Sometimes, after we or one of our Strategic Partners have valued a company or business, the appraised value is not what the Business Owner wants or needs for a bank loan, working capital loan, to fund his/her Exit Plan and Exit Strategy. The appraised value is just not $ enough.

What is a Business Owner to do?

Our Value Enhancement Practice = Service was born out of just such a situation. Several years ago, a Business Owner came to us and asked if we would help him sell his business so he could retire. As is standard policy at The CDI Group, we will not accept a Sell-Side Client until we do at least our most basic Level 1 Estimate of Value. Based on the results of our Level 1 Estimate of Value, and taking into consideration several other factors, we recommended a Sale Price, Terms, and Conditions.

Our recommended Sale Price, Terms, and Conditions was not enough to fund his retirement. He asked us what to do. We worked with the Business Owner to determine four (4) things he needed to do. We then did a Hypothetical Appraisal. The Hypothetical Appraisal takes into past financial performance, but puts a great deal more weight on what the financials would look like given the 4 improvements we agreed he would do. When we did the Hypothetical Appraisal based on increased Revenue, Profits, an improved Balance Sheet, one personnel change, and one information systems change, our recommended Sale Price, Terms, and Conditions was sufficient to fund his Exit Plan and Exit Strategy.

Another mandatory part of being a CDI Value Enhancement Client is that the Client must provide us with financial and non-financial results every month. At the end of every quarter, using the latest set of financials, and considering the non-financial changes that have/ have not been made, we construct an updated Level 1 Estimate of Value. We then hold a meeting with our CDI Value Enhancement Client to review the financial and non-financial progress being made toward what is needed. Sometimes additional actions need to be taken to attain the financial and non-financial results needed.

Two years later, the business produced the necessary Level 1 Estimate of Value, the people and information system changes has taken place and things were working well. We were then able to execute the Exit Plan and Exit Strategy. This story has a happy ending. We went market, sold our CDI Value Enhancement Client’s business and he achieved his Exit Plan and Exit Strategy.

If you are interested in having us do at least a Level 1 Estimate of Value and determining if we have a good probability of achieving your Exit Plan and Exit Strategy, Click here, or call us at 703-754-8829.