Exit Planning Services in West Michigan

As a business owner, there are many tasks and challenges that arise weekly (perhaps daily). These challenges are constantly being prioritized and re-prioritized, making it difficult to set aside time to plan long-term for a successful sale. Yet even with most small business owners having somewhere close to 80 % of their personal net worth tied to their business, it’s hard to find time to property plan for the inevitable and eventual transition from your business.

Most business owners see an eventual sale as their exit plan. 80%+ of Calder Capital sell-side clients end up successfully selling their business, but overall, only 20%-30% of American small businesses on the market actually go through with a successful sale. Why is this the case? There are many reasons, but here are some common themes:

I want to retire soon, but my business’s success is dependent on my involvement.
My business is stagnant, and I feel it needs a boost before I can sell.
I want to sell now, but my valuation isn’t where I need it to be.
My business partner(s) and I are not on the same page about how to move forward.
I don’t have the people in place to transition out of my business.

The key to a successful business transition is having an actionable exit plan in place and working on it before you start the sale process. A proper exit plan is detailed, uncovers blind spots, and prioritizes business owner needs across three primary pillars – personal, financial, and business. The creation of and execution of this plan is the core of what exit planning advisory services are. No business owner wants an unpleasant surprise when thinking about the next phase of life, and Calder’s Exit Planning Services helps mitigate those potential surprises.

What is a CEPA?

Certified Exist Planning Advisor

A CEPA, or Certified Exit Planning Advisor, has gone through an intensive educational process and training to bring all the needed knowledge, expertise, tools, and resources to the table when developing an exit plan. CEPAs must earn continuing education credits to maintain their credential, assuring that their skills and knowledge remain sharp and they are following the most current best practices.

Exit Plan

An Exit Plan is often thought of as the way to end a business — which it can be — but in best practice, it’s a plan that moves a business toward long-term goals and allows a smooth transition to a new phase, whether that involves re-imagining business direction or leadership, maintaining financial sustainability, or pivoting for challenges.

Who is Exit Planning for?

Exit Planning is for all business owners – it is not limited to those wanting to retire tomorrow or those in a state of distress looking for a quick escape. Exit Planning is a strategic approach meant to take a holistic look at all personal, business, and financial needs and empower business owners to leave on their own terms.

Why work with Calder Capital’s Exit Planning Services team?

Calder Capital is a National M&A Advisory firm with a proven track record of success, with 300+ deals closed and 700+ valuations completed since opening its doors in 2013. While other exit planning advisors may claim to know how a buyer will view your business, Calder works with thousands of real buyers and closes dozens of transactions annually. We know what buyers are looking for, and what characteristics make certain businesses more successful on the market than others.

Calder is industry agnostic (does not focus on one industry); however, the firm has closed many transactions in the manufacturing, construction, distribution, and business service industries with enterprise values ranging from $1M – $100M. This does not mean Calder limits itself to these spaces, as we recognize all businesses are not the same, and a successful deal does not always occur in a linear fashion. Calder’s success is driven by its client-focused approach, taking the time to understand our clients and the nuance that comes along with each individual business. This is a point of pride, which makes Exit Planning Services a natural fit.

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What does the Exit Planning process look like?

Kick-Off Meeting

It is critically important to establish a strong relationship with anyone playing an advisory role in your business. Exit Planning needs to go beyond numbers to understand the people behind the data, so it is essential to take the time to understand a business owner’s longer-term motivations and goals. There is not a “one size fits all” exit plan.

Identify and Review Key Value Factors

Calder’s success in creating valuations and closing sales starts with understanding the most important factors when someone is looking to buy a business. Our Exit Planning team focuses on 50 key value factors, which are explained and evaluated individually.

Create an Action Plan

Once the key value factors are reviewed and opportunity areas are defined, it’s time to create a plan for how each of these areas will be addressed. Prioritizing these areas helps avoid the “analysis paralysis” that comes along with trying to solve too many things all at once.

Prepare and Execute

This is where all the studying and planning starts to play out – it’s time to take action! Accountability is key at this point, and the Exit Planner Advisor will make sure they are aligned with their client, all essential parties stay on task, and everyone continuously moves towards the business owner’s end goals.

Decide

Setting key dates within an action plan is important – it drives accountability and decision-making and helps avoid spiraling. The “decide” part of the process involves taking a step back to determine if the goals outlined in the action plan have been met or if more time is needed. More specifically, are you ready to exit your business?

Calder Capital has the people, knowledge, tools, and resources needed to assist businesses with varying degrees of complexity. With Calder Capital’s experience with business valuation and M&A sales, there is a natural opportunity for clients to transition from Exit Planning to being engaged for an optimized business sale all while maintaining continuity within Calder Capital.

How can we help?

