Successful agencies are always poised for sale, whether it’s far off or in the near future By Michael Mensch
M
ilitary leaders often talk about an “exit strategy” when they plan for war. They have a goal, an action plan
to execute the goal, and a strategy for exiting with minimal casualties and without undermining the original objective. Many agency owners have a goal along with procedures and strategies that are implemented to achieve the goal. But at the end they fail to plan their exit and miss out on laying the right foundation. At whatever stage you
are — whether you are ready to prepare your agency for sale, trying to grow, striving to improve the market value, minimize your tax liability, or hope to avoid a distressed sale in the event of an unexpected situation, your agency should always be positioned for the highest sale price, best terms and greatest level of post-sale success. Below are some key points relating to how you should lay the proper foundation for a successful sale in the near or very distant future.