Transitioning a family business can be a complicated process, with many issues to address and dynamics to overcome. It can be a minefield of unforeseen obstacles and challenges. In fact, for the first time in history, there could be up to four (4) different generations in the workplace at the same time! In this session, the speaker will help bring order to chaos by providing tools and perspectives to successfully navigate your family business transition. Is an intergenerational transition right for your business or would a management buyout or a sale to a third party be a better route? The speaker will help owners uncover the best options in light of individual circumstances. Examples of real life situations will be highlighted to illustrate what business owners and their families have done to effectively prepare for the biggest transition of their lives.

This session runs at the same time as Session A2.

Join Samuel Duboc in a “fireside” chat with John Francis formerly with Trader Media as he looks back in the rear view mirror on the sale of his Auto Trader publication. Yellow Pages Group acquired 65 specialized publications, including Auto Trader from Mr. Francis for $436M, 10 times earnings at the time.

When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill – in fact, if you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the purchase price in your pocket. But, if you ultimately want to sell and today is not the optimal time, there are also strategies to recapitalize in order to take some chips off the table in a tax-preferred manner. The recapitalization strategy is an opportunity to bring the concepts of cashflow financing, business valuation, and due diligence together, along with tax minimization and corporate structure planning. Fortunately, there are a number of opportunities to reduce or even eliminate tax, with the right preparation and enough time to implement. The moral of the story? Structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalization, and consider all of your business options to reap the benefits; or fail to plan ahead of time and pay the price. The presenters will discuss real-world examples of proper versus improper planning related to the transition of your business so that you can avoid pitfalls.

This session runs at the same time as Session B2.

If you talk to owners who have sold some or all of their businesses, you may be surprised to learn that many didn’t sell to the highest bidder. In every business transition, there are a number of key terms in addition to purchase price that are at stake. What impact will the eventual sale have on your staff, suppliers, community and legacy? What role can you expect to play after the transaction? What transaction bonuses are at stake? This session will explore what needs to be negotiated and how to gain leverage in the negotiation process to ensure the ideal fit and terms for the eventual sale of your business.

This session runs at the same time as Session B1.

Many business owners dream of cashing out, retiring and running off into the sunset, others wish to ensure that their financial legacy continues into future generations. How might insurance play a role in the preservation of capital? What challenges are to be expected after a big pay-out? What unique investment vehicles are ideal parking opportunities for the proceeds generated by the sale of some or all of your business?

Hear from a panel of business owners who have sold their businesses for millions and now have the opportunity to reflect on the deal in the rear view mirror. What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Would they negotiate differently, would they identify different strategic consultants or would they second guess their decision to sell? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.

The process of selling or transitioning a business is complicated and uncertain. This session provides a bird’s-eye view of the transition process so that you can build your own roadmap and understand exactly what you should be doing now in order to get your business ready. The speaker will address the market outlook for transitioning, if you’re looking to do so in the next 3-5 years. This overview of the process of selling a business will help you start preparations, mitigate risk, improve upside and ultimately secure the reward you deserve when the time is right.

Many business owners are disappointed when they don’t receive the valuations they expect, or worse, they can’t find any buyers at all. With an aging population and droves of business owners looking for an exit, your eventual buyer could be in the driver’s seat.  As a business owner, it’s imperative that you focus on the specific areas of your business that drive value,  even if you have no immediate intention of selling.  This session will outline a number of value drivers that require immediate attention in order to maximize the saleability and value of your business.

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? This session 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.

• Strategic buyers
• Private equity
• Buying out partners
• Management buyouts
• Other recapitalization options

When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill – in fact, if you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the purchase price in your pocket. Fortunately, there are a number of opportunities to reduce or even eliminate tax, with the right preparation and enough time to implement. The presenters will discuss real-world examples so that you can avoid pitfalls. In addition, this session will address alternative strategies to recapitalize in order to take some chips off the table in a tax-preferred manner, if you don’t plan on selling in the near-term.

This session runs at the same time as Session A2.

