Business Growth vs. Exit Planning: Two Sides of the Same Coin
We are often taught to think about business in different stages, yet the activities required for Growth, Exit planning or a Business Sale are NOT mutually exclusive. The problem is that many traditional advisors often have only a one-sided perspective, limiting thinking, incentivised only by their fees, not your success.
But thinking this way misses a crucial point: building scalable value and preparing for an exit are not mutually exclusive. By approaching them separately, we put ourselves at a disadvantage.
Think about it: what does business growth focus on? Growth, efficiency, team dynamics, and profitability. What does exit planning focus on? Unsurprisingly, similar metrics, just a layer deeper. Book a call to with us to go over the different strategies to see how they overlap.
So why is this important whether you are building value (Growth) or planning to Exit? Read on.
We’ve been trained to think about our business in clear-cut phases. First, you build. Then, you grow. Finally, you sell or pass it on. Simple, right?
As John Warrillow suggests in his book “Build to Sell,” exit planning and growth planning are really part of the same journey.
Paradigm Shift:
Growth = Exit Preparedness
You would not begin to grow a business without an 'end in mind', conversely, you would not stop improving the growth potential & value of a business, if you were planning to exit /sell either.
The problem. It is common in the business scene for advisors & consultants, to operate from one lens or perspective, remaining disconnected from the other, unable to add true value to impact your outcomes. Even fewer have actually ran or owned a business themselves.
Try asking an Exit advisor or Business Broker for Growth tactics & expertise. Or perhaps ask a Growth specialist about Exit planning or how to prepare a business for sale.
Taking that one step further, ask a business broker to provide quality strategic advice on how to maximise your business value, outside of simply listing your business for sale.
We jest, Don't!
Growth Strategists
Certified Exit Advisors
Business Sale Experts
In summary
A Multidisciplinary approach
Ideally, in either scenario. You would engage a partner that can offer support, experience & expertise from both sides of the fence. We call this a Multidisciplinary approach & you read more about why this is essential in business, here.
If you are building Value for Business Growth.
Having a goal, end, or Exit plan in mind, will act as compass for your decision making & eventual execution. In which case you would be wise to engage partners who understand Exit planning, as well as Growth.
Alternatively, if you are planning an Exit or Business Sale.
You would be wise to continue improving your business to maximise value, which is why engaging a partner with Growth experience would be valuable. Pure Exit advisory limits your thinking.
Learn How Our Multidisciplinary Approach
Empowers Your Decisions & Limits Your Blind Spots