SMB Exit Coach
Exiting your business isn’t like handing off a baton in a relay race—it’s more like dismantling a house of cards you’ve spent years building, without letting a single card fall out of place. And it’s not just about finding someone to take over; it’s about carefully preserving what you’ve built. You have to maximize the payoff for all those late nights and sacrificed weekends, and forge a new path for yourself beyond the sale.
Most owners who try to handle the whole process, sometimes even with brokers, find themselves tangled up in a web of financial prep, buyer negotiations, and transition plans they didn’t even know were a thing. That’s where a Silverwave exit coach comes in—someone who knows exactly where each card goes, and keeps your vision at the center. With a Silverwave exit coach by your side, you’ll sidestep costly errors, draw in the right buyers, and walk away with a deal that honors every single card you’ve placed in that tower of yours.
Our core offering is to provide in-depth, personalized support throughout your exit process. Here’s a breakdown to make it as valuable and seamless as possible:
Core SMB Exit Plan
1. Initial Consultation & Assessment
Purpose: Establish rapport, understand your business, and assess exit readiness.
Details: A 1-2 hour session to discuss the business’s current state, financials, and your personal and financial goals for the exit.
Outcome: A comprehensive report on exit readiness, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement, plus a clear set of next steps.
2. Customized Exit Strategy Development
Purpose: Create a detailed plan tailored to your goals, timeline, and ideal exit type
Details: A step-by-step exit roadmap that includes milestones, key tasks, and timelines. Bring together your team of professional advisors.
Outcome: A tangible, actionable plan you can work on with guidance over the several months it will take to sell your business.
3. Monthly Coaching & Strategy Calls
Purpose: Ongoing support to keep you on track, adjust strategies as needed, and provide feedback on progress.
Details: One coaching call each month (60-90 minutes) to review progress, address new challenges, and adjust goals as needed. Between sessions, email support is available for quick questions.
Outcome: Consistent accountability, guidance, and problem-solving on a rolling basis.
4. Business Preparation for Sale
Purpose: Optimize business financials, operations, and overall attractiveness to maximize sale value in coordination with your professional advisor team.
Details: Guidance on financial cleanup, operational efficiencies, and any branding adjustments needed to position the business well for sale.
Outcome: A more attractive, organized, and potentially higher-value business ready for buyer’s to review.
5. Buyer Targeting and Outreach Strategy
Purpose: Identify and attract the right type of buyer for the business.
Details: Consultation on crafting a buyer profile and advice on how to attract potential buyers (direct outreach, working with buyer networks, brokers etc.).
Outcome: A specific strategy for finding, connecting with, and engaging the most promising buyers.
6. Negotiation Preparation and Support
Purpose: Equip you to navigate negotiations, respond to offers, and address buyer questions.
Details: Coaching on negotiation tactics, offer evaluation, and responses to buyer concerns or due diligence requests.
Outcome: You’ll feel prepared and confident in negotiating terms that protect and benefit them.
7. Final Sale and Transition Planning
Purpose: Ensure a smooth handover to the buyer and assist the seller in transitioning out of the business.
Details: A transition plan covering responsibilities, timelines, and any post-sale involvement (consulting, training, etc.).
Outcome: You can confidently step back, knowing the business is in good hands and the transition plan is solid.
FSBO Exit Plan
If you’re a seller choosing to go down the For Sale by Owner (FSBO) route by managing the sale yourself, but need support on some of the most challenging aspects of a business sale, Silverwave offers the following support plan:
1. Development of a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM)
Purpose: Present your business’s strengths and essential details in a polished, professional format designed to attract qualified buyers.
Details: We work with you to gather key information, write a compelling narrative, and organize data that buyers need (financials, operations, market position).
Outcome: A professionally designed and thorough CIM that’s ready for potential buyers, with confidentiality in mind.
2. Strategic Ad Placement on Business Selling Platforms
Purpose: Ensure your business is visible to a large pool of serious buyers by listing it on high-traffic platforms like BizBuySell.
Details: Develop an attractive, engaging listing tailored to capture interest quickly, highlighting key selling points and optimizing keywords for visibility. Inclusion of your business in a Silverwave FSBO post.
Outcome: An optimized, attention-grabbing listing that leverages platform algorithms to attract interest without giving away confidential information.
3. Buyer Screening and Qualification
Purpose: Protect your time and privacy by only connecting them with financially capable, genuinely interested buyers.
Details: Pre-screen inquiries based on financial capability, motivation, and business fit, saving you from the nightmare of the initial back-and-forth with unqualified buyers.
Outcome: A shortlist of vetted, serious buyers, ensuring your time is spent only on worthwhile prospects.