It is fundamental to understand that when selling your business, the process itself will have a major impact on the price you receive.  Furthermore, the terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will significantly impact the price.  What terms can be negotiated and are in the best interests of the buyers and sellers?  The panel will discuss potential terms and elaborate on best practices with respect to the process of your transaction.  Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:

•   Why companies should be sold, not bought
•   How to decide on the breadth and nature of a sale process
•   Why timing and deal tension matters, and how to create it
•   Common terms that can be negotiated
•   Which terms have an impact on price, and which do not
•   The roles an advisor can play through the sale process, and when and how to manage them

This session runs at the same time as Session A1.

Join conference chairman Barry Wood in a “fireside” chat with Stephen Gunn as he discusses Sleep Country Canada’s unique transition story.

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 session, 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

This session runs at the same time as Session B2.

When is the right time to start thinking about your post transition plan and what does it look like?  What impact will the transaction have on your family, your emotions and on your lifestyle? Hear a panel of experts review a case study of a real transaction and discuss the internal and external steps required.  This discussion will include how to handle the transition from wealth creator to wealth manager, and the role of the family trust advisory.

This session runs at the same time as Session B1.

Many deals collapse at the structuring or due diligence stage. Buyers and Sellers often have differing needs and objectives.  And while the idea of providing unfettered access to your confidential business information may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure once a letter of intent is signed. This panel discussion will highlight key areas of tension and risk for sellers. You’ll learn ways to maintain control of the sale process without impeding success.

You will hear first-hand stories (the good, bad and ugly) that outline what owners and advisors have experienced during the transition journey.  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 to ensure you maintain momentum during your transaction.

Some key areas to focus on include:

• Structuring your business for sale on your terms while maintaining its attraction for prospective purchasers
• Disagreements over calculation of purchase price and timing for payment of purchase price, whether there’s a holdback or not
• Dealing with issues that come up during due diligence (e.g. fixing historic issues)
• Understanding how to have your employees and customers on side and when to advise key staff on the pending changes
• Sharing risk in the deal (including limitations on claims that can be brought by purchaser), and
• Working capital issues/adjustments – how owners can avoid getting hammered on this subject

Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through a transition and sold their businesses for millions and now have the opportunity to reflect on the deal in the rear view mirror. What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Would they negotiate differently, would they identify different strategic consultants or would they second guess their decision to sell? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.

Introduction by Robert Duffy, Vice President, Growth & Transition Capital Ontario and Atlantic, BDC Capital

What trends will impact the biggest transaction of your life? How does the current economic trend impact business owners that are thinking of transitioning in the coming years? How will financial markets, interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact deal terms and multiples? This macro view of the economy and the M&A environment will put things into perspective so that you can plan for a successful transition.

Why should exit-readiness be a part of your business plan?  Why prepare your company for sale, even if you have no plans to sell?

The answer is simple: A sellable company usually operates better, in addition to being more valuable – so even if you don’t sell, exit-readiness will make your business stronger.

There are a number of preparatory steps you should be taking as a business owner to ensure you are “exit ready,” after-all, the process of selling or transitioning a business is complicated and uncertain.   

Sometimes exits can happen sooner than expected and sometimes they need to be accelerated based on what is happening in the market. You may be presented with an inbound opportunity to sell some or all of your business, or unexpected personal and/or external factors could force your hand. This session will help you assess both your personal and corporate exit readiness; including areas of transition that provide the most opportunity and risk.

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, Family Offices 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 discuss various liquidity options including:

• Strategic buyers
• Private equity
• Management buyouts
• Other recapitalization options

There are many reasons to look outside the ranks of your firm or family to find a potential suitor for your business.  Depending on the size and type of business you operate and your own personal circumstances – marketing your company to strategic, financial or other buyers, including private equity, might be your most lucrative exit strategy.  

That said, the values and terms discussed in any potential offer for your business will vary significantly depending on the type of potential third-party buyers approached; and even moreso, by how potential buyers are approached.

