Wayne Zell

Key Takeaways

• Exit Vision Worksheet – Life, timing, role, family, legacy, and emotional drivers captured in a single, coherent post-exit picture
• Buyer-Readiness Scorecard 15 targeted questions scored on a simple 1–5 scale to identify red flags from a buyer’s perspective
• Owner Readiness Debrief – Where you’re clear vs. conflicted, what’s non negotiable, and how your vision aligns (or clashes) with the current business
• Risk & Readiness Tranches – Simple scoring bands (Ready / Somewhat Ready / Not Quite Ready / Not Ready) with plain English implications
• 90-Day Focus Priorities – 3–5 concrete focus areas to address before you ever talk to a banker, buyer, or PE fund

Audience

Entrepreneurs, founders, owners - • Owners who are 2–7 years from a possible exit and want to test whether an exit even makes sense. • Founders who don’t want a “highest bidder wins” process, but a values aligned, family aligned transition. • Business leaders who feel a gap between their headline enterprise value dreams and their actual personal/life readiness. • Advisors (EO/Young Presidents’ Organization, Vistage, etc.) who want a structured framework to guide members through the “Should I exit?” and "How do I exit?"conversation

Format

Key Takeaways

• Freedom Number Calculator – A simple but rigorous model for “How much is enough?” based on lifestyle spending, years funded, other assets, and legacy goals
• Core Financial Data Snapshot – Fast capture of revenue, EBITDA, owner comp, customer mix, pipeline, and backlog so your Freedom Number is grounded in reality, not fantasy
• After Tax Proceeds Estimator – Side by side comparison of 2–3 structures (e.g., asset sale, stock sale, partial rollover) from headline value to after tax “check in your pocket.”
• Gap Analysis – The spread between what you would get today and what you actually need to hit your Freedom Number with margin
• Action Levers – Concrete paths to close the gap: value building initiatives, timing shifts, structure choices, and tax efficient planning options to explore with your advisory team

Audience

• Owners who already know they want to exit, but don’t know if the offers they’re hearing will fund their next chapter. • Founders with a “number in mind” who want to validate whether it’s enough after taxes, fees, and debt pay downs. • Entrepreneurs deciding between sell now vs. wait and grow, and needing a clear financial picture to support the decision. • Advisors who want to move clients from emotion only exit decisions to data supported, Freedom Number driven decisions

Format