This is the Program Archives for the Atlantic Business Transitions Forum.
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.
What do economic conditions and market trends look like in a world recovering from COVID? How has the pandemic affected your business and will the economy rebound to pre pandemic numbers? This session will provide insights into both a macro view of the economy, as well as provide insights on regional and industry sector differences. You will also get an understanding of the current mergers and acquisitions environment and factors which might impact it in the future.
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, COVID impacts and strategic fit are just a few of the considerations.
In this panel strategic buyers and private equity purchasers will discuss the metrics that matter most to them, lessons they have learned along the way and what to consider if you are just looking for liquidity options (ie, you just want to take some cash off the table).
Putting an emphasis on systematically growing your business could be your secret weapon when looking to attract 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 the necessary steps to maximizing business value before you engage the sale process including strategies, tactics and metrics you can put to work right away that will have immediate
COVID has prompted a surge in non-traditional M&A deal structures and accelerated deals. There are a number of transaction structures that aren’t reliant on a large amount of cash, and can take a variety of different forms, such as a management buyout or buy-in (MBO/MBI), acquiring minority stakes or entering cooperative arrangements through joint ventures, alliances, or partnerships as a success strategy.
This session will cover:
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:
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:
Both buyers and sellers recognize that human capital is one of the most important assets in a company, but will it be preserved during the transition of a merger or acquisition? Strategies for talent retention, HR due diligence, structuring deals to keep people post deal, communication to staff, surviving general HR trends (like the Great Resignation) should be addressed long before a deal hits the table. It takes time to build a strong corporate culture and an acquirer wants to know that it is resilient enough to fit into a new mother ship and talent won’t peel off with a sale?
This session will cover issues such as:
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:
What would they change, if anything, if they were to do it all again? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the 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.