The panel will elaborate on best practices that will help you optimize and strategize a 3rd party transition – with the goal of ultimately finding and securing a buyer at a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:

• Which types of third party buyers are potential suitors
• Why companies should be sold, not bought
• How to decide on the breadth and nature of a sale process
• Why timing and deal tension matters, and how to create it
• Why terms are just as important as dollars

For many business owners, a management buyout is the best transition option available.  While a transition within the senior ranks of your business may be the best option, there are risks and potential missteps to avoid.  The panel will identify opportunities that could impact your successful MBO, as well as diverse ways to finance the transaction. They will cover:

• Management Buyout (MBO) and Leveraged Management Buyout (LMBO)
• What buyers will need to ensure that the venture is profitable
• The impact and strategies to increase cash flow
• Different types of financing
• Opportunities and risks

Transitioning a business can be a complicated process – especially when family is involved.  What impact will bringing in the younger generation have on family dynamics, emotions and lifestyle? The discussion will help bring order to chaos by providing tools and perspectives so you can successfully navigate your family business transition. Examples of real life situations will be highlighted to illustrate what other business owners and their families have done to effectively prepare for the biggest transaction of their lives.

Join Jeff Noble in “Fireside Chat” with Robert Bedard, Founder of BMP Metals, as they discuss the intergenerational transition of BMP.

Join Bruce Harbinson in a discussion with Pierre Morrissette, Founder and Executive Chairman, Pelmorex Corp (Formerly Pelmorex Media  Inc.), owner of The Weather Network.

Pelmorex, TWN’s parent company is the dominant weather player in Spain, which is the company’s fastest growing market. In a recent Ipsos Reid survey of the most influential brands in Canada, The Weather Network ranked 12th overall and 1st amongst Canadian-owned companies. In partnership with all authorized government agencies, TWN operates Canada’s emergency altering system, Alert Ready, and recently announced that its alerts will now also be sent to mobile phones in designated areas.

This discussion will not only explore how Pelmorex became such a trusted global leader, but Pierre will also share his insights on multi-generational family enterprise transition planning and the value of bringing outside talent into a family business.

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 sale price in your pocket. Fortunately, with the right preparation and enough time to implement, there are many opportunities to reduce tax significantly. We will look at how to structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalization and review new Canadian and US tax changes which could impact all private businesses in Canada.

The sale or transition of a business involves many moving parts. Whether you’re conducting a management buyout or running a process to find a third-party buyer, you’ll inevitably require support from tax and legal experts as well as investment bankers and other M&A professionals to close the deal successfully.

After attending this session, you will understand the benefits of having an exit team, what skill sets to look for and how to select the best advisors for your business transition. This session will also examine advisor fees and compensation.

When is the right time to start thinking about your post transition plan?  Not having a plan is a major cause of remorse among business owners who have exited.  What impact will a transaction have on your family, your emotions, your lifestyle and your legacy? In this session you will hear a panel of experts and owners share the their post transition experiences.  

This discussion will also address transition from wealth creator to wealth manager.

While the idea of providing unfettered access to your confidential business information may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure once a letter of intent is signed. This panel discussion will highlight key areas of tension and risk for sellers. You’ll learn ways to maintain control of the sale process without impeding success.

You will hear first-hand stories that outline what owners and advisors have experienced during the transition journey.  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 and maintain momentum during your transaction.

Some key areas to focus on include:

• Preparing the business for sale in a way that buyers expect to see it, including addressing and mitigating historical issues
• Disagreements over calculation of purchase price and timing for payment of purchase price
• Dealing with issues that come up during due diligence (e.g. weakness in contract language, gaps in proprietary code, etc.)
• Understanding how to have your employees and customers on side and when to advise key staff on the pending changes
• Sharing risk in the deal (including limitations on claims that can be brought by the purchaser)
• Working capital issues/adjustments

Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through a transition and now have the opportunity to reflect on the deal in the rear view mirror. How has the transition affected their personal and professional lives?  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? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.

“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.)

• Value assessment: What is your company worth? Common methods of assessing value will be addressed.
• Operational and financial bootcamp.  What areas of your business should you focus on to increase value + surprising areas of your business that can destroy value.
• What buyers are looking for and why some businesses are considerably more attractive than other businesses.
• The competitive sale process: Learn how a competitive sale process works, and why it is the best way to maximize price and terms of an eventual sale.

