When I help clients develop their “Business Exit Presentations”, I focus on three things:

• What information to include
• How to format the presentation so the message is compelling for the buyer
• How to structure each part so the presenter can deliver it persuasively.

The CEO I was helping asked me how I knew so much about how to do it – something I take for granted. After running Brilliant Image, a micro-computer graphics company with 5000 clients over 15 years, mostly producing quarterly, annual, M&A, IB financial presentations, I leveraged the skills to help clients through PortfolioPR (an IR/PR firm). Since then, I help CEOs with mission-critical presentations through Presentation Excellence. So, when Vistage members ask for help, it’s second nature to me. 

For Vistage members, it’s easier because our culture focuses on never losing sight of the end-game (i.e., dancing in the end-zone) throughout the leadership journey. Indeed, its new Transaction Center gives access to a free Business Valuation Tool making collecting needed data needed at their disposal.

It’s also easier now, since Age Brilliantly members are adopting a long-term perspective to their lives and business, and know that the secret to successful scaling of a company is the same as ensuring a smooth transition when exiting: a succession mindset. By preparing to train younger workers to take on important leadership roles, equips the company for exponential growth.

Indeed, Shawn Cole has highlighted this point in his article, Millennials are taking over companies.  He notes that increasingly the smart companies are engaging in these activities:

• Spot leadership potential of workers earlier rather in the past
• Design stretch and rotational assignments to provide exposure to challenges across the company with a variety of functional leaders
• View succession as a mark of maturity and foresight – and not a threat
• Hold legacy leaders accountable for creating opportunities for stronger total leadership

What are you doing to make sure your company can quickly and easily present itself as a compelling opportunity to a potential buyer? Now is always the time to be involved with preparing!