Your role after the sale
Discuss whether you want to step back, support a defined handover or explore an ongoing role. Make the responsibilities and timing part of the proposed arrangement.
FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
Sell your business with a plan for what happens next.
AWP buys private businesses as principal and actively manages them after acquisition. If you are considering a sale or succession, speak directly with us about selling your business and planning the handover.
The decision reaches beyond the sale price.
You may have spent years building relationships that depend on your judgement and personal involvement. Deciding to sell can raise questions the financial terms alone cannot answer.
Who will lead the team? How will customers be supported? How long will you need to remain involved? Will the business still depend on you after the transaction?
You deserve to understand those expectations before agreeing to a sale.
Sell directly to the people taking responsibility for the business.
The relationships that need continuity
We work with you to understand the people, customer relationships and operating knowledge we will be responsible for supporting after acquisition.
A transaction considered as a whole
We negotiate the purchase directly with you, covering price, payment arrangements, conditions and the handover. You can assess our proposal with your advisers before deciding whether to proceed.
Three steps to deciding whether to go further.
1. Outline the business and your priorities.
Tell us what the business does, why you are considering a change and the timing you have in mind.
2. Explore the potential fit.
We assess whether your business fits our acquisition priorities and discuss the information needed for due diligence. Address confidentiality before sensitive material is exchanged.
3. Work towards a proposal if there is alignment.
Where there is a fit, we develop an acquisition proposal and work through due diligence and the handover plan. Review our terms with your advisers before deciding whether to proceed.
Give yourself time to prepare the handover.
Starting a conversation early creates room to document key responsibilities, identify leadership needs and understand what information a potential acquirer will require.
The aim is to reach a decision with a clear view of the terms, the handover and your role afterwards.
A clearer path to your next chapter.
A considered sale should leave you knowing what you have agreed, who takes responsibility and what is expected of you after completion. The proposal and handover plan give you and your advisers a basis for that decision.
AWP INSIGHTS
News and insights for business owners.
AWP updates, industry events and perspectives on business ownership, succession and acquisition.
Guide · Business owners
Five questions to ask before selling your business
Clarify what you want from a sale, the role you want afterwards and what a future owner needs to understand.
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QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Know what a sale could involve.
Can I stay involved after selling?
Your preferred role is part of the discussion. An ongoing management role, transition period or retained ownership interest would need to fit the business and be agreed in the transaction terms.
What happens to my team and customers?
Their needs and relationships form part of the assessment and transition plan. Specific arrangements must be worked through for the business; they cannot be promised before that work is done.
How will you assess what my business is worth?
We assess financial performance, the sustainability of earnings, operating requirements and risks to determine the terms on which we would acquire the business. Detailed information is needed before we can develop a purchase proposal.
What types of businesses are suitable?
Start by telling us what your business does, where it operates and why you are considering a change. We can then discuss whether it fits AWP’s acquisition priorities.
Can my accountant or adviser be involved?
Yes. They can introduce the business and support you in preparing information and considering proposed terms.
Start with what you want from a sale.
Tell us about your business and the future role you have in mind.