By Anthony Scudieri, Manager, Product Marketing

When you’re growing your business, the last thing you want to think about is an exit. And yet the time to start preparing for one occurs long before you ever hire a banker. Ideally, you want to start thinking about an exit around two years in advance of launching your process to sell or go public.

Getting ready for the exit

Overwhelming? Yes, but the sooner you start preparing the more likely you are to close on terms in your favor. To begin planning your exit, you should think about both internal and external preparations leading up to the event. 

Internally, any type of transaction is incredibly disruptive once word gets out. On top of juggling your preparation, you need to keep the business running as normally as possible. Remember, a sale could fail for any number of reasons and an exit is never guaranteed. 

Preview of the Ultimate Deal Readiness Checklist

Other factors to consider

Meanwhile, prepare to loop in key stakeholders as needed to get essential workstreams off the ground. Projection models, audited financials, stock option plans, NDAs, and disclosure schedules. These are all types of documents you might need depending on the type of transaction at hand, and our checklist will help you pick them out. 

Externally, not only do you need to start thinking about bankers, but also lawyers, accountants, consultants, and partners such as Datasite. Make sure you have the right team of advisors and technology providers in the loop leading up to a sale, to ensure there are no delays. 

Much like any championship game, a successful deal or process is a skillful blend of teamwork and execution. And the more prepared the team, the better the end result. Download our ultimate checklist below to help you stay on top of all your workstreams, and better prepare your team for the exciting big game to come.