Essential guide to planning your exit from your business

Building your business may represent a lifetime of hard work. To reap the full rewards, you need to make the right exit - both financially and as a manager.

Early planning is essential. You need to understand your objectives, choose the right exit route and get your business into shape for your departure.

Planning ahead before your exit

Shareholder objectives when exiting your business

Company objectives when exitings

Management objectives when exitings

Getting your business in shape for your exit

Possible business exit routes

Planning a trade sale

Planning an MBO

Planning a family succession

1. Planning ahead before your exit

Start planning early for your exit

• In an ideal world, you would have considered possible exit routes when you first set up your business. At the very least you should start planning a few years ahead.
• Planning lets you get your business into the best possible shape for an exit. See Getting your business in shape for your exit.
• Identify a target year, level of sales or other objective to work towards. For example, if you plan to retire at 60, you might want to start considering your exit at 55. You can always change your plans later if you need to.

Think carefully about your aims

If you have a management team and multiple shareholders, agree objectives from the start to help avoid damaging disputes. Make sure you maintain regular communication.

Even if you are the sole shareholder and manager of your business, analysing the issues from different perspectives can help you make the right choice. Consider:

• your objectives as a shareholder (see Shareholder objectives when exiting your business);
• your objectives for the business (see Company objectives when exiting);
• your objectives as a manager (see Management objectives when exiting).

Be realistic

• Many owner-managers have an inflated idea of the true value of their business.
• If you cannot think of a good reason why someone would buy your business, you are likely to struggle to sell it.
• Most exits from small businesses are management buy-outs (MBOs) or family successions, at a modest sale price.

2. Shareholder objectives when exiting your business

You may want to exit to gain financial security and minimise risks

• This is the major goal for many shareholders who want to retire and need a pension.
• The sale must succeed, so you need more than one potential option. You must be prepared to accept less than the best achievable price.
• You will probably prefer payment in cash, not the shares of a company buying you. This may not always be possible. Deals often involve a combination of the two. You may also get a better price if you are willing to accept shares.

You may want to maximise the price you get

• You need to be prepared to accept the risk the exit may fail.

You may want to pass on the business to a family member

You may prefer to sell to a management team you have worked closely with

3. Company objectives when exiting

Consider how you want the business to develop, and if an exit would help you meet these goals.

You may need capital for growth

• For example, to allow you to expand your product range or exploit your intellectual property more effectively.

You may want to improve your market position

• For example, by taking advantage of a better distribution network.

You may want to enter new markets in different sectors or in new countries

You may want to benefit from economies of scale by becoming part of a larger company

You may want to give employees better job security or career development prospects

4. Management objectives when exiting

You may want to end your management involvement

• Some exit routes may require you to remain involved in the business for some time.
• A float usually only provides a partial management exit.
• MBOs may include rollover arrangements that require you to stay involved for a set period.
• If you sell more than 50% of a company, you will no longer control it - so it may be a bad idea to stay involved.

You may want to carry on

• You may earn a good living from a business that would not be worth much without you. For example, a consultancy business can be reliant on the owner's skills.
• Beware of holding on to the business for too long. It may stagnate and lose value, or you could be forced into exiting because you have to, for a bad price.

5. Getting your business in shape for your exit

Sound management over several years will add value to your business and allow you to start an exit relatively quickly when the time is right.

Aim for a year-on-year increase in profits

• Reducing profits to cut corporation tax liabilities may make short-term sense, but it could harm your business' perceived value.

Make sure accounts are in order and up to date, and give a true picture of the business

• It pays to be ready for any due diligence you may have to go through later. Be prepared for it to be demanding.

Check you comply with employment, health and safety and other legislation

Look to expand your range of customers and suppliers

• Over-reliance on a few key customers will undermine the value of your business.

Aim to tie key customers, suppliers, staff and managers to long-term contracts

Protect your intellectual property rights

Look at your business property

• You might want to sell any freehold property you hold before exiting, to allow you to realise it as a personal asset.

Maximise relief for capital gains tax (CGT)

• Higher-rate income taxpayers are normally liable to pay CGT at 20%. For those paying the lower income tax rate, CGT is charged at 10%. Seek tax advice early on.
• You may be able to claim Business Asset Disposal Rellef (previously Entrepreneurs' Relief), reducing the effective rate of CGT on up to £1 million of gains.
• Gains made on the sale of an asset will be free of CGT if they are reinvested in qualifying shares in new, small businesses under the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).
• Substantial holdings in investments could disqualify you from relief. Avoid investing spare cash in property or the stock market, or leaving it in the bank.

6. Possible business exit routes

Consider the possible exit routes open to you.

Selling to another business

• See Planning a trade sale.

