Often the terms succession planning and exit planning get used interchangeably. However, there is a definitive difference between the two. It’s important as a business owner that you understand the difference.
- Succession planning focuses on transferring the power or leadership of a company.
- Exit planning focus on the transfer wealth of a business.
Succession planning is really identifying, training, and transferring the leadership/management of a company to another person or team of people. Exit planning, on the other hand, is identifying and executing the transfer strategy of a company and its ownership to another person, team, or entity.
Succession planning is almost always a part of exit planning. However done correctly, exit planning doesn’t have to end as most owners think with the sale of their business. Let me explain what I mean.
Succession Planning Without Exit Planning
For years now I have been advocating creating a self-sustaining business. What this really means is building your business in a way where it runs itself. Or at least doesn’t require you there to assure that it generates the level of cash flow and profit that you want. It’s the success stage of the growth cycle.
Succession planning is just the last step in the process. Finding that person that will take on the day-to-day role you play in running your business so that you can go off and do other things! Maybe it will let you play with that folder full of ideas that you’ve been saving because you learned how to control your “shiny object syndrome.”
Exit Planning Doesn’t Have to Mean SELL MY BUSINESS!
If your business is setup to be self-sustaining, it just becomes another investment in your portfolio. Just like your mutual funds in your 401K (if you have one). Your business’ cash flow will generate the money for your retirement.
Now, this approach is not for everyone. Some people will say, “I don’t want to mess with it. When I am ready to retire then I want to sell it and be done with it.”
That’s OK! But, if selling your business is your exit strategy, it still will have more value, and more people are available to buy it if it already has someone that can manage it.
Succession Planning Adds Values When Exiting Planning
The fantasy too many small business owners live is that they’ll find someone that can afford to pay them the $1 million they THINK their business is worth to run their business. WRONG!!! According to business broker statistics less than 25% of businesses that go on the market sell! Can you afford to leave your retirement to those odds?
People with that kind of money don’t run businesses. They buy them! Somebody else runs it for them.
A buyer will pay you more if your business already has a general manager in place to run it! They will pay you much less if they have to go find a manager; train the manager; and then transfer the management responsibility to them. In fact, they’ll probably ask you to stay on and do it as part of the deal. So, if you do it before you sell, you’ll get more when you sell. That’s why you need a succession plan!
So, succession planning is always part of building a business. While exit planning really dependent on how and to whom you plan to transfer the ownership of your business. Next week I’ll begin a discussion on the nuts and bolts of the succession planning process.
If you can’t wait or need help getting started shoot me an email!
Interesting article, but I don’t get into the nuances between succession and exit. If you build your business with quality people, especially the non-owner management team, and quality operating systems, you’ve created a valuable asset. At that point you can choose to sell it or continue to receive income from it while pursuing other things.
[…] I presented in my previous post Succession Planning vs. Exit Planning Which Do You Use?, the primary goal of any succession plan is leadership transfer. So, you can imagine that things […]
Agree that building the infrastucture (management team, policies, systems/processes, financial, performance tools, etc.) makes basic good business sense and enhances value. Problem is that many business owners take a different approach and fail to do it.
Key to exiting your business without selling it is to have all this in place and “let go”. The owner can still manage the investment by functioning more as a Board of Directors would, establishing performance management tools and hiring the best CEO.
Interpersonal dynamics are key to a successful exit. One also has to remember the emotional nurturing of the owner, who needs something to go to, rather than being pushed out the door. Usually this is NOT playing golf or some other leisure hobby, but what appeals to their passion, skills and experience.
I loved what you said about the process of a business succession plan that can mean you don’t have to sell it. A good accountant can help us with our plan to keep it sustained by itself. We are ready to tackle this at the end of this next year as we fulfill our retirement.
http://www.edkburtonllc.com/succession.php
Vivian, While I can agree an accountant can help in succession, too often I see them focus on the financial piece too much and and miss the other 87% of succession. Making the business sustainable is a function of putting all the pieces in place necessary for it to function without the owner (absentee ownership). This requires the expertise of an operational expert. Someone with experience of a Chief Operations Officer (COO) who’s sat in all the operational chairs over the years. This is where our expertise in combination with the CPA comes in which is why we have such high success rate in this area.
Thank you for contributing to the conversation here. We appreciate all input.
good article… you helped me create definition… thanks