• How to protect yourself from unexpected business risk prior to a transaction
• How to prepare your company (and you personally) for a successful sale.
• Learn what risks should be addressed, including subtleties of legal agreements, non-compete clauses, wills that misalign with shareholder’s agreements, powers of attorney and more
• There are several ways to structure the sale your company (including how and when you get paid). What are your options?
• Learn how to manage confidentiality and protect yourself against rogue competitors, suppliers, employees or customers.
• Tactics to avoid major post-sale surprises
• Shrewd buyer tactics that you need to know about

*The conference has been approved for the following continuing education credits:

• Ontario lawyers may consider including this course as a CPD learning activity in your mandatory annual Continuing Professional Development Plan as required by the Law Society of Ontario. This program contains 3 hours and 25 minutes of Professionalism Content.

• FEA designates may earn 7 hours of CE for the entire conference.

• CPAs may include this content as verifiable CPD credits.

Introduction of Conference Chair: Michele Cooper, Managing Director, BDC 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 transition? How will interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact deal terms and multiples? This macro view of the economy and the M&A environment will put things into perspective so that you can plan for the biggest transaction of your life.

Performance, leadership, and culture are the building blocks of all successful businesses. Understanding how strength in these areas drive the value and potential salability of your business value is critical. As a business owner, you need to focus on “growth” in all three areas to ensure you have the right team in place, even if you have no plans to sell.

Eligible for 1 hour of CPD Ontario Law Society credit.

There are different types of buyers: strategic, private equity, management and family among them. Understanding your potential buyer universe will help clarify your objectives for selling and what you want success to look like. In learning about the different classes of buyers and capitalization options, you will quickly see that it isn’t a one size fits all game. It’s about the best fit for your type and size of business. In this session, you will hear from different buyers and what influences their purchasing decisions. This session will help attendees prioritize which of the following breakouts to attend (A1, A2, A3)

There are many reasons involved in looking outside the ranks of your firm or family to find a potential suitor for your business. Depending on the size and type of business that you operate and your own personal circumstances, positioning your company to strategic, financial or other types of buyers including private equity, might be your most lucrative exit strategy. This session will dive into the mechanisms of selling your business to a third party for the best price and terms.

Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:

• How the right type of partner can prepare you for the sale that is right for your business
• How to decide on the breadth and nature of a sale process
• Why timing and creating deal tension matters
• Terms that affect price and those that don’t
• How to manage majority and minority shareholder agreements
• How to prepare your management team for the cultural transition that lies ahead

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 should you begin your succession planning

• How to prepare your senior management team for transition and the shift in leadership roles

• How to ensure your management team is well-advised and independently advised.

• Strategies for partner buyouts

• Different types of financing and strategies to increase cash flow
• Implementing your post-closing transition plan

If intergenerational transition is right for your business how are you professionalizing a family owned and operated firm? How are you supporting this shift in leadership? How do you put the right governance in place? Professionalizing your family business is perhaps one of the most complicated change-over options emotionally. 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.

You’ve Built An Amazing Business…

Now What?

Maybe it’s time to take a step back and let others step up?

Or maybe you’re considering bringing in an investor and ramping up?

Or perhaps you’re even thinking of selling your business in the next few years?

Regardless of what you envision for your next chapter, there are four factors that will lead to a happy and lucrative exit from the day-to-day operations of your business. Skip one of the four things and you may regret it, like the 75% of owners who say they absolutely wished they approached their exit a better way.

This session will help you define the second half of your business (and your life). Based on more than 200 in-depth interviews conducted for his podcast Built to Sell Radio (ranked by Forbes as one of their top 5 podcast for business owners), you’ll discover:

• The 4 factors that lead to a happy and lucrative business exit
• The “Happy, Rich or Famous?” paradox
• The single most important trick to a satisfying exit
• 1 surprising test to evaluate how much of your ego depends on your company
• The single biggest regret most owners have when they exit (and how to avoid it)

In this fireside chat, you will hear from business owner about critical moments in their succession — in the transition of leadership and ownership.

Eligible for 50 minutes of CPD Ontario Law Society credits.

