Become Exit Ready
The best laid plans don’t survive contact with the enemy. Our approach means you’re not just prepared - you’re positioned to win!
The Challenge: Widespread Exit Unpreparedness
No Planning
80% of business owners lack a written exit plan, and 50% have not engaged in any form of exit planning.
No Appraisal
41% expect to exit within five years, yet only 48% have a plan, and nearly 60% have never appraised their business.
The Consequences: Unpreparedness Leads To Deals Not Getting Done And Lower Valuations
No Deal
70-80% of businesses that go to market don’t sell, underscoring the risks of inadequate preparation.
Low Valuation
Owners who fail to plan may lose 20-50% of potential value due to rushed or reactive sales.
Regrets Of Famous Entrepreneurs
“The relationships and groundwork you build years in advance are what make an exit possible. I wish we’d started even sooner.”
Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn)
“If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to start preparing for an exit before you think you need to. The process is always longer and more involved than you expect.”
Kevin Systrom (Instagram)
“If I could do it again, I’d start preparing for an exit a year or two before we even thought we needed to. The groundwork you lay early makes all the difference when the time comes.”
Stewart Butterfield (Slack)
“We underestimated how much work goes into getting acquired. If I had to do it over, I’d start the process of getting our house in order much earlier.”
Tony Fadell (Nest)
“Our conversations with Microsoft started long before the deal. It took years to get comfortable and align our visions.”
Nat Friedman (GitHub)
“If there’s one thing I’d tell founders: don’t wait until you’re ready to sell to get ready. Start now.”
Dharmesh Shah (HubSpot)
“Looking back, I wish we’d started thinking about our exit strategy earlier. The companies that win are the ones that are always ready.”
Aaron Levie (Box)
“Even if you’re not planning to sell, you need to be ready. We learned the hard way that preparation is everything.”
Brian Chesky (Airbnb)
“We always tried to operate as if we could be acquired tomorrow. That mindset made us stronger and more attractive to partners.”
Tony Xu (DoorDash)
“The best exits I’ve seen are the ones where founders started building relationships and preparing for diligence long before they needed to. It’s never too early.”
Jessica Livingston (Y Combinator)
The Opportunity: The Benefits Of Becoming "Exit Ready"
Increase Deal Likelihood
Thoughtful planning can avoid being among the 80% of business owners who fail to find a buyer.
Maximize Valuation
Companies that prioritize becoming exit ready 1-2 years pre-exit achieve 15-25% higher valuations.
Exit Ready: What Should You Be Solving For 1-3 Years Out From An Exit Process?
Item | Action Required |
|---|---|
Acquiror Feedback | Obtain feedback from target acquirors 1-3 years out from doing a deal. |
Acquiror Types | Research the different types of acquirors: tailor CIM to likely acquirors. |
Advisory Support | Engage experienced legal, tax, financial and M&A advisors. |
AI | Evidence how your business is leveraging AI. |
Due Diligence | Organized VDR, prepare for buyer scrutiny. |
Financials | Clean, accurate, accessible records: audited statements if possible. |
Legal Preparation | Review and update contracts, IP, compliance, employment agreements, and licenses. |
Management | Strong, independent team and succession plan. |
Market Positioning | Articulate unique value proposition and growth potential. |
Objectives | Clear exit goals (personal, financial, cultural) and defined strategy. |
Operations | Robust, documented systems and processes; scalable infrastructure. |
Risk Mitigation | Identify and mitigate operational, legal, and financial risks. |
Tax Planning | Assess and optimize tax implications for owners and the business. |
Value Drivers | Identify and enhance what buyers value most (e.g. recurring revenues, IP). |
Valuation | We will provide regular valuations. |
Take The First Step: How Our Acquiror Led Feedback Program Works
Our team will take a hands on approach from start to finish allowing you to stay focused on your business.
1. Information Sharing
We begin by gathering key information about your business. This enables us to fully understand your operations, financials, and growth drivers, forming the basis for data-driven marketing materials.
