Governance · Succession and exit · Component
Exit options review
The routes by which the owners could leave, what each would require, and what is being done to keep the preferred ones open.
The deliverable
What it is
Owners rarely need to exit now, which is why exit is seldom reviewed. Yet the routes differ in what they require — a trade buyer wants a business that runs without its founder, a listing wants audited history and formal governance, an employee ownership trust wants steady cash to fund the purchase — and each takes years to prepare.
The review is annual and brief. It commits nobody to leaving; it keeps the owners informed about which routes are still open and what would close them.
One level in
What it is made of
Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.
Routes considered
The exit routes that are realistic for this business and these owners, and those that have been ruled out.
3 attributes: Route · Viability · Ruled out because
LearnReadiness gaps
What would stop each route working today — founder dependence, weak records, customer concentration or unclear ownership.
3 attributes: Gap · Route affected · Owner
LearnIndicative value
A rough view of what the business might be worth by each route, with the assumptions behind the figure.
3 attributes: Indicative value · Confidence · Estimated on
Learn
Most readiness gaps are ordinary governance weaknesses seen through a buyer’s eyes. Closing them helps whether or not the business is sold.
The other components in succession and exit
Leadership succession plan
Named emergency and longer-term successors for the chief executive, the chair and other roles the board holds itself responsible for.
LearnOwnership transition plan
How ownership passes to its next holders — family, managers, employees or a buyer — with the timing, valuation and financing that shape it.
Learn