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 luck within your business so that you and your advisors can prepare. Common challenges that will be discussed include:

• Working capital and tax structure issues
• Declining company or economic performance during the process
• Unsophisticated legal counsel
• Delays in obtaining third-party consents
• Cyber-security risks
• Tactics to avoid major post-sale surprises
• “Deal fatigue”
  

Eligible for 50 minutes of CPD Ontario Law Society credits.

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 session, 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.

Long-term thinking about your business is an enormous endeavor, the process of a sale can throw that thinking into chaos. One of the most important elements that gets lost is what happens after the deal is signed. Having a post-transition plan to help manage the impact this monumental change will have on your family, your emotions and your lifestyle.

This session will feature a case study of a transition and what internal and external steps were taken to handle the change from wealth creator to wealth manager.

In this Fireside Chat you will hear from a business owner about their recent transaction. Join Conor Snape, from BDC, as he sits down with Lennard Kipp to discuss the recent acquisition and leadership transition of All Canadian Display Company. Lennard will share some of the best practices used in the due diligence process, how to structure a transaction to better align the buyer and seller, the importance of understanding the culture of a company and optimizing capital structures for a smoother transition

Eligible for 45 minutes of CPD Ontario Law Society credits.

Hear from a panel of business owners and experts who have gone through transition with their businesses and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear view mirror. The panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and key learnings they have taken into their next endeavours.  What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.

“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.)

• Value assessment: What is your company worth? Common methods of assessing value will be addressed.
• Operational and financial bootcamp.  What areas of your business should you focus on to increase value + surprising areas of your business that can destroy value.
• What buyers are looking for and why some businesses are considerably more attractive than other businesses.
• The competitive sale process: Learn how a competitive sale process works, and why it is the best way to maximize price and terms of an eventual sale.

• How to protect yourself from unexpected business risk prior to a transaction
• How to prepare your company (and you personally) for a successful sale.
• Learn what risks should be addressed, including subtleties of legal agreements, non-compete clauses, wills that misalign with shareholder’s agreements, powers of attorney and more
• There are several ways to structure the sale your company (including how and when you get paid). What are your options?
• Learn how to manage confidentiality and protect yourself against rogue competitors, suppliers, employees or customers.
• Tactics to avoid major post-sale surprises
• Shrewd buyer tactics that you need to know about

The business decisions you make now during the COVID transition period will ultimately impact your business tomorrow and into the future.  This opening session will provide real insights into a macro view of the economy while better understanding the economic impact from this pandemic, how organizations can prepare for the future and how to mitigate risk.  This session will also address the expected timeline for different sectors to recover.   

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.

How has the role of an investment banker, lawyer and accountant changed post COVID? Will your advisory team help you streamline your business prior to selling and ultimately gain a bigger selling price at the finish line?  This session will help you better understand the role each advisor plays and where they can make the difference as you look to transition.

 How will the new normal post COVID work environment and structure affect how you run your business?  This discussion with a small-medium size business owner will look at how business plans and strategies for growth have been impacted since the onset of COVID-19, what challenges and opportunities have presented themselves, and how plans and strategies moving forward have been impacted as a result of COVID-19.   

Private Equity, institutional and private money, is currently sitting on $1.2 trillion and looking to invest over the next 6 to 24 months.   What is investment looking for today when looking for businesses to acquire and how does this compare to private or institutional investment?

COVID-19 has not just changed the world but also the DNA of our workplace ecosystem in many ways.  What are the key steps you need to take to effectively adjust, re-build, and grow your team and business?  How open and transparent have you been with your team during the pandemic? This session will address numerous questions that entrepreneurs are asking themselves today and provide practical and proven approaches for how they can be effective leading their teams to renewed success.

While COVID-19 caused a dramatic slowdown to the deal making boom of the last several years as many businesses were forced to put transactions on hold and instead focus on shoring up operations, we expect to see a resurgence in M&A activity as dry-powder from financial sponsors searches for returns and strategic buyers look for opportunities to adapt, take market-share and take advantage of a new perspective on future prospects.  How do buyers get comfortable completing deals in a non- face-to-face environment?  How is due diligence being conducted?  How are deals being financed?  What technologies and solutions are being used to overcome logistical obstacles?  This panel discussion will consider these questions and more on how to get a deal done during COVID-19.

