Zenith · Exit Ready
Exit at maximum value — before you need to.
A 12-month preparation programme for business owners in the US. We make your business sellable, then run a competitive process so you exit on your terms.
Who It's For
Built for owners 5–15 years in, who can feel the next chapter coming.
- Business owner, 40–60 years old, US-based
- Revenue $500K–$5M; EBITDA $100K–$1.5M
- Owned the business 5–15 years
- Trigger event in play — burnout, succession gap, partnership dispute, health event, or relocation
Common situations
- Clinic groups (2–5 locations) preparing for a PE or strategic buyer
- Owners approached unsolicited by a buyer and unsure what to do next
What We Hear
The exact words owners use.
On valuation
- "I have no idea what my business is actually worth."
- "Someone offered me a number but I don't know if it's good or bad."
- "I asked my accountant. He said 'maybe 1x revenue' but I don't trust that."
On readiness
- "If I had to sell tomorrow, I don't know what I'd show a buyer."
- "Everything is in my head — it would fall apart without me."
- "My financials are a mess. I mix personal and business expenses."
On timing & emotion
- "I know I should have started planning years ago."
- "I'm burned out but I can't just walk away — people depend on me."
- "My kids don't want to take over. I don't know what happens to this."
On brokers
- "A broker came to me but wanted to list immediately. I didn't trust him."
- "Brokers here just want to close the deal. They don't care about my outcome."
- "I don't want to sell to a competitor who'll destroy what I've built."
The Real Cost
Most owners who sell unprepared leave 30–50% on the table.
Here's how value evaporates in an unprepared exit:
| Gap | Impact |
|---|---|
| Owner-dependent revenue (buyer applies a risk discount) | −20–30% of value |
| Undocumented processes (due diligence risk) | −10–15% |
| Messy financials / personal-business mixing | −10–20% |
| No competitive buyer process (single offer) | −15–25% |
| Wrong timing (selling under duress) | −20–40% |
A $2M business sold unprepared often closes at $1.2–1.4M. The same business, prepared over 12 months, closes at $2.4–3M. Most of our fee is success-based — we only earn the upside if you do.
What You Get
A 12-month engagement, four phases.
Each phase has a defined outcome, not a list of activities.
01
Phase 01 · Months 1–2 · Valuation & Gap Analysis
- Full business valuation (EBITDA/SDE-based + comparable transactions)
- Exit gap analysis: the 5 things reducing your multiple right now
- Priority action plan to close the gaps before going to market
02
Phase 02 · Months 3–6 · EBITDA Improvement
- Operational documentation (processes, playbooks, org charts)
- Financial clean-up: separating personal expenses, normalising add-backs
- Owner-dependency reduction — making the business sellable without you
- Operational automation to lift EBITDA before going to market
03
Phase 03 · Months 7–10 · Deal Readiness
- 3-year board-ready management accounts
- Data room build: legal, financial, operational, personnel
- Buyer profile definition: strategic vs. financial, domestic vs. international
- Information Memorandum — the document that sells the business
04
Phase 04 · Months 11–12 · Buyer Activation
- Confidential outreach to our captive buyer network — family offices, Zenith Acquisition School graduates, and strategic acquirers
- Competitive process management — multiple buyers means a higher price
- Term sheet negotiation support
- Introductions to legal and tax advisors for close
Pricing
You pay most of it only when you exit.
| Structure | Amount | When paid |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | $3,500–$5,000/month | Upfront, monthly |
| Success fee | 5% of exit value | At close only |
| Minimum engagement | 12 months | — |
Example economics
- Retainer: $4,000/mo × 12 = $48,000
- Exit at $2.5M · 5% = $125,000
- Total Zenith fee: $173,000
- Client nets $2.5M vs. $1.5M unprepared — even after our fee, $827K more in pocket
How to think about it
Most of the fee is paid only when the deal closes. We're aligned with your outcome: if your exit doesn't happen at the right price, we don't get paid the upside.
Why Now
The market is moving.
Most owner-operated businesses reach exit with no formal plan — and leave money on the table.
Private equity consolidation in healthcare and services is accelerating — buyers are active and acquisitive.
Sale-ready, well-documented businesses command a premium to unprepared peers.
Big 4 advisors (KPMG, Deloitte) won't engage on deals below $50M. We are built for the lower-middle-market tier they ignore.
Captive buyer pool from Zenith Acquisition School graduates — a network of trained, capital-ready acquirers no broker can replicate.
The window for premium exits is open now. Macro headwinds will compress multiples in 2–3 years.