Prepare

Value Acceleration

We are here to help you maximize:

We have defined five different types of services that we provide through a three-phase process called the Value Acceleration Methodology.

Exit Planning Readiness Assessment Value Acceleration Roadmap Development Readiness Assessment Value Benchmark Exit Prepare Discover

Click on a Phase name below to learn more about the Phase and to see the associated Services in that Phase, and click on a Service name to learn  about the Service.

The Discover Phase uncovers opportunities that can be addressed through Value Acceleration.

In this phase we seek to answer several critical questions:

  • How much is your business worth today?
  • How much could it be worth?
  • Is there a value gap?
  • Is there a profit gap?
  • Is there a values gap?
  • Is there a wealth gap?
  • Are there growth opportunities?
  • Are there risks to be addressed?
  • What are the specific opportunities we can pursue through Value Acceleration?
  • How do we prioritize and sequence those opportunities?

The Value Benchmark identifies whether or not there are key gaps worth closing. This step is essential for determining whether or not it is worth investing in Value Acceleration.

Key questions answered include:

  • How much is your business likely worth today?
  • How much are similar businesses worth?
  • Is there a value gap?
  • Is there a profit gap?
  • Is there a values gap?
  • Is there a wealth gap?
  • What is the value of closing these gaps?
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Readiness Assessment

The Readiness Assessment service includes a detailed valuation assessment, involves completing a 65 question readiness assessment, and also involves individual discussions with each key leader in the business. The result is a comprehensive report reviewed in a 2-hour workshop that identifies key risks and growth opportunities to be addressed.

Key questions answered include:

  • How much is the business currently worth?
  • How ready is the owner to exit the business?
  • How ready is the business for the owner to exit?
  • What are key risks in the business that need to be addressed?
  • What are the best opportunities to grow and strengthen the business?

The Readiness Assessment is revisited regularly throughout the Value Acceleration process.

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Roadmap Development

The goal of the Roadmap Development service is to create an action plan for closing the value, profit, values, and wealth gaps identified in the Discover Phase and for preparing the business and the owner for his eventual exit.

The action plan will be in the form of a prioritized list of business initiatives to be pursued in the Prepare Phase. We work closely with the owner's financial advisor who will be meeting with the owner and his family in developing a similar and coordinated list of personal and financial initiatives.

The action plan is developed through a series of workshops with the leaders of the business to answer critical questions:

  • What are the three-to-five year goals and priorities for the business?
  • What are the one-year targets for the business?
  • What are the specific opportunities to close gaps and prepare for exit?
  • Which opportunities are most important and which most urgent?
  • What are the top priorities for the next 90 days?
  • Who will champion/lead each priority?
  • What is the action plan, required resources, and specific deliverable for each priority?
  • How will we measure progress on those priorities, the one-year targets, and the long term goals?
  • How will we hold each other accountable to deliver the priorities, meet the targets, and achieve the goals?


The Prepare Phase is the heart of the Value Acceleration Methodology. It begins with the action plan identified in Roadmap Development. Through a series of 90-day Value Acceleration sprints, the prioritized opportunities are pursued, increasing the value, profitability, values alignment, and readiness of the business and its owner(s). At the end of each sprint, Readiness is reassessed, determining whether it's time to transition to the Exit Phase, or to update the action plan and begin another pass through the Prepare Phase.

In this phase we may:

  • Reduce key risks
  • Close the value gap
  • Close the profit gap
  • Close the values gap
  • Close the wealth gap
  • Grow the business
  • Ready the owner to exit the business
  • Ready the business for the owner's exit
  • Evaluate whether or not we are ready for the Exit Phase

Within a few years, your business will be significantly stronger, having addressed critical risks and come closer to achieving your vision. This positions you, the owner, for the best possible exit, in God's timing.

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Roadmap Development

The goal of the Roadmap Development service is to create an action plan for closing the value, profit, values, and wealth gaps identified in the Discover Phase and for preparing the business and the owner for his eventual exit.

The action plan will be in the form of a prioritized list of business initiatives to be pursued in the Prepare Phase. We work closely with the owner's financial advisor who will be meeting with the owner and his family in developing a similar and coordinated list of personal and financial initiatives.

