Prepare for sale

Over 80% of companies which embark on a sale process fail to sell. There are a number of reasons for this high failure rate and it is therefore vital that companies are properly prepared for sale. Value Bridge Advisory will work with you to ensure your business is properly prepared and – when the time is right for you and the company – you maximise your chances of a successful sale.

Clear business plan + management team

Business plan & future growth strategy
We will help you develop a business plan and growth strategy document which is credible and will stand the scrutiny of a due diligence process as well as positioning the company for future growth – which will be a key consideration of potential buyers.

Management team & succession plan
A future buyer will need to be confident that the business has the right management team in place to take the company forward. If the current leadership team are planning to retire (or part-retire) then good succession planning is vital.

High quality information + documentation

Financial & non-financial information
Good quality, timely and routine financial and non-financial reporting is important. Management accounts as well as helpful business KPIs should be in place to demonstrate visibility and control but also to pinpoint issues and opportunities for the company.

Documentation/contracts/legal/IP/compliance
A due diligence process will include a review of the company’s contracts , any legal issues, (IP) intellectual property – which should all be in good housekeeping order. The company should also be able to demonstrate that it is meeting all of its regulatory compliance obligations.

Final preparations and select advisors

Company structure/shareholders
Prior to kicking off a sale process the company legal entity structure and any shareholder structure issues should be in order. You may already have taken tax planning advice but if not this is an important consideration for a tax-efficient outcome.

Select advisors & identify potential buyers
When the time is right for shareholders and the business is prepared then it usually makes sense to appoint a business broker/advisor to run a sale process. Value Bridge Advisory will help you with this to ensure you select the right advisor on the right terms.

Value Bridge will help ensure you are prepared and ready to market your business

• Proactively – when time is right for you & the value potential of the company is optimised
• Proactively – in anticipation of a change in your market
• Reactively – in response to an approach from a potential buyer