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  • Planning to Sell? Why Early Planning is the Key to a Profitable Exit

    Planning to Sell? Why Early Planning is the Key to a Profitable Exit
    2025/04/09
    In this episode of the Growth & Exit Digest, the host, Mike Levison sheds light on the present state of the market for selling businesses, influenced by the imminent retirement wave of Baby Boomer business owners. This phenomenon brings both opportunities for younger buyers and challenges for sellers due to potential oversupply and selective buyers. Mike advises business owners to prepare diligently by maintaining clean financial records, diversifying revenue sources, and ensuring operational efficiency to increase attractiveness to potential buyers. He also stresses the importance of valuing the business, investing in enhancing areas, and consulting with professional advisors to navigate the process. Emphasizing the emotional aspect of selling a business, he suggests the Value Builder Score as a helpful tool to start the process by assessing the company's value and enhancing exit strategies.
    • The Value Builder System™
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    4 分
  • Tax-Smart Exits: Strategies to Keep More from Your Business Sale

    Tax-Smart Exits: Strategies to Keep More from Your Business Sale
    2025/03/13
    In this episode of the Growth & Exit Digest, Mike Levison highlights the significance of tax planning in successfully executing a business exit. He emphasizes the difference between short-term versus long-term capital gains tax and how asset holding duration can aid in reducing the tax burden. Further, he discusses the tax implications of different sale structures, namely, asset sale and stock sale. Mike provides insight on how sellers can leverage transaction costs, net operating losses, and installment sales to minimize tax liabilities while he also touches upon advanced tax strategies including installment sales, charitable remainder trusts, and Qualified Small Business Stock Exclusion. Lastly, he underscores the centrality of considering wealth and estate concerns post-sale and aligning them with long-term financial goals, urging sellers to involve a wealth management professional in the process. It's not just about finding a buyer, but also about protecting wealth through tax-efficient strategies. He encourages listeners planning a business sale to check the show notes for a link to get their Value Builder Score.
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    4 分
  • Brand or Bust: How to Protect Your Business Identity During a Sale

    Brand or Bust: How to Protect Your Business Identity During a Sale
    2025/03/06
    Mike Levison of the Growth and Exit Digest podcast encourages business owners looking to sell to take steps to secure their brand identity. These include understanding your brand's value, ensuring post-sale brand integration goes smoothly, preserving your business's legacy, and using legal protections. With a comprehensive brand equity assessment, owners can help potential buyers understand the importance of maintaining your brand. Also, incorporating a structured transition plan into the sales agreement can prevent any revenue loss due to sudden brand changes. Levison also highlights the significant role of legal agreements in safeguarding your brand and legacy.
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    5 分
  • Selling Your Business? How to Manage Employee Impact and Retention

    Selling Your Business? How to Manage Employee Impact and Retention
    2025/02/06
    In the fourth part of the eight-part series, Mike Levison from Value Acceleration Partners addresses the critical areas business owners need to consider when planning to sell a business, focusing on the impacts of a sale on employees, preventive measures for disruption, and maintaining business continuity. The uncertainty a sale brings can lead to decreased morale and voluntary departures among employees, so Levison recommends a proactive communication approach focusing on continuity, reassuring employees, setting realistic expectations, and preventing misinformation. Potential buyers should also be evaluated based on their ability to sustain or enhance the current company culture. In addition, he addresses the pivotal role of retention strategies, emphasizing their cultural and financial aspects in aligning business valuation. Levison concludes that well-managed transitions do not just address ethical obligations, but are also business imperatives, safeguarding business value and ensuring the company remains strong post-sale.
    • mike.levison@raincatcher.com
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    4 分
  • Life After the Sale: How to Avoid Seller’s Remorse and Plan for What’s Next

    Life After the Sale: How to Avoid Seller’s Remorse and Plan for What’s Next
    2025/01/24
    In the episode, Mike Levison, founder of Value Acceleration Partners, explores crucial aspects of selling a business. He discusses the need for personal and professional goals alignment for the seller, contemplating activities, hobbies, and life changes that were sidelined due to business. Mike also considers the role of the seller post-sale, whether remaining attached to the business in a non-operational role or embarking on a new venture. He stresses the importance of understanding financial needs and planning for the sales proceed utilization, considering lifestyle, retirement, or funding for new ventures. He advises about leaving a legacy through charitable bequests. Lastly, Mike offers guidance on preparing for the transition from active business life to a more composed environment, maintaining productivity, and overall well-being. He concludes with the notion of structuring the sale conducive to personal vision, advising the calculation of a Freedom Score to outline future financial readiness.
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    5 分
  • The Key Questions to Answer Before Selling Your Business

    The Key Questions to Answer Before Selling Your Business
    2025/01/05
    In the podcast episode, Mike Levison, founder of Value Acceleration Partners, explores the concept of readiness to sell a business, emphasizing that it's more than a financial undertaking but also a significant turning point in a business owner's life. He breaks down readiness into three main areas: mental preparedness which includes examining emotional resilience and readiness for change, financial preparedness requiring a deep understanding of the business's financial health and its market worth, and timing, which considers market and industry trends as well as personal and professional goals. Stressing the importance of having trusted advisors, financial transparency, and strategic timing, Levison ends by offering assistance with preparedness through Growth Acceleration Partners, hinting at their PreScore report which evaluates readiness to exit business.
    • The Value Builder System™
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    6 分
  • Maximizing Your Business Sale: What Strategic Buyers Really Want

    Maximizing Your Business Sale: What Strategic Buyers Really Want
    2025/01/04
    In this podcast, Mike Levison, the founder of Value Acceleration Partners, provides insight on selling a business to a strategic buyer for optimal value. He emphasizes that strategic buyers seek businesses that enhance their operations, fill gaps, and offer new opportunities. To appeal to these buyers, sellers should research potential buyers, articulate their strategic value, and demonstrate how their product or services align with buyer’s goals. Mike also highlights the importance of operational excellence and clean financials for easy integration post-acquisition. The ability of the business to operate independently of the owner, the protection of intellectual property, a diversified customer base, transparency in due diligence, and leveraging industry relationships further add appeal. He concludes by stressing that selling to a strategic buyer is about the fit, strategic alignment, and operational excellence.
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    5 分
  • More than EBITDA: How to Maximize Your Business’s True Value Before Selling

    More than EBITDA: How to Maximize Your Business’s True Value Before Selling
    2024/12/05
    In this podcast episode, host Mike Levison shares eight key value drivers aimed to maximize a business's value, reduce its risks, and secure the best possible valuation. He discusses the importance of fostering a strong company culture, expanding the breadth of management, strengthening the business's value proposition, and introducing a recurring revenue model. Emphasis is also laid on demonstrating scalability, maintaining a loyal and diverse customer base, enhancing financial management, and establishing good governance practices. Infusing these drivers into a business could make it more attractive to buyers, ensure its full potential in the marketplace, and set a foundation for best possible valuation. This podcast is a crucial listen for business owners intending to boost their business performance or planning for an exit.
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    5 分