The decisions you make today will ultimately impact your business in the future. This session will provide insights into both a macro view of the economy, as well as cast a lens on regional and industry sector differences. What are the economic factors that will impact the next 12 months? You will walk away with:
Factors business owners should consider for the best long-term value for their business
As a business owner, it is important to have a plan to maximize the overall return you achieve on the capital, time and energy you invest in your business. Deciding whether and when to sell all or a portion of your business will help determine your success. Key considerations include (i) the number of years you are willing to commit to the future management of the business; (ii) the depth of your management team; (iii) your personal appetite for risk; and (iv) the marketability and scalability of your business. During this session we will explore each of these topics and review:
Delve into the heart of business transitions as we explore the critical elements that influence the value of your transition and identify common deal-breakers. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, this session provides a strategic roadmap to navigate the intricate landscape of business transitions and pitfalls to avoid.
Key Takeaways:
You’ve decided to sell, now what?
Explore the key considerations and tactical steps to ensure a successful transition as you navigate this critical phase of your entrepreneurial journey. Do you hire an advisor or banker, and what are the pros and cons of different approaches? How do you best prepare for the process (e.g., getting a data room set up, gathering information, building a forecast model, preparing a pitch deck, aligning your senior executive etc.)? How do you find potential buyers or create a bidding process? What are the pros and cons of pursuing a strategic buyer versus financial buyer? In this session you will learn:
Considerations For Acquisitive Entrepreneurs
Implementing an outbound M&A strategy at your company is a high-value, high stakes game. How can you establish your M&A Mindset? The M&A processis intensive, with many steps – it can often take many months to identify acquisition targets, initiate and close transactions – all while you’re still operating your business. Learn how to operate and run your business while embedding process that will improve M&A outcomes.
Are you ready to take full advantage of the time and resources your life’s work has afforded you? The day after the close is the first day of the rest of your life, but strategies for dealing with the social, emotional, physical, and financial elements of adapting to being ‘out of the business’ is a pivotal part of the entrepreneurial journey that is often overlooked. In this engaging session you’ll learn how to plan for your family legacy (and navigate the potentially difficult conversations that may inspire), achieve your philanthropic goals, identify fulfilling ways to spend your time, and set yourself up for ongoing financial success.
Session Takeaways:
In this Fireside Chat you will hear the stories from a business owner who has gone through a transition of their business and now have the opportunity to reflect on the deal in the rear-view mirror. How has the transition affected their personal and professional life? What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Would they negotiate differently, work with different strategic advisors or would they second guess their decision to exit? The discussion will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing war stories.
Family businesses are unique in that transitioning them to the next generation is a complex, often deeply emotional, endeavor. As a young family owner, aspiring to one day take the reins, how do you prepare for such a monumental responsibility. As an exiting parent (or other family member), how do you impart years of experience and knowledge and ensure younger family members are successful, yet able to chart their own path? For all parties, the goal is to create a business that is resilient, while keeping the legacy intact. Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider outside, non-family executives.
You’re contemplating ways to turn years of hard work into cash, but what are your options? Should you look to your senior management team as potential investors, assuming they are interested and able to invest in your business? Should you look outside your firm for strategic buyers? Could private equity, search funds or other entities provide liquidity opportunities? In this session, a panel of experts will help you learn what distinguishes different classes of buyers, depending on your size of business, and what other options you have to generate capital. The panel will address the pros and cons of various options that could allow you to take some chips off the table.
Receive hands-on advice from a panel of accomplished business owners and knowledgeable financial experts to help you expand your business. Walk away feeling armed you with top strategies for effective scaling quickly and efficiently while also helping you navigate the challenges of growth. You’ll walk away with immediately actionable tips to prepare your business for substantial growth – even amidst the uncertainties of a tightening economy!
In this panel discussion, you will:
This keynote promises to provide a fresh perspective on the intricate dynamics of business transactions from the buyer’s side of the table. The art of buying a business is a complex dance of strategy, diligence, and foresight. Come with us and explore the fundamental differences in perspective between buyers and sellers, uncover what buyers are looking for and the learn about the challenges they strive to avoid (and look for).
Key Takeaways:
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through transition with their business and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear-view mirror. This panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and their key learnings for their next endeavours. What would they change, if anything, if they were to do it all again? How much growth did their business experience prior to selling? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own stories and tales from the M&A trenches.
(add-on, half day workshop for entrepreneurs)
“How to Maximize The Selling Price of Your Business and Protect Yourself In The Process”
A not-to-be-missed educational workshop for business owners who are serious about maximizing the proceeds of an eventual sale.
In this two-part, half-day workshop we’ll take a deep dive into operational and financial engineering that can take years to execute – guaranteed to increase the value of your business and improve the probability of finding buyers when the time is right. We’ll show you which areas of your business buyers value most (and why), and explain how to manage personal and corporate risk.
(Only 50 seats available. Business owners only. Workshop is an additional charge.)
The secret to succession planning success is to be ready to sell, even if your business is not for sale. By being proactive, you’ll maximize the value of your business when the time, buyer and terms are right. Selling or otherwise exiting a business is, by far, the most complex transaction that most entrepreneurs will ever undertake. Detailed planning is instrumental and ideally begins long before any decision to sell. Starting your transition checklist is key to the end result.
Some general key points to include:
The successful sale of a business involves many moving parts, making it the largest and possibly most complicated transaction of your life. You can’t do this alone. You will need a team of professionals to help you successfully sell your company. The right team will get you the best price, terms and most importantly, ensure that the transaction closes.
After attending this workshop, you will understand what the ideal exit team looks like and how to select the best advisors for your business. You’ll also learn what your exit team will cost and how they’ll be paid.
While the idea of providing unfettered access to the confidential information pertaining to your business may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure when it comes to transitioning your business to an outsider. Learn about ways to maintain control of process without impeding success. While you may only go through the process with a buyer who you believe is qualified and fully committed to completion, many deals collapse at the due diligence stage. Buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots. This is your opportunity to learn about common “deal breakers” so that you and your advisors can prepare for them and maintain momentum during this crucial phase.