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Business Exit Strategy Experts

Kirk Rice

Planning Your Business Exit Strategy

An exit strategy is not something that should only come up on the radar the moment a business owner decides to move on. The chances are most entrepreneurs have the future of their business at the back of their minds from the early days.

So, whether it’s a sale for health reasons, or you are just considering your options down the line, knowing your choices is half the job.

There are several different ways that you can exit a business. And how you do it all depends on what is most suitable for you. Your age and health, along with personal needs are some of the obvious considerations. But there are many other factors like the industry you are in, governmental and regulatory policies, as well as where we are in the economic cycle.

Kirk Rice will work with you to establish which is most beneficial – helping you stand back and look at the whole picture. We have many years of experience advising businesses on how to maximise their value.

Selling your business to a third party

One option is to sell your business outright to a third party. Getting a good price will inevitably be one of the key considerations for an owner-manager selling their business. Planning early is crucial in achieving this.

The owner-manager will need to demonstrate that their business’ performance is healthy, and that its growth trend is pointing in the right direction. Firstly, potential buyers will be keen to see evidence of a strong management team. This shows a company can perform well once the owner has left. But Kirk Rice will also help you demonstrate your company’s operational quality.

We’ll demonstrate to potential buyers that they are buying a tightly controlled business. This will include preparing for a detailed tax, accounting and commercial due diligence process. We’ll also help demonstrate things like a good brand image and market profile – building proof that your company is able to attract the right kind of customers.

Management Buyouts explained (MBO)

You might also consider selling your business to an existing management team. There are of course benefits to this – like knowing that you are leaving everything you’ve worked hard to build in the hands of people you trust.

Sometimes though, existing management are not able to pull together sufficient financial resources to buy the business. So, the price you obtain may be lower than that for an outright sale to a third party.

Another option is to lock in the existing management. This can be done by offering small chunks of your company’s shares over a period. Doing it this way means that as an owner, you can divest your interests while keeping a degree of control. With a good team of people behind it, you could unlock more value from your business than by making an outright sale.

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If you have any questions, please get in touch

Selling to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)

Where it is not deemed suitable to sell the business directly to the management, a sale instead to an EOT can be advantageous. In this scenario the business will be purchased by a Trust which operated for the benefit of all employees.

There are significant tax benefits to selling to an EOT including a Capital gains tax exemption on sale as well as the ability to pay bonuses up to £3,600 per employee free of income tax.

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Business exit strategies tailored to your needs

Kirk Rice will help you plan for a business exit strategy tailored to your needs.

We can support you through a sale, setting up an EOT, or arranging a management buyout.

Whatever your preferred route, our team have the expertise to support you every step of the way. Get in touch with us at info@kirkrice.co.uk

Free discovery call

Book a free initial call with one of our team.

Book a discovery call

Our Team

Meet our experts.

Gauhar joined the firm’s General Practice team in 2017 where he brought with him a range of experience servicing OMBs and SMEs. Having expanded his expertise into personal and corporation tax, he moved to our Tax Specialist team in 2019 to support our individual and corporate clients across various areas of tax. He has subsequently also qualified as a Chartered Tax Advisor. Gauhar Chaudhary Director - Tax North Hampshire
Alex is a Chartered Tax Adviser and Chartered Accountant with over 15 years experience in tax. He joined Kirk Rice in 2021. Alex advises businesses ranging from small and medium sized firms to large groups and has particular experience in corporate restructures, share schemes and M&A advice. Outside of work Alex is married with 2 boys and enjoys following the fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur when time permits. Alex Taylor Partner - Corporate Tax Thames Valley
Richard joined Kirk Rice in 2024 having spent 15 years as a tax partner at Rice Associates. He advises clients from individual business owners to large corporate clients. Outside of work he enjoys outdoor life including running, cycling, and swimming plus spending time with his family. Richard Somerville Partner - Tax Thames Valley

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 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would highly recommend Jane Page
We had an extensive tax return including pensions sale of property abroad rental income and earnings
Jane explained very clearly and precisely the return and how it was calculated ..
We had plenty of time to get the information and Jane was always on hand to explain the next step
Thanks
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 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have been using Kirk Rice for over 20 years for my personal tax returns. The team provide me with a clear layout of items, so I fully understand how my tax bill is calculated, with all the relevant tax allowances included. If I have any queries on the figures (which is very rare), they are always keen to explain how the figures were calculated. I highly recommend Kirk Rice’s services …. Good to know I have fully verified records being sent to the HMRC.
  
 
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 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have been using Kirk Rice for over ten years, to handle both personal (Amanda Giles) and corporate tax affairs (Sarah Goodwin). I have always found them friendly and efficient, and their advice has been excellent.
  
 
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Contact Kirk Rice

Request Appointment

Business Exit Strategy Experts

Planning Your Business Exit Strategy

Blogs

Making Tax Digital

26/27 Tax Tips Download

Selling your business to a third party

Management Buyouts explained (MBO)

Free discovery call

If you have any questions, please get in touch

Selling to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)

Our business advisory services

Business Valuations

Mergers and Acquisitions

Corporation Tax Planning

Employee Share Schemes

Succession Planning

Get In Touch

Business exit strategies tailored to your needs

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Setting Up a Trust: