Jun 3, 2024

161: Mastering The Art of Successful Transactions, Susan Keller

Host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition SherpaⓇ, is joined by Susan Keller, Founder of Entrepreneurial Executives. Susan advises businesses from startups to publicly traded companies on growth strategies and transactions. 

Laurie talks with Susan as a fellow M&A Advisor about why it’s valuable for entrepreneurs to get an early start with transition planning. A great place to begin is conducting a thorough business evaluation to identify what needs improvement in the business.


They also discuss the challenges of owner dependency, and separating your identity from the company. Emotional considerations can arise if not. Set an intention to separate yourself from your business to see what aspects of your culture and values a potential buyer might want to preserve.

Top 5 takeaways:

  1. Complete a comprehensive business assessment to identify operational gaps and formulate a robust transition plan.

  2. Approach projects from the perspective of a potential buyer to enhance the business’s appeal in the market.

  3. Create a clear CEO job description to recognize dependencies and optimize the business’s value.

  4. Conduct thorough due diligence on potential partners to ensure a seamless and beneficial transaction.

  5. Foster collaboration among all parties involved to achieve a mutually beneficial deal and pave the way for a successful transition.

Find Susan Keller Here:

https://www.ceoatlas.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanakeller

 

❤️ Show us the love on Rate This Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

_______________________________________

BUYERS BUY ON THEIR TIME, NOT YOURS. WILL YOU BE READY?

Learn more about the Endgame Entrepreneurship Masterclass and build with your exit in mind. 

_______________________________________

My Links:

🌐 Website: https://TheBusinessTransitionSherpa.com

⏰️ Meet With Laurie: https://thebusinesstransitionsherpa.com/connect/

_______________________________________

📘 THE BUSINESS TRANSITION HANDBOOK:

Get a free digital copy of “The Business Transition Handbook: How To Avoid Succession Pitfalls and Create Valuable Exit Options” by author Laurie Barkman: 

https://thebusinesstransitionhandbook.com

New Episodes Available Weekly On:

        

Get Succession Stories in Your Inbox Free

Case studies, examples, templates, and tools for business transition, plus notification of new episodes.

The Business Transition Handbook

The Business Transition Handbook

Preparing owners to navigate the emotional and practical nature of the transition process so you can exit on your terms and avoid succession regrets.

“A game changer to help you win in your exit and in life.”

 

Browse More Episodes

How to Protect Your Equity When Your Business Needs Cash

How to Protect Your Equity When Your Business Needs Cash

When it comes to financing your business growth, you might feel stuck between two tough choices: selling shares to raise cash, or borrowing money from a bank. Selling shares means giving up some of your valuable equity, while bank loans can be expensive and often require a personal guarantee. But...

Listen
Lazy CEO Podcast, Business Transitions and Liquidity Events

Lazy CEO Podcast, Business Transitions and Liquidity Events

In this episode of The Lazy CEO Podcast, host Jim Schleckser discusses the topic of liquidity events and business transitions with expert Laurie Barkman from the Business Transition Sherpa. Laurie shares her personal experience going through an M&A process as a CEO and highlights the challenges, emo...
Listen