Selling a business is not a transaction.
It’s the final chapter of your life’s work.

For most entrepreneurs, the day they exit is emotional, complex, and financially defining. But successful exits are not reactive,  they are planned years in advance.

If you want to maximize business value, reduce tax exposure, and transition on your own terms, you need a structured exit planning process.

Here are the 9 strategic steps to planning your business exit the right way.

Step 1: Create a Clear Business Overview

Before you can sell your company, you must clearly define it.

Buyers want clarity around:

• What your business does
• Who it serves
• How it generates profit
• What differentiates it
• Its growth potential

This foundational overview becomes the starting point of your broader business exit strategies framework.

Step 2: Conduct a Business Readiness Assessment

Most owners believe they are ready to sell. Most are not.

Exit readiness directly impacts valuation multiples.

A structured exit readiness assessment — like the process outlined in our guide to 15 Exit-Readiness Checks Every Owner Should Pass — helps benchmark:

• Operational maturity
• Revenue predictability
• Customer concentration risk
• Management depth
• Market defensibility

You can also evaluate your overall business attractiveness and identify improvement opportunities tied to your key value drivers.

The higher your readiness score, the stronger your exit leverage.

Step 3: Complete a Personal Readiness Assessment

A successful exit is not just financial — it is personal.

Before moving forward, evaluate:

• Post-exit lifestyle goals
• Required financial outcome
• Tax exposure
• Estate planning implications
• Health and wellness priorities

Proper structuring can significantly reduce capital gains impact and align your strategy with your long-term financial objectives. This is especially important when conducting a financial analysis for retirement planning.

Your exit strategy must integrate both business value and personal wealth preservation.

Step 4: Assess the True Value of Your Business

You cannot plan effectively without understanding valuation.

Business value is typically based on:

• EBITDA
• Industry multiples
• Risk profile
• Growth trajectory
• Add-backs

If you’re unfamiliar with how EBITDA impacts valuation, review our breakdown of Adjusted EBITDA and earnings metrics to understand how buyers calculate enterprise value.

Your readiness and operational strength influence where you fall within industry multiple ranges.

Improving valuation requires strengthening the underlying drivers of performance — not just improving top-line revenue.

Step 5: Review Your Exit Options

There is no single way to exit a business.

Your options may include:

• Third-party sale
• Strategic acquisition
• Management buyout
• Family succession
• Employee ownership transition

Understanding the difference between exit planning vs succession planning is critical at this stage.

If your intention is to transition internally, you may need a formal family business succession plan to ensure continuity and reduce conflict.

Each option carries different tax, timing, and valuation implications.

Step 6: Identify Gaps and Develop Action Plans

Once you understand:

• Your readiness
• Your valuation
• Your personal alignment
• Your exit options

You must close the gaps.

This may involve:

• Increasing profitability
• Reducing owner dependency
• Strengthening management
• Diversifying revenue streams
• Improving documentation
• Refining marketing positioning

Many owners work alongside a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) to structure this phase strategically.

Exit planning is value acceleration.

Step 7: Set Educated Exit Planning Goals

After gathering insights, refine your objectives.

Define:

• Target exit date
• Target buyer profile
• Target valuation
• Preferred deal structure
• Personal wealth objectives

Your exit planning goals should align with your broader exit strategies for entrepreneurs to ensure you’re building toward the right outcome — not just a fast sale.

Step 8: Implement the Exit Plan

Execution separates planning from results.

Your exit plan should operate in parallel with your strategic business plan.

Assign:

• Responsibilities
• Deadlines
• KPIs
• Advisory oversight

Without structured implementation, even the strongest strategy fails.

Step 9: Conduct Monthly Exit Reviews

The number one reason CEOs fail is lack of disciplined execution.

Each month, review:

1. Business performance metrics
2. Exit action plan progress
3. Strategic alignment

Formal advisory meetings — involving mentors, advisors, and key stakeholders — dramatically increase execution success.

This ongoing accountability ensures your exit remains proactive rather than reactive.

Why Structured Exit Planning Matters

Owners who begin structured exit planning 3–5 years in advance:

• Achieve higher valuation multiples
• Reduce avoidable tax exposure
• Improve negotiation leverage
• Experience smoother transitions

If you're unsure where to begin, start by understanding the broader landscape of business exit strategies and how they align with your long-term objectives.

Plan Your Business Exit with Maus

Maus provides structured business planning tools that help owners:

• Measure exit readiness
• Identify valuation gaps
• Strengthen value drivers
• Align personal and business goals
• Execute consistently

If you're serious about maximizing the value of your life’s work, start with a structured system.

Book a demo today and get started!