How has the pandemic affected family business and what strategies has your family initiated to manage the heightened emotional rollercoaster? Family businesses can be challenging to manage at the best of times. Some see these difficult times to make the necessary structural changes to allow the business to prosper for many years to come. This panel will discuss many strategies that should be considered to effectively position your business post COVID.

Hear from a panel of business owners who have experienced COVID -19 but also previous business downturns including GFC and 9/11.  The group will share real life experiences from the trenches and how they navigated through different market downturns.  The panel will also share the personal side of how they managed themselves through COVID-19.

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. 

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: 

• Retention strategies 
• Timing: when/ how to tell staff re: transition 
• Building a resilient culture and trust on your team when an M&A deal is on the table.  
• The importance of integration and instilling an agile mindset in leaders and their teams after a merger.  
• Accessing senior management for due diligence

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 advisors 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: 

• Why companies should be sold, not bought 

• How to decide on the breadth and nature of a sale process 
• Why timing and deal tension matters, and how to create it 
• Which terms have an impact on price, and which do not 
• The roles an advisor can play through the sale process, and when and how to manage them 

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: 

• Working capital and tax structure issues 
• Declining company or economic performance during the process 
• Unsophisticated legal counsel 
• Delays in obtaining third-party consents 
• Tactics to avoid major post-sale surprises 
• “Deal fatigue” 

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. 

• What measures do you need to be taking to professionalize your  family owned and operated firm?  
• How are you supporting a shift in leadership?  
• How do you ensure you have the right governance in place? 

In this session presenters will share their unique tools and perspectives so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition. 

Cinespace Film Studios, a leading service provider to the television, film and digital streaming industry, was founded by three brothers with an extraordinary vision.  During their growth, they successfully transitioned the business to a second generation. 

It was after this transition that The Mirkopoulous family assessed their strategic options; ultimately concluding that a sale to a strategic acquirer would accelerate the next stage of the company’s growth. The deal has elevated Cinespace, now the second largest independent owner of sound stages in North America and a world-leading studio/real estate platform for film, tv and media production. 

In this session you will hear how a 35 year-old family-owned and operated business pivoted from succession mindset to a search for a strategic acquirer.    What pledges did the acquirer make to satisfy the operating family and what changed the course of this family transition and ultimately lead to a successful transition?

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 topics such as:

• When should you begin your succession planning and prepare your senior management team for transition and potential shifts in their leadership roles
• Strategies for partner buyouts
• Different types of financing to increase cash flow
• Implementing your post-closing transition plan
• Factors to consider in an alternate financing structure is right for you

Knowing if you can afford to sell, and when you are ready to take the leap is the most difficult decision for many business owners. In addition to building a comprehensive succession plan and ensuring your organizational structure will not leave you with a giant tax bill, it is important to address the other factors to ensure a happy and prosperous life after the close.  The ability to shift from an entrepreneurial mindset to a capital management position requires planning and with the right preparation and enough time to implement. There are a number of opportunities to maximize the money in your pocket and ensure your financial success long after the close. 

• This session will look at real-world examples:  
• How to structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalization  
• Help you consider all of your business options to reap the benefits and avoid pitfalls  
• Tactics to avoid major post-sale surprises  
• Tips for shifting from an entrepreneur mindset 
• Wealth management tips and managing former business expenses post-transition 

Putting an emphasis on systematically growing your organization 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. 

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 impact as well as set your company up for greater future success. 

Do you really know what your business is worth? Has COVID affected your company’s valuation? 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 salability 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.   

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: 

• Define overarching goals – Self-assessment of primary reasons for transition: When is the right time to transition or otherwise exit? 
• Plan for successors 
• Explore tax opportunities and maximize retirement income 
• Effectively communicate your succession plan 
• Build a contingency plan 

• Value assessment: What is your company worth? Common methods of assessing value will be addressed.
• Operational and financial bootcamp.  What areas of your business should you focus on to increase value + surprising areas of your business that can destroy value.
• What buyers are looking for and why some businesses are considerably more attractive than other businesses.
• The competitive sale process: Learn how a competitive sale process works, and why it is the best way to maximize price and terms of an eventual sale.

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.