In this episode we are joined by Andrea Steinbrenner to discuss the process of planning for a sale and executing the ideal sale for a business owner.

Andrea is the CEO at Exit Consulting Group, which provides consulting and brokerage services for businesses and owners preparing for and executing a sale or similar change in ownership. She shares how he partners with business owners to define success, develop specific goals, and establish a plan of action to achieve them. An experienced executive who has worked across a multitude of industries, Andrea’s objective is to leave businesses better than she finds them and works to provide clients with their best possible outcome. Andrea’s win is seeing people succeed and helping them find the best way to reach their goals.

Andrea emphasizes the importance of clear communication by listening to the wants, needs, goals, and priorities of each client before collaborating. She works with staff to find solutions that best meet their goals and maintain the company’s culture and values. Andrea describes the structure of a company as a rainforest. The executives and senior staff are in the canopy and see the over-arching “big picture” while there may be organized chaos on the ground.

Andrea worked her way up the managerial ladder in the retail industry. She earned a bachelor’s in accounting. She then worked for TGG Accounting, a mid-sized, outsourced accounting firm, and became a fractional CFO working in several industries, including construction, manufacturing, retail, professional services, financial services, cannabis, hospitality, franchises, and e-commerce sectors, among others. Deciding to take her career in a slightly different direction, after receiving an EMBA, Andrea started Canopy Consulting, a business consulting firm. She was referred to Exit Consulting Group (ECG) as a