Clarity, Strategy, and Deal Support for Founders and Owners
Expert Guidance for the Founder's Journey
Exiting a business is a complex mix of strategic choices and personal transition. We provide the calm, senior-led support you need to navigate this process with clarity.
Four focused services to build optionality, reduce risk, and make high-stakes decisions with confidence - from early planning through to a completed deal
THE DIAGNOSTIC
Exit Readiness Assessment
Who it's for:
Owners planning an exit who want to maximise their eventual sale price, and be confident they are truly buyer-ready.
What you get:
- A diagnostic assessment of your business through a buyer's lens, developed across 2-3 sessions.
- Identification of value drivers, "red flag" risks, and founder-dependency scores across 6 critical dimensions.
- Narrative and positioning review: how your business story will land with sophisticated acquirers.
- A prioritised 12-month roadmap to protect value and improve optionality.
- A 20-30 page report with realistic valuation range, and clear next-step recommendations.
- A 2-3 hour feedback and strategy session.
Timeline: 2-4 weeks
Investment: From £2,500, depending on size and complexity of the business.
THE ENGAGEMENT
Deal Readiness Review
Who it's for:
Founders who have received an offer or are in buyer conversations, or acquirers looking at a target company, that need to prepare for the intensity of a live transaction.
What you get:
- Evaluation of the specific offer/approach/target from a founder's perspective (logic, fit, risks, and timing).
- Buyer/seller profiling - understanding their likely motivations, deal-breakers, and typical behaviour.
- Diligence checklist and roadmap - a plain-English briefing on what the next 90 days will actually look like.
- Narrative stress-test & negotiation strategy - ensuring your/their answers to the "big buyer questions" are consistent and credible.
- Adviser alignment - helping you define exactly what you need from your legal and CF teams before you sign the mandate.
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Investment: Short, intensive engagement priced to reflect the urgency and complexity of the deal.
Important - Strategic and commercial guidance only. We work alongside, not instead of, your corporate finance, legal, and tax advisers.
THE CLARITY
Founder Decision Support
Who it's for:
Owners at a strategic crossroads or facing a specific high-stakes decision - whether to explore a sale, respond to an approach, raise investment, pursue an acquisition, or hold for growth. Is it time to appoint a CF firm, or wait?
What you get:
- Two confidential 2-3 hour 1-on-1 sessions to cut through the noise.
- A calm, conflict-free adviser who has sat where you sit, navigated multiple transactions, and understands what different routes mean for you, your family, and your team.
- A pragmatic exploration of your personal and commercial objectives.
- A 5-10 page Decision Brief summarising the logic, risks, timing, three scenarios (act now / prepare first / hold) with pros and cons, and a clear recommended path.
- Clarity and confidence to make a high-stakes decision without second-guessing.
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Investment: Fixed-fee, 2 session engagement.
THE JOURNEY
Exit Partner Programme
Who it's for:
Owners who want a senior, independent advisor alongside them for 6-24 months as they prepare for, run, and transition through a sale - from "we should get exit-ready" to "we've agreed heads of terms and are running to completion".
What you get:
- Regular 1-on-1 sessions (typically monthly) to keep the exit plan on track and unblock issues.
- A living exit roadmap with 3-5 value creation workstreams (e.g. reduce founder-dependency, tidy financials, documentation, team and succession).
- Independent, founder-side input on key decisions: timing, mandate choice, buyer fit, and deal trade-offs.
- Support to shape the buyer-ready story and data room so you and your advisers can move quickly when the time is right.
- A calm sounding board during a live process - alongside your CF, legal, and tax teams - to help you stay anchored to your objectives through to completion.
Timeline: Typically 6-24 months, with regular review points.
Investment: Retainer-based, reflecting cadence and complexity. Agreed up-front once we understand your situation.
Important - Strategic and commercial guidance only. We work alongside, not instead of, your corporate finance, legal, and tax advisers.
Why These Services?
A business that is ready to sell is a better business to own. Our goal is to give you optionality - the freedom to sell, step back, or scale, knowing your business is a transferable asset, not just a job.
- Build clarity on what your business is actually worth and why
- Reduce risk by identifying and addressing diligence surprises early
- Strengthen your position whether you're selling, buying, or just building a better business
- Support your decisions with founder-level insight and pragmatic advice, from first thoughts of exit through to completion
Who We Are
Exit Strategy & Solutions is a senior-led advisory practice. Mark serves as the primary advisor for all client engagements, supported by Tom (operational performance and process improvement) and specialist advisers from our network. By combining our collective deal experience with founder-level thinking, we deliver the strategic clarity and practical implementation support owners need to maximise their outcomes.
Ready to get started?
Each service can stand alone, or they can be combined depending on your situation. There's no pressure and no long-term commitment - just a pragmatic conversation about what you need.