The action plan is developed through a series of workshops with the leaders of the business to answer critical questions:

  • What are the three-to-five year goals and priorities for the business?
  • What are the one-year targets for the business?
  • What are the specific opportunities to close gaps and prepare for exit?
  • Which opportunities are most important and which most urgent?
  • What are the top priorities for the next 90 days?
  • Who will champion/lead each priority?
  • What is the action plan, required resources, and specific deliverable for each priority?
  • How will we measure progress on those priorities, the one-year targets, and the long term goals?
  • How will we hold each other accountable to deliver the priorities, meet the targets, and achieve the goals?

Not surprisingly, Value Acceleration is the core activity of the Value Acceleration Methodology. During each Value Acceleration 90-day sprint, business teams pursue 3-5 priorities, each with its own champion/owner, plan, milestones, resources, and deliverable. We have a check-in call with each champion in the middle of each month and host a status/accountability workshop with the leadership team at the end of each month.

Key topics covered in the monthly workshops:

  • Progress towards 1-year targets
  • Status of 90-day priorities
  • Identification of issues to be addressed

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Readiness Assessment

The Readiness Assessment service includes a detailed valuation assessment, involves completing a 65 question readiness assessment, and also involves individual discussions with each key leader in the business. The result is a comprehensive report reviewed in a 2-hour workshop that identifies key risks and growth opportunities to be addressed.

Key questions answered include:

  • How much is the business currently worth?
  • How ready is the owner to exit the business?
  • How ready is the business for the owner to exit?
  • What are key risks in the business that need to be addressed?
  • What are the best opportunities to grow and strengthen the business?

The Readiness Assessment is revisited at the end of each cycle through the Prepare Phase to evaluate whether the owner and business are ready to move to the Exit Phase, or which opportunities to focus on in the next round of Preparation.

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Exit Phase

When you determine through the Readiness Assessment that you are ready to transition from your business, we will begin the transaction-focused stage of Exit Planning. This phase will be unique for each business. We will help you build a team of specialists and coordinate with your financial advisor, estate planners, and others to align and coordinate the business, personal, and financial aspects of your exit.

Some of the critical questions we'll focus on in this phase include:

  • What are your internal (e.g. family transition) and external (e.g. third-party sale) exit options?
  • Which exit option best aligns with your vision?
  • Who do we need on the team to achieve a successful exit?
  • What final preparations are necessary to position the business to achieve your post-exit goals?
  • How will your life change after exiting the business?

Our focus is on positioning both you and your business for a future that aligns with your vision, maximizing value and setting the stage for what God has for you next.

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Readiness Assessment

The Readiness Assessment service includes a detailed valuation assessment, involves completing a 65 question readiness assessment, and also involves individual discussions with each key leader in the business. The result is a comprehensive report reviewed in a 2-hour workshop that identifies key risks and growth opportunities to be addressed.

Key questions answered include:

  • How much is the business currently worth?
  • How ready is the owner to exit the business?
  • How ready is the business for the owner to exit?
  • What are key risks in the business that need to be addressed?
  • What are the best opportunities to grow and strengthen the business?

When the Readiness Assessment shows that the owner is ready to exit, the business is ready for the owner to exit, and both the owner and business are well positioned for a successful future, then it leads into the Exit phase.

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Exit Planning

With our focus intently on your unique vision and post-exit goals, we will guide you towards a seamless and successful exit. Some of the ways that we will support you include:

  • Exit Option Exploration: We'll work with you to evaluate alignment of your goals with various exit options, both internal (e.g. family transition, ESOP, management buyout) and external (e.g. third-party financial or strategic buyer).
  • Expert Collaboration: Depending on your chosen path, we'll supplement your core team (family, management, estate planner, CPA, business lawyer) with the right specialist advisors, which may include business brokers, investment bankers, ESOP specialists, family enterprise specialists, specialist lawyers, and specialist accountants.
  • Teamwork for Success: We'll collaborate with the extended team to work together towards a smooth transaction and transition.
  • Future-Oriented Approach: We are less focused on "getting the job done" efficiently and with the best monetary outcome, and more focused on positioning you and your business to achieve your long-term vision.

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