Phase 7 · Scale · Sustain · Expand · From Traction to Legacy
Founder Exit Planning
The exit is not the end of the story. For most founders, it is the chapter they have been building toward for years — and the one they are least prepared for.
Founder exit planning is the structured preparation for the transition out of the business — whether through sale, management buyout, family succession, or a phased withdrawal — that maximises the financial outcome, protects the legacy, and ensures the founder has a clear, valued identity on the other side of the exit. We plan the commercial, legal, personal, and emotional dimensions of the exit so the founder controls the transition rather than being controlled by it.
The Pain We Solve
You may recognise yourself in one of these.
Three audience scenarios · because the same service produces a different transformation depending on where you are in the business journey.
Scenario 1
The founder who has not started planning the exit because it feels too distant or too difficult
The best exits are planned three to five years before they happen. Every year that preparation is delayed is a year of value-building activity that does not happen — and a year closer to an exit that is reactive rather than engineered.
Scenario 2
The founder who has been approached by a buyer and does not know whether to proceed
An unsolicited approach has arrived. The number sounds significant. The founder does not have an independent view of whether it is fair, whether the timing is right, or whether the business should be in a different position before any conversation proceeds.
Scenario 3
The founder who is dreading the psychological reality of leaving the business they built
The financial planning has been done. But nobody has addressed the identity question — who is this person when they are no longer defined by the business? The emotional unpreparedeness for exit is one of the most common sources of post-exit regret.
The Impact It Creates
The Moment You Will Feel the Difference.
Exit value maximised through preparation that begins well before the event
Commercial, legal, and tax structuring that preserves as much of the exit proceeds as possible
Founder identity and purpose designed for the chapter after the business
Transition managed on the founder's terms rather than dictated by buyer pressure or circumstance
What You Receive
The Specific Deliverables.
Tangible outputs · documented, dated, and yours to keep.
- Exit readiness assessment — commercial, operational, and personal
- Value enhancement roadmap for the pre-exit period
- Exit route analysis — sale, MBO, family succession, or phased withdrawal
- Tax and legal structuring advisory
- Personal financial and legacy planning brief
- Founder post-exit identity and purpose framework
The Outcome
Where You Will Be on the Other Side.
The founder exits on their own terms — with the financial outcome the business deserved, the legal and tax structure that preserves it, and a clear sense of what comes next that makes the transition a beginning rather than an end.
Primary Focus
Preparing founders for a financially optimised, personally prepared, and controlled exit from the business they have built.
KPI Measurement
- Exit value vs valuation at planning start
- Tax efficiency on exit proceeds
- Transaction timeline vs plan
- Founder post-exit satisfaction score
- Business performance continuity post-exit
Investment & ROI
Pricing Engineered Around the Value You Create.
Every engagement is sized against the value we believe we can create with you · the fee is always a fraction of the outcome. Four tiers · so the investment matches your stage of business.
Tier 1
Foundations
£5,000 – £15,000
Right for
Pre-startup, startup, and micro-business founders ready to build on evidence rather than instinct.
Typical Value Created
£250K+ in scale-readiness, governance maturity, and expansion clarity
Engagement
4 – 8 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 2
Acceleration
£15,000 – £50,000
Right for
Growing SMEs and established small businesses ready to scale a working model into the next revenue band.
Typical Value Created
£1M – £10M in expansion velocity, new-market revenue, and capital readiness
Engagement
8 – 16 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 3
Transformation
£50,000 – £250,000
Right for
Medium enterprises and scale-stage businesses ready to commit to a multi-quarter, organisation-wide shift.
Typical Value Created
£5M – £50M in scale outcomes, M&A optionality, and leadership-capability uplift
Engagement
3 – 9 months
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 4
Enterprise
£250,000 – £2M+
Right for
Large enterprises, global operators, and complex organisations ready for a multi-year strategic partnership.
Typical Value Created
£25M+ in enterprise value created, capital events optimised, and legacy structures built
Engagement
12 months and onward
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Why We Price This Way
Every engagement is sized around the value we believe we can create with you. The fee is always a fraction of the outcome · typically 10 – 20% of the expected first-year return.
This is how we make sure pricing aligns with results. The conversation is never “what does this cost?” · it is always “what is this worth to your business?” We answer that together in the first call, transparently, and decide the right tier from there.
If we cannot articulate a credible 5–10× return for your specific situation, we will tell you in the first call. That honesty is part of why our clients trust us with the work that matters most.
Why This Conversation Matters
“The best exits are the ones where the founder chose them — the timing, the buyer, the terms, and the chapter after. We build the preparation that gives founders that choice.”
A 90-minute structured strategy session · produces a usable roadmap whether you engage further or not.
More in Phase 7