Business succession, planned
Hand your business to its next owner. Gradually, and on your terms.
You built something that matters to your employees, your customers, and your town. We introduce owners who are ready to step back to a capable successor who will carry the business on. You're paid over time, while you train the person taking over.
- No cost to owners
- Never listed publicly
- You choose your successor
- Year 1Your successor joins as general managerYou own 100% · Successor owns 0%
- Year 2They buy a first stake. Payments to you beginYou own 70% · Successor owns 30%
- Year 4They take majority ownership. You step backYou own 40% · Successor owns 60%
- Year 6Final payment. You’re paid in fullYou own 0% · Successor owns 100%
The question every owner faces
Who will carry your business on?
Many owners reach retirement with no one lined up to take over. The children have built other lives, the managers can't afford to buy it outright, and the usual options don't fit what you built.
How it works
A handover in four stages, at your pace
A confidential conversation
We talk about what you've built, what you want for your people, and your timeline, even if it's years away.
Meet your successor
We introduce experienced operators who fit your business and your community. You meet them, and you decide.
They learn beside you
Your successor typically joins as a manager first, so employees and customers get to know them while you're still there.
You're paid as you step back
They buy the business in stages over several years. Your role shrinks as the payments come in, until the handover is complete.
Getting paid
The full value of your business, paid over time
Most people who would keep your business going can't write a check for all of it on day one. A phased buyout solves that: a down payment at the start, then scheduled payments, with interest, funded largely by the business's earnings.
Example: a $1,200,000 business
- Down payment at the start (20%)
- $240,000
- Monthly payments to you for 7 years, at 7%
- $14,489
- Interest you earn on top of the price
- $257,074
- Total you receive
- $1,457,074
Illustrative only, assuming equal monthly payments. Real terms vary and are set with your attorney and accountant.
Our promises to owners
A succession, not a sale to strangers
You choose who takes over
We introduce vetted successors. You meet them, and the decision is always yours. No auctions, no listings.
Your people stay
Successors commit to keeping the name, the team, and the way you serve customers.
Confidential, always
We never contact your employees, customers, or competitors, and nothing is ever advertised.
No cost to owners
Talking with us, meeting successors, and planning your handover cost you nothing.
Free guides
Plan your succession, one step at a time
Plain-English answers to the questions owners ask most.
Business succession planning: a free template and checklist
A plain-English template and checklist you can start this week.
Read the guidePhased buyout: how to sell your business gradually
Sell in stages over several years, and stay involved while you do.
Read the guidePassing your business to the next generation, with or without family
What to do when the kids have built different lives.
Read the guideHow to choose and prepare a successor for your business
What to look for, the warning signs, and how to prepare them.
Read the guideExit strategies for small business owners
Six ways owners step away, compared side by side.
Read the guideHow to retire from your own business
Your options, and why the owners who start early have the most.
Read the guideFor future owners
Want to own and run an established business?
We're building a waitlist of experienced operators who want to take over a business through a gradual handover: learning from the owner and buying in over time.
Common questions
What is a planned succession?
A planned succession is a gradual handover of your business to its next owner. Your successor joins the business, learns it alongside you, and buys it in stages over several years. You're paid over time, largely from the business's own earnings, and you step back on a schedule you both agree.
How is this different from selling through a business broker?
A broker lists your business and looks for the buyer who will pay the most, usually for a commission when it sells. We don't list businesses and we don't run auctions. We introduce you to vetted successors who want to carry your business on, and you choose who takes over. There's no cost to owners.
How do I get paid if my successor can’t pay the full price up front?
Most handovers combine a down payment at the start with scheduled payments over several years, often called seller financing or a phased buyout. A bank loan, such as an SBA-backed loan, may cover part of the price. Your attorney and accountant set the exact terms and the protections you'll have if payments stop.
Does it cost me anything?
No. It costs owners nothing to talk with us, to meet successors, or to plan a handover with us. You'll pay your own attorney and accountant for the agreement, as you would in any sale.
I’m years away from retiring. Is it too early to talk?
Almost certainly not. A good handover takes years, and the owners with the most choices are the ones who start early. Many of the owners we talk with are three to ten years from stepping back.
What happens to my employees and customers?
Continuity is the point. We look for successors who want to keep your team, your name, and the way you serve your customers. Because you stay involved during the handover, you introduce your successor to the people who matter.
Will anyone find out I’m thinking about this?
Not from us. We never contact your employees, customers, suppliers, or competitors, and your business is never listed or advertised. We share details with a successor only with your permission and under a confidentiality agreement.