2. Materials Preparation
Our team crafts a redacted, high-impact teaser that highlights your business’s strengths while maintaining confidentiality. This document is designed to spark meaningful interest and facilitate valuable feedback from potential acquirors.
3. Target Building & Outreach
We identify and prioritise a select group of high-value acquirors. Leveraging our network, we secure access to decision-makers and key staff within these firms to ensure productive engagement.
4. Meetings
We coordinate and participate in focused, one-hour meetings between you and targeted acquirors. These sessions are structured to elicit candid feedback and actionable insights directly from the market.
5. Feedback
We synthesise all feedback, providing clear answers, market perspectives, and practical advice on how to enhance your business’s attractiveness ahead of an exit. Where relevant, we supplement findings with insights from respected industry thought leaders.
What Are The Deliverables From The Acquiror Led Feedback Program?
Initial program: 3 months
Our team produce a final report that includes each of the below. We walk through the report live with you on a call.
Feedback From Acquirors
Gain direct, candid insights from real buyers that help validate or refine your growth plans, acting as essential insurance to strengthen your path to exit.
Our Expert Insights
Benefit from our decades of operational experience and over $20 billion in deal value since 2000, as we interpret buyer feedback to uncover strategic opportunities that enhance your business value.
Detailed Business Valuation
Receive an independent, data-driven valuation that benchmarks your business and informs your exit planning.
(Optional) additional program: Quarterly updates
New Updated Feedback
Speak with a new collection of acquirors and gain real up to date insights supplemented by The Fortia Group’s leadership team’s expert insights.
Updated Valuation
Based on your business performance and wider market conditions, we provide you with up to date valuations ensuring you are always positioned to take advantage of the market.
What Are The Benefits Of Early Discussions With Acquirors?
Marriages Take Time
Following the flirt > date > marry approach ensures all relevant acquirors can be involved in the competitive auction process.
Get Bought, Not Sold
The best quote in M&A is “it is better to get bought, not sold”. An acquiror might want to prevent your business starting a formal competitive auction by taking it off the market with an offer you can’t refuse.
Tailored Strategy
Understanding acquiror expectations and deal dynamics. Early feedback from potential acquirors helps you understand what buyers value most, what concerns they have, and what deal structures are attractive. This allows the CIM and exit strategy to be tailored to maximize appeal and valuation.
Addressing Weaknesses
Acquiror feedback can reveal gaps or risks in your business that might reduce your company’s attractiveness or valuation. Addressing these issues before a formal exit process can improve your negotiating position and outcome.
Competitor Benchmarks
Direct input from acquirors may provide insights into how your business compares to competitors or recent deals in your industry, informing your expectations and strategy.
Higher Valuation
Founders who initiated buyer conversations >18 months pre-sale secured 22% higher valuations.
Acquiror Led Feedback FAQs
Famous Entrepreneurs Who Spoke With Acquirors Early
“Mark (Zuckerberg) and I have been talking for over 2 years about how we could work together. It’s been a long road, but we always kept the conversation going.”
Jan Koum (WhatsApp)
“We’d been in touch with Adobe for years before this came together. The trust and understanding built over time made all the difference.”
Dylan Field (Figma)
“Satya and I began talking about a partnership years before we ever discussed an acquisition. That foundation was critical.”
Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn)
“Our conversations with Microsoft started long before the deal. It took years to get comfortable and align our visions.”
Nat Friedman (GitHub)
“Mark (Zuckerberg) and I had been meeting on and off for months, maybe even a year before we ever talked about an acquisition.”
Kevin Systrom (Instagram)
“We’d had informal conversations with Google for over a year before things got serious.”
Steve Chen (YouTube)
“We started talking to Google more than a year before the deal. It was a gradual process of getting to know each other.”
Noam Bardin (Waze)
“Our relationship with Salesforce was built over several years, long before any deal was on the table.”
Greg Schott (MuleSoft)
“We’d been on Google’s radar for years, and the discussions stretched out over a long period before the acquisition.”
David Rosenblatt (DoubleClick)
“We had a working relationship with Google for a couple of years before the acquisition happened.”
Tony Fadell (Nest)
