Is your business ready for a successful exit?

1. Have you thought through what your ideal exit looks like — a sale, succession, or transition?

2. Do you have a target timeline for exiting, ideally within the next 3–5 years?

3. Have you weighed both the financial and personal sides of moving on?

4. Is your reason for building the business clear (lifestyle, legacy, or sale)?

5. Would your current ownership structure allow a smooth transfer to a new owner?

6. Could you sell without needing sign-off from partners or outside stakeholders?

7. Is the business free of legal or financial complexities that could delay a sale?

8. Are your key legal agreements current and clearly documented?

9. Are your financial records accurate and up to date?

10. Do you have clean, consistent financial statements for the past 3–5 years?

11. Do you have a realistic forecast of future revenue and expenses?

12. Have you worked to optimize cash flow and profitability?

13. Do you know what you'd actually be selling (assets, goodwill, or equity)?

14. Have you had a professional business valuation recently?

15. Are you aware of the tax implications of different sale structures?

16. Do you have a plan to minimize the tax hit at sale?

17. Can the business run day-to-day without your direct involvement?

18. Do you have a succession plan for key leadership roles?

19. Have you identified and trained people who could step into those roles?

20. Is there a written leadership-transition plan with clear responsibilities?

21. Have you reduced reliance on any single customer or supplier?

22. Are your customer relationships strong and transferable to a new owner?

23. Have you diversified revenue beyond one product or service?

24. Have you streamlined operations to run efficiently and cost-effectively?