Selling to a management team

• A management buyout (MBO) involves selling to the existing management team. See Planning an MBO.
• A management buy-in (MBI) is a sale to an external management team funded by venture capitalists. MBIs are rare, can be hard to achieve and often result in failure.

Selling or transferring the business to members of your family

• See Planning a family succession.

Floating the business on a stock market

• Few small businesses have the secure earning streams and significant growth prospects needed to float successfully.
• The exit is partial. Selling your shares too soon after going public could be interpreted as a warning sign by other investors - and you may not be permitted to do so.

Merge with another business

• This will not really give you an exit - though you may be able to retire more easily later.
• Mergers are more common with people businesses, such as lawyers and consultants with complementary strengths. Be careful this does not become a takeover.
• Apart from getting your business into a good market position, it can be difficult to plan for a merger as you will not know how your company might fit with a potential suitor until the chance arises.

Liquidation

• This may be the only option if you cannot find a buyer.
• You do not have to be in distress. Simply sell your assets, surrender your lease and stop trading.
• Businesses with limited earning potential are not likely to have much greater value than the total of their net assets.

7. Planning a trade sale

A trade sale is usually the best way to get a good financial exit from a small firm, particularly if you have several competing buyers.

Identify possible buyers who might benefit from acquiring your business

• Your market knowledge should mean you have a fair idea of who they might be.
• A corporate finance adviser will have a database of possible buyers and may be able to spot less obvious ones prepared to pay a premium price.
• Look in trade magazines and directories, and the financial press.
• The more possible buyers you can identify, the better the potential price is likely to be.

Work to develop characteristics buyers will really want

They may be seeking to:

• Gain access to a new market. For example, an overseas business might want to get a foothold in the UK.
• Get rid of a competitor.
• Get hold of a particular product, portfolio or contract you have. Will any of your contracts be nullified by a change-of-ownership clause in them?
• Get access to your staff and skills.
• Obtain synergies and cost savings (eg through discounts or reduced overheads).
• Cross-sell their existing products or services to your customer base.

Put a good management team in place

• If the business is too reliant on your own skills, its value to a trade buyer could be damaged. Or you may have to stay involved longer than you might wish.

8. Planning an MBO

Sound out your management team

• Avoid raising their expectations too much.

Train your management team

• Their skills will be a key issue for venture capitalists or banks funding a deal.

Put a value on the company

• Give the management team time to raise the money. They will probably have to approach banks and venture capitalists.

Talk to management about how you might structure any deal

Consider allowing them to acquire the business in stages:

• They buy part of it each year for a number of years out of their share of the profits.
• You continue to take your own share of the profits until the deal is complete.
• Get a legal agreement committing the management to buy the whole business, so they can't change their minds.
• Use this agreement to make sure you pay tax on any capital gain at the end of each year, rather than paying it all at the start. Discuss any agreement with your tax adviser prior to signing.

9. Planning a family succession

Family successions can be fraught with problems and emotions. A third party - such as a non-executive director or business adviser - can be useful in providing impartial guidance and asking awkward questions.

Identify a potential successor or successors and plan their development

• Talk openly with possible successors. Conduct the discussions in the workplace.
• There may be only one realistic candidate. But you still need to be sure this person has the necessary skills and commitment. You might let them experience different roles, or get them to work elsewhere.
• It will be more difficult if there is more than one possible successor. Giving more than one person equal standing in the business could be a bad idea. If you do, make sure they share the same agenda and establish clear areas of responsibility from the start.
• Your children will expect equal treatment. This does not mean they should all take an active role in the business. You could split the company's share capital into two types - one with full voting rights for children active in the business, the other with restricted or no voting rights.

Keep other employees fully informed

• Inform long-serving staff about key decisions.
• Your best employees are likely to be the first to jump ship if things turn sour.

Discuss your future expectations with your successor

• Aim to resolve any differences regarding the aims of the business. This will make it easier to step back when you retire - which can be difficult if you are relying on the business for a pension.

Consider your tax position at the earliest possible stage

• You may be able to claim business property relief from inheritance tax (IHT) on shares you give to your relatives. This should allow you to transfer shares held for at least two years free of IHT, even if you do not live for more than seven years.
• You could lose some of this relief if your company holds investments.
• You may be able to defer (hold over) CGT, meaning your successor will pay it if and when the gain is released in future.
• Putting some shares in a trust for your children, from which you are excluded as a beneficiary, may help you cut your tax bill.

Put an alternative plan in place in case family successors are not interested

Expert quotes

"Selling your business can be a very stressful process and can take longer than you had planned. Ensure you maintain focus on your existing business in parallel with any selling process." - Brian Hayden, Hayden Associates

"Good planning is essential if you want to exit on your own terms, from a position of strength, rather than being forced into it because you need the money or can no longer continue your management involvement." - Peter Gray, Cavendish Corporate Finance