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*The conference has been approved for the following continuing education credits:
Introduction by Kristi Miller, Founder and National Managing Director, First West Capital
The decisions you make today will ultimately impact your business in the future. What are the current economic conditions and market trends that business owners need to consider when thinking about your business? How might these trends impact your business? 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 M&A 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 optimally structure a company to increase the probability of a successful sale. Who’s to know if and 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 for a successful transition.
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 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).
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. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
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:
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 outside, non-family executives.
In this session presenters will share their unique tools and perspectives so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition.
Bring your burning transition questions to our group of experts. This is your opportunity to meet and obtain advice from Canada’s leading and most reputable experts on the subject of transition-strategy.
In this Fireside Chat, you will hear the stories from a business owner who has gone through a transition of their business and now has the opportunity to reflect on the deal. How has the transition affected their personal and professional life? What would they change if they were to do it all again? Would they negotiate differently, work with different strategic advisors or would they second guess their decision to exit?
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:
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 session will look at real-world examples:
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.
This session will explore the necessary steps to maximizing business value before you engage the sales process including strategies, tactics, and metrics you can put to work right away that will have both immediate impact as well as set your company up for greater future success.
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 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? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
Bring your burning transition questions to our group of experts. This is your opportunity to meet and obtain advice from Canada’s leading and most reputable experts on the subject of transition-strategy.
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.