Exit Planning Resources For Business Owners
Welcome to Axial’s Business Owner Resource Center, the trusted hub to help owners navigate their Exit Journey. We’ve brought together resources and expert guidance to help you stay well-informed on your path to a successful exit.
Axial's Picks
Buyer Demand Report
Discover how many buyers are interested in businesses like yours with a free, personalized report.    Â
Self Representation Quiz
Determine if you’re ready to exit your business on your own or if hiring an M&A advisor is the better choice.
Valuation Calculator
Request early access to our upcoming valuation calculator. We’ll notify you as soon as it’s ready to help you quickly estimate your company’s value.
Curated Resources For Business Owners
Select your current stage in the M&A journey to access corresponding content and tools that other business owners have found most helpful.
Understanding the Basics of M&A
Gain a comprehensive understanding of M&A fundamentals.
How To Sell Your Business
When the time comes to sell, business owners want the process to be quick and efficient. With 14 years of experience in small business M&A, we’ve learned that every step is crucial. You must plan the transition, understand your business’s value, create compelling marketing materials, and identify the right buyers to advance to the due diligence stage.
Using EBITDA For Small Business Valuation
Selling a business can be a difficult decision for entrepreneurs to make, both on an emotional and financial level. There are a number of factors that come into play when determining an appropriate asking price, including competitive advantages, growth opportunities, and historic financial performance
12 Things Not To Do In M&A
For most business owners, exiting their business is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It’s also an inherently complex process. Though every transaction is different, there are several common mistakes that owners can, and certainly should, avoid. We compiled advice from investment bankers, investors, and business owners who have navigated through various transactions.Â
Preparing For a Transaction
Preparing your business and team for a successful exit.
The Exit Preparation Guide
When we surveyed Axial’s Investment Banking membership on the topic of exit preparation, we asked a wide range of questions with the hope of distilling the best tips and guides for exit-curious business owners. We then put together a five-part article series with the results and insights gained from those survey responses.
The Seller's Guide To Building A Deal Team
In this ebook, you’ll learn how to build a deal team with both external and internal resources: What roles should your C-suite play in the deal process?
The 1,000 Day Exit Plan
Business owners think that a sale can happen more expediently than it actually does. Our research indicates that you should start the exit planning process about 1,000 days prior to their intended sale date – which equates to just under three years.Â
Hiring an M&A Advisory Firm
Finding, vetting, and selecting an M&A advisory firm.
How To Find The Right M&A Advisor
Finding the right buyer for your business is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. And finding the right M&A advisor will determine whether you find the right buyer. If you make a mistake, the downside is serious. An advisor with inadequate experience can derail a deal with bad advice or poor judgment. There are 3,000+ sell-side intermediaries on Axial. Reports online state that there are anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000 M&A intermediaries across the US.
Questions To Ask Before Hiring An M&A Advisor
Choosing a qualified M&A advisor with relevant transaction experience to represent the company is arguably the most important decision a business owner will make to ensure a successful sale. Even well-meaning advisors and investment bankers can derail a deal with bad advice, poor judgment, or a misrepresentation of their skill sets.
M&A Fee Guide 2023-2024
For the third year running, Axial partnered with Firmex and Divestopedia on the annual M&A Fee Guide, the authoritative source on M&A fees for sell-side engagements in the middle market. Using data gathered from a survey of mid-market dealmakers—including more than 200 Axial members—the guide highlights key points of interest on M&A fees across geographies and deal sizes.Â
Ready To Exit Your Business?
Secure the best outcome while selling your business with the right introductions and expert guidance.
Axial combines authoritative exit preparation content with the largest network of pre-vetted M&A advisors to help secure the best terms for your business exit. Leveraging 14+ years of unparalleled insights, our exit consulting team turns your sale objectives into reality by introducing you to the perfect M&A advisor, and guiding you to the right resources at every step of the journey.
Join our newsletter for weekly content, tips, and guides to help you achieve the best exit.
Explore Masters in Small Business M&A
Learn exit preparation best practices from former business owners.
Episode Spotlight
In this episode, we interview Bob Falahee, the recently exited founder of SunPro Motorized Awnings & Screens. He discusses the detailed process and considerations behind his business exit, emphasizing the importance of strategic succession planning, M&A preparation, and hiring the right M&A advisor.
Hire the right M&A advisor. Achieve your ideal exit.