Don't just exit, create an ELITE exit!

Only 1 in 4 business owners will successfully exit their business*...will you be one of them?

Selling a business is often one of the most difficult things an owner will ever have to do. Most are not ready, or worse, they are forced into it. The mission of The Business Owner Transition Academy is to prepare business owners for ELITE Exits by maximizing value, on their terms and without regret.

* Study Shows Why Many Business Owners Can’t Sell When They Want To, forbes.com, February 5, 2017

Top 10 Deal Pitfalls

Avoid these pitfalls to successfully transition your business.

"All of these pitfalls are fairly common, although some owners are prone to fall into more pits than others." To find out if you may be one of those owners, enter your information to read and download this paper now.

Learn about our courses

Our six-session Academy is designed around busy schedules

The Business Owner Transition Podcast

With Mike Quinlan CExP™

Positioning a business for transition is often one of the most difficult things an owner will ever have to do. When transition comes, most are not ready, or worse, they are forced into it. Each episode of The Business Owner Transition addresses real-world challenges and solutions so owners can leave on their terms.
Go To Podcast Page

I.M.G.O.O.D. Checklist™

A foundation for company value

Company value must be looked at through the lens of the buyer as opposed to that of the seller. This is true in all types of transactions, not just third-party sales. Most succinctly, it comes down to two things:

  • First, is net profit or net cash flow. Most commonly, this number is represented by Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization, known as EBITDA. EBITDA is further adjusted by factors unique to the business to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA. 
  • Second, is the uncertainty of those cash flows/Adjusted EBITDA in the future. This uncertainty is manifested in the multiple of cash flow the buyer is willing to pay for the company.


Our team coordinates with other advisors including the M&A team and the legal and accounting teams to make recommendations to increase the value/quality of the company using the I.M.G.O.O.D. Checklist™ as a foundation.

  • I - Increasing Cash Flow, and a written plan to continue increasing cash flow

  • M - Institutionalize Management

  • G - Documented Growth Plan

  • O - Optimized Financial Statements

  • O - Operations Documented

  • D - Diverse Customer Base