The first step in the planning process is to complete an ExitMap® Assessment. The online assessment tool is the first step in the process. It will reveal your overall preparedness for transition, detailing four critical areas: financial readiness, ease of planning, revenue streams, and operational efficiency. The result is a 12-page summary report broken down by each area. 

Click here for a short video that explains The ExitMap® Assessment.

Why should Business Owners plan their “exits”? 

There is one indisputable fact – 100% of owners will eventually exit their business. Whether you anticipate selling the company to a third party, transitioning to employee ownership, or a family succession, every strategy includes your eventual exit. The complexities of tax law, combined with buyers’ expectations of any type, lend themselves to the careful structuring of an eventual transfer. 

For most owners, the transfer of ownership represents the largest single financial transaction of their lifetime. Yet, in our experience, no owner has ever said, “I spent too much time planning.”

Why start now? 

There are two good reasons to begin the planning process, even for those who believe they are ten or more years from their eventual exit. 

1. Many tax reduction strategies, such as business structure conversions, certain trusts, and others, take years to implement fully. 
2. Once you know your exit objective, it will influence all of your business decisions. For example, hiring managers who will work for the next owner is different from training your future successors. 

What if I don’t have a date in mind yet? 

Our Assessment asks for two date ranges. The first is approximately when you want to step back from your day-to-day responsibilities, and the second is when you want to walk away entirely. Once you know when you want to step back, the business becomes much more flexible the day you leave. 

What will I get when I take the Assessment? 

The Assessment looks beyond your retirement goals. Helping you reach your objectives requires knowledge of your business and the state of your company. 

1. We will email you a 12-page summary of your responses within one business day. It is organized into four critical areas of exit readiness: planning, finance, revenue/profit, and operations. 
2. A 40-page detailed Analysis of your responses will be provided as part of your complimentary debriefing by the BEST Human Capital & Advisory Group Exit Planning Team. 

How do I get started? 

Set aside 15 minutes to take the first step by completing an Assessment here. 

The Assessment is a multiple-choice questionnaire that does not ask for confidential or financial information. We respect your privacy and will not share your information.