This conference is broken down into two areas: process and transaction. The first part of the day will focus on the processes integral to planning for transition, while the second part of the day will help you navigate and understand the ‘ins and outs’ of transactions.
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. You will walk away with:
Whether the sale of your business is on the horizon or many years away, most experts agree that it can take years to structure a company to increase the probability of a successful sale. Operating your business like you are getting ready for a buyer will help you optimize for success, even if you have no plans to sell. You never know if, or when, there may come a knock on your door? What exactly should you be doing now in order to get your business ready?
This session will provide you with an understanding of the extensiveness of the process and how much advanced planning is required so that you can build your own roadmap with exactly what you need. You will walk away with:
What do buyers look for when assessing a potential acquisition? Growth prospects, financial health, management team and strategic fit are just a few of the considerations.
In this panel strategic buyers and private equity purchasers will discuss what they look for as acquirers to help you get an understanding of who your ideal buyer might be, or who is the partner you can’t see.
This session will dive into:
Companies should be sold, not bought. Putting an emphasis on systematically growing your business could be your trojan horse to attracting the right type of buyer for your business. Increasing revenues, market share or scaling operations will help make your business that much more attractive to potential acquirers. Learn what steps you should be taking to be in the driver’s seat of your sale.
This session will explore:
A management buyout can be an excellent succession strategy and an opportunity for senior managers to become owners. When considering a Management Buyout (MBO), how do you equip your management team to become a credible bidder for the business? How is your leadership team positioned to perform? Have you effectively replaced yourself with the right skill sets and integrated your best people into the company’s operations so they are prepared to become owners? Is the team aware of the risks and opportunities involved? This session will cover:
Family businesses are unique in that transitioning them to the next generation is a complex, often deeply emotional, endeavour. How do you prepare for a generational business that is resilient, while keeping the legacy you have built intact? Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider that your family heirs may have neither the skills nor desire, to be part of your succession plan. In this session panelists will share their unique tools and perspectives so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition.
You will learn:
When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the purchase price in your pocket. Fortunately, with the right preparation and enough time to implement, there are a number of opportunities to limit or even eliminate tax. This is the ideal session for CEO’s and CFO’s to attend.
This session will look at real-world examples:
In order to attract a wide range of financial and/or strategic buyers, you must identify the areas of risk within your business well in advance. Potential buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots once an offer is on the table; this is your chance to learn about “deal breakers” that work within your business so that you and your advisors can prepare. Common challenges that will be discussed include:
Negotiating the sale of your business can vary significantly, not only between bidders but also with any particular potential buyer. The process selected and terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will impact the “price” paid. It is fundamental to understand how the selling process will impact what you receive for your company.
This panel will dive into best practices, industry myths and misconceptions, and alternatives for consideration in designing a process to structure your transaction for a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
Do you really know what your business is worth? Most business owners don’t get nearly what they should because they weren’t prepared, and this can gravely affect the value of your company. As a business owner, it’s imperative to focus on the specific areas of your business that drive value, even if you have no immediate intention of selling. Furthermore, a successful sale for your shareholders can be very different from what you, the business owner, defines as a success. From the get-go you should understand the levers you need to “push or pull” in order to optimize the results you are looking for.
This session will explore key value drivers that require immediate attention in order to maximize the saleability of your business.
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through transition with their business and now have the opportunity to share their tales from the trenches. This panel will share insights on:
Limited Seating
A not-to-be-missed educational workshop for business owners who are looking for a deeper dive in transitioning their business.
In the four distinct sessions this half-day workshop we’ll take a more detailed look 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 buyer’s value most (and why), and explain how to manage personal and corporate risk.
The sessions will focus on case studies to provide real life situations to assist you with your transition discussions.
Negotiating the sale of your business can vary significantly, not only between bidders but also with any particular potential buyer. The process selected and terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will impact the “price” paid. It is fundamental to understand how the selling process will impact what you receive for your company. The panel will discuss and elaborate on best practices, industry myths and misconceptions, and alternatives for consideration in designing a process to structure your transaction for a fair price.
It’s often possible to sell your business for 50% more if you do everything right. Unlike selling a share on the stock exchange or a home in the residential real estate market, the process of selling your business is deemed “inefficient” by economists. In an efficient market like the ones listed above, the price of your asset is not significantly affected by the actual selling process. Contrarily, in the M&A market, the selling process itself can have a major impact on the price of your company. Plan and execute the process correctly and you could increase the price of your company by upwards of 50%. The speaker will elaborate on industry myths, and misconceptions to provide you with the knowledge and tools to sell your company for a higher price.
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 – practical advice will help you select the best professionals to sell your company while ensuring that you get you the best price and terms. In this session, you’ll learn tactics to select the best advisors and importantly, you’ll learn what your team will cost and how they will get paid. You’ll leave this workshop with an understanding of what the ideal exit team looks like and why every good transaction needs a great “bad guy.”