Cost Management and Profitability	Identify and reduce unnecessary expenses while focusing on improving overall profitability.
Financial Health and Stability	Manage debt and improve cash flow management to ensure sustainable business growth.
Revenue Growth Strategies	Develop and implement innovative sales strategies aimed at increasing revenue diversification and expansion.
Risk Management	Diversify products and markets and ensure regulatory compliance to mitigate potential risks and liabilities.
Operational Efficiency	Streamline operations through technology integration and performance metrics to optimize efficiency.
Intellectual Property and Assets	Safeguard intellectual property and invest in continuous innovation for sustained competitive advantage.
Customer and Supplier Relationships	Enhance customer satisfaction through quality offerings and maintain favorable supplier relationships.
Competitive Advantage	Conduct thorough market analysis and enhance customer relationships to solidify competitive positioning.
Leadership Development	Build a strong leadership team and implement incentives to align management’s goals with organizational success.
Strategic Planning and Exit Strategy	Develop long-term growth strategies and explore market expansion opportunities.

Learn More

The Power of Human Capital: Building Infrastructure to Reduce Burnout and Boost Growth

Exit Planning Client Profile Industry: Commercial HVAC Location: West Michigan Revenue: $7M annually Background & Challenges Following a consultation with Calder Capital’s Exit Planning Team and completion of Calder’s 50 Value Factors Assessment, it became evident that the owner of a rapidly growing commercial HVAC company in West Michigan was juggling too many responsibilities. With […]

Case Study: Exit Planning for Landscaping Companies

Exit Planning Client Profile Industry: Landscaping Services Annual Revenue: ~$3M EBITDA: ~$250K Location: Midwest USA Background & Challenges After years of casual discussions with Calder Capital’s Sell-Side Director, Garrett Monroe, a landscaping business owner agreed to a valuation of his business. While the business had a limited scope for operational improvements, it was operationally sound […]

Case Study: Preparing a Service-Based Business for Market

Exit Planning Client Profile Industry: Hospitality Annual Revenue: $8M EBITDA: $1M Background & Challenges After going through Calder Capital’s valuation process, this company’s owner sought to improve her valuation so that she could achieve a $3M price. With a desire to exit within 12 months and little time to waste, Calder’s team introduced Exit Planning […]

Case Study: Optimizing Business Readiness for a Successful Exit

Exit Planning Client Profile Industry: Automotive Accessories & Services Annual Revenue: $7M EBITDA: $2M Background & Challenges After an initial unsuccessful sales process that saw intensive buyer interest, but no traction, ownership engaged Calder Capital’s Exit Planning team. Here were the initial roadblocks to a successful sale: Financial Opacity: The business was profitable but lacked […]

Exit Planning & Sell-Side Strategies for Selling Your Business

Planning to sell your business? In this video, Calder Capital’s Sell-Side Director Garrett Monroe, and Exit Planning Director Jared Friar, share actionable advice on selling a business, sell-side services, and exit planning services. They reveal how to prepare up to five years in advance by focusing on key areas like financial clarity, leadership alignment, and […]

Calder Capital’s Mya Stone, Earns CEPA Credential

Mya Stone receives CEPA Credential and Joins International Community of Business Advisors at the Exit Planning Institute The Exit Planning Institute is proud to announce that Mya Stone, Director of Human Capital and Exit Planning Advisor at Calder Capital, recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential after completing the Institute’s intensive five-day executive […]

Calder Capital Advisor, Andrew Williams, Earns CEPA Credential

Andrew Williams receives CEPA Credential and Joins International Community of Business Advisors at the Exit Planning Institute The Exit Planning Institute is proud to announce that Andrew Williams recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential after completing the Institute’s intensive five-day executive MBA-style program. Williams joins an elite group of business advisors who […]

Calder Capital Advisor, Matthew Baas, Earns CEPA Credential

Matthew Baas receives CEPA Credential and Joins International Community of Business Advisors at the Exit Planning Institute The Exit Planning Institute is proud to announce that Matthew Baas recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential after completing the Institute’s intensive five-day executive MBA-style program. Baas joins an elite group of business advisors who […]

Insights from Calder Capital’s Certified Exit Planning Advisor

In the world of mergers and acquisitions and business consulting, the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation is a recognized mark of expertise. Recently, Hannelore Jones, Calder’s Director of Continuous Improvement, sat down with Calder Capital’s in-house CEPA, Jared Friar, to learn more about his role, expertise, and the value he brings to the table. […]

Business Owner Readiness – Planning for a Successful Transition

Jared Friar, Business Advisor – CEPA I recently made a significant career change, shifting from a major, global, multi-billion dollar corporation to a role as an Advisor with Calder Capital. Why? Because I am passionate about problem-solving and I like to be hands-on in my work, believing that collaboration is absolutely essential to any well-formed […]