Put Your Objectives In The Driver’s Seat

Ron Oddo

“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.” —Yogi Berra

It is not always easy to interpret Yogi. In this case, perhaps he is advising you to figure out just where you are headed in your business. As you near the time when you will leave behind the daily worries and stresses of business ownership, have you defined your successful exit? Do you know where “there” is, much less how to get there? Unless you set and prioritize your exit goals or objectives, you may have too many, or they might conflict, but in either case you may not make much headway.

The clearest example of a failure to set objectives may be Bill Wilson (not his real name), a business owner who recently told us that he wanted:

  • To leave his business within three years, but he was ready to leave today;
  • Financial security, defined as a seamless continuation of his current lifestyle; and
  • To transfer the business to his key employees.

A quick review of Bill’s personal financial statement, however, revealed that most of the income required to maintain his lifestyle would have to come from the business. Unfortunately, his business wasn’t large enough to attract a cash buyer. And, since Bill had done no Exit Planning, his employees had no funds with which to purchase his ownership interest. A long term installment note seemed to be the only answer — a risk Bill was unwilling to take.

Contrast this unpalatable solution with Bill’s objectives — objectives which could have been achieved had he taken the time (well before he wanted to leave the business) to establish and to prioritize his Exit Objectives.

If, for example, an owner’s need for financial security prevails, selling a business to a third party for cash may be the best and quickest exit path.

If, however, attracting a qualified third party is unlikely, an owner may need more time to devise and to implement a transfer to an insider (child or employee) that provides the owner adequate cash.

On the other hand, if an owner’s desire to transfer the business to a specific person or group trumps his or her need for financial security, and his/her deadline for departure draws near, financial security in the form of “up-front” cash must take a backseat.

As you can see, owners must consider—simultaneously—the three primary exit goals (listed below). Ask yourself which is your most important exit objective and rank your answers from 1 (most important) to 3 (least important).

Financial security.

Transferring the business to the person of my choice (may include key employees, co-owner or child).

Leaving the business when I want (could be immediately or never).

Prioritizing your objectives will help you choose your overall path. For example, if you want out—soon and with cash—but your business cannot be sold today, do you wait until market conditions improve or sell now to your employees? While prioritizing your objectives is not easy, doing so gives you a framework to decision making.

Ronald Oddo

Certified Exit Planner with more than 28 years of experience preparing business owners for the day they will exit from their business. I am qualified to provide this needed service to business owners based on my education, experience, knowledge and skills. I have earned and maintain nine business related certifications and six security licenses. In addition, I am a Federally Licensed Tax Practitioner with the privilege of representing troubled taxpayers before the IRS. To stay as current as possible I enjoy membership in 17 professional associations. On a day-to-day basis I manage a fully staffed tax, accounting and financial planning practice which provides all of the resources for our Exit Planning Clients.

My definition of Exit Planning is the preparation for the exit of a business owner from the company, with an emphasis on maximizing the enterprise value of the company. Exit planning also embraces a path toward non-financial objectives including the transition of the company to the next generation, sale to employees or management, or other altruistic, non-financial objectives.

My mission is to help you create a comprehensive road map that will accomplish your personal and financial goals when you decide to leave the business. As your Exit Plan advisor I will bring together a team of experts in Taxation, Law, Financial Planning, Estate Planning and Investment Banking that will guarantee that you will exit your business in style.

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