Sell your Business with Confidence
Understand the steps to improve and maximize company value before a transaction.Most business owners spend decades building their companies but only a few years preparing to sell them. At Quist, we guide owners through a structured process that reveals hidden value, identifies risks, and prepares the business for a successful transition.
Step 1: Calculate
Understand Your True Profitability
The profitability reported on your tax return is often different from the earnings a buyer evaluates. Use our True Profitability Calculator to estimate your adjusted EBITDA by accounting for common add-backs and uncover the true earning power of your business.
This step creates the financial foundation for Understanding Value.
Step 2: Assess
Identify Your Profit Gap
Once your true profitability is clear, take Quist Insights – Spotlight™ to understand how your company performs relative to your industry. Spotlight™ also assesses Owner Readiness and Business Attractiveness, so you can see what may help or hurt your ability to sell.
Two important insights emerge:
- Profit Gap: The difference between your current profitability and industry performance.
- Value Gap: The difference between what your business is worth today and what it could be worth if it performed at industry levels.
Small operational improvements can translate into millions in additional enterprise value.
Step 3: Improve
Close Your Value Gap
Buyers evaluate more than financial performance. They assess the risk of owning and operating the business after you exit. Once you have clarity on your Profit Gap, move to Quist Insights – Advanced™ which identifies the specific value drivers impacting your business. Advanced™ assesses your business across 6 Key Value Drivers to determine where improvement will have the greatest impact. The result is a clear, prioritized Action Plan designed to help you close your Value Gap and increase Business Attractiveness before a sale.
Step 4: Certify
Protect Your Exit and Plan Your Legacy
When you are ready to Sell the Business, a certified valuation provides the financial clarity needed to support your transaction goals and planning decisions. A certified valuation helps establish a defensible understanding of value for negotiations, tax planning, and strategic exit decisions. This stage of the process also creates an opportunity to think beyond the transaction itself and consider Legacy Planning, including charitable planning, where owners often donate a portion of their business to a charitable fund or foundation before a sale to support long-term impact.
What You Get with Quist
Decades of valuation experience
Assessment tools that identify value gaps
Actionable steps to improve business value
Expert analysis and guidance
Proven Experience
40+
YEARS IN BUSINESS
10,000
VALUATIONS PROVIDED
25+
INDUSTRY SECTORS SERVED
Exit Planning Resources
The Loudest Voice About the Sale of Your Company
When it’s time to sell your company, multiple stakeholders may have opinions and interests. Business owners must carefully navigate these perspectives to ensure a smooth sale process.
3 Valuation Metrics to Help You Exit Your Business on Top
When a successful business owner began exploring an exit, uncertainty about valuation and options created fear around the decision. Understanding the right metrics and valuation approaches can bring clarity and confidence to the process.
Retiring Boomers: The Good, the Bad, and the Opportunities
A large generation of business owners is approaching retirement, creating a wave of potential business sales. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for buyers and sellers in the market.