be met. If your financial objectives cannot be met today, a business valuation will tell us how much your company must grow before you can exit.

We call the elements that build or preserve the value of a company “Value Drivers.” Value Drivers that preserve value (such as effective financial controls) reduce the risks associated with owning the business. Those that build value (such as a motivated management team) enhance the prospect that the business will grow significantly in the future.

Value Drivers are important whether your Exit Objective is to transfer your business to “insiders” (family members or key employees) or whether you plan to sell to a third party. If transferring to insiders, Value Drivers must be in place so that the business will generate the income stream you need to reach your financial objectives. If you plan to sell to a third party, buyers look for—and pay top dollar for—effective Value Drivers.

In Step Three, we will identify which Value Driers exist in your business, which are missing, and which are most vigorous. We also will examine what measures you’ve taken to protect the intrinsic value of your company.

Preparing a business for sale to a third party and completing the transaction takes more time and planning than transferring it to insiders. Keep in mind that only half of all businesses listed for sale do sell, and that sale prices are influenced by the ups and downs of the marketplace. We believe the best way to ensure success is to get organized well in advance of putting the company on the market. In addition to improving the likelihood of closing the deal, doing so also significantly reduces the stress on both you and your business.

Transferring ownership of your company to insiders (family members, co-owners or key employees) is the preferred method for transferring ownership, especially if your company is too small to attract the notice of a large third-party buyer. Typically, an insider transfer:

• Yields more cash than a third-party sale
• Allows the owner to exit sooner
• Involves less risk both in reaching the exit and in getting paid

The biggest question owners have as they consider this type of sale is, “How can my children/employees/co-owner pay me what I want for my company when they don’t have a lot of money?” Effective and careful planning can overcome this difficulty. During this process, there will also be a focus on minimizing income tax consequences for both seller and buyer, and on acquiring the cash to pay the purchase price.

None of us likes to think about what might happen to our business or our families if we were to die or become disabled. Business continuity planning can protect your rights in a number of important ways. If your co-owner leaves the company, dies, or divorces, the business continuity agreement can dictate what you will pay for the departing owner’s interest. Or, if you died or became disabled, the agreement could protect your family’s right to its share of the company.

Most owners live to see the day they leave their companies, but some do not. The purpose of business continuity planning is to make sure that if you can’t run your company, it will survive and your family’s financial security will be assured.

As a business owner, you are in a unique position in the world of personal wealth and estate planning because your company represents a significant portion of both your net worth and annual income. If your children are active in your business, this type of planning will be more complex. In Step Seven, we work to protect your personal assets and manage wealth both now and in the future—all while promoting family harmony.