Business Exit Planning
Maximizing opportunities and value
The team at GenCrest includes Certified Exit Planning Advisors (CEPA®) to guide high-net-worth business owners through the journey of maximizing the transition.
Exit planning goes beyond selling a business.
Our team of advisors partners with you to develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure you achieve your personal and financial objectives when the time comes to exit. Whether planning for retirement, exploring new opportunities, or simply looking to take your business to the next level, a strategic approach is essential to:
- Maximize your business’ value to effectively position your company, attract the right buyers, optimize your financial position, and achieve the highest possible valuation upon exit.
- Unlock value enhancement techniques through innovative approaches for optimizing operational efficiency, leveraging technology, diversifying revenue streams, and strengthening your competitive advantage.
- Navigate the complexities of exiting your business by gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate legal, tax, and financial considerations involved in the exit process.
- Prepare for life after exit by learning how to effectively manage, invest and preserve your wealth, explore new ventures, contribute to philanthropic causes, and create a roadmap for your post-exit journey.
- Stay ahead of the curve by staying informed about the latest industry trends, market dynamics, and regulatory changes, allowing you to make informed decisions and seize opportunities.
Take our Exit Readiness Assessment
The transfer of your business may be the biggest financial transaction of your life. The first step is to gain deeper insight into where your business currently stands.
Use our quick ExitMap® assessment to get started. The 15-minute assessment requires no sensitive financial or other confidential data. You’ll receive a 12-page Exit Readiness report within one business day.
The Value Acceleration Methodology™
Our approach to exit planning revolves around the Value Acceleration Methodology™, a proven framework designed to enhance the value of your business and align it with your personal goals. The methodology encompasses:
- Discovery and Assessment: We begin by conducting a thorough assessment of your business’s current state, your personal financial situation, and your long-term goals.
- Value Enhancement: Our team of experts identifies opportunities to increase the value of your business, whether through operational improvements, strategic partnerships, or other growth strategies.
- Exit Strategy Development: We work closely with you to create a customized exit strategy that aligns with your goals, whether it’s selling to a third party, transferring to a family member, or exploring alternative options like Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs).
- Implementation: We help you execute your exit plan, ensuring that all the necessary steps are taken to maximize the value of your business and secure your financial future.
- Continual Monitoring: We continuously monitor and adjust your exit plan as needed, adapting to changing market conditions and personal circumstances to ensure a successful exit.
Providing a unique set of exit planning skills
Our GenCrest Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation means we combine financial expertise with a deep understanding of business strategy and personal financial planning. We take a comprehensive, holistic approach to offer an unbiased and qualified perspective on your exit strategy.
Sherry Campbell, CFP®, CDFA®, CEPA®
Sherry Campbell, CFP®, CDFA®, CEPA®
Chief Executive Officer
Sherry serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GenCrest Capital Partners, with over 20 years of experience.
Sherry focuses on analyzing the challenging financial issues of high-net-worth clients by providing customized recommendations for divorce settlement and sophisticated planning solutions. She assists in preparing trial exhibits and expert analysis, as well as provides clients with financial recommendations for overall wealth structure and management to help meet set goals for preservation, growth and income.
Her leadership is also essential to the firm’s exit planning clients. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), Sherry works with clients to develop a comprehensive approach toward achieving their business, personal and financial goals.
Ashley Madden, CFP®, CPA, CEPA
Ashley Madden, CFP®, CPA, CEPA
Director of Financial Planning Services
Ashley is the Director of Financial Planning Services and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) at GenCrest, bringing over 20 years of financial services experience to our clients, including investment management, direct participation programs, income tax strategies, insurance planning, cash flow management, estate planning, and charitable giving.
Ashley fosters a comprehensive, individualized, and multi-faceted approach to various specialized areas of expertise, including business value acceleration, divorce planning, real estate investment, and foreign asset ownership. Ashley also oversees the tax planning and return preparation services for firm clients. Additionally, she coordinates with other key team members to offer tax and financial planning expertise related to business owner strategies, divorce situations, and customized investment management objectives.
Surveys show that most business owners are dependent on the proceeds from a sale to fund their “next act” life goals. Unfortunately, fewer than 25% of them have a written plan. Exit Planning creates a road map for getting what you need out of your business, allowing you to set the time frame and financial plans for making it happen on your terms.
No. Developing an exit plan helps set your pathway for your future, showing you how far you have to go and when to get started. But it’s up to you when the time and conditions are right for exiting your business.
As Certified Exit Planning Advisors (CEPA®), we are experts at asking the right questions, in the right order, and navigating the legal, tax and financial intricacies so you can make informed decisions and understand your options. Our “structured discovery” approach is proven to render the best results for owners and the clearest direction for moving forward.
Multiple studies have found that 75% of owners are unhappy a year after their exit. Most go through an “extended vacation” of travel and bucket list goals. However, they eventually look for something to replace the activity, identity and purpose that their business provided for decades.
Our process is designed to let you experiment with your objectives. The outcome is a plan that is a realistic representation of your ability to leave in your own time frame, in the manner you choose and with the proceeds you need.
As an owner, transferring your business could be the most important financial event of your life and have a tremendous impact on generational wealth. Yet only 15% of businesses that change hands get sold by business brokers or bought by private equity. The rest have to figure it out on their own. Having a comprehensive exit plan in place will give you an invaluable advantage over other business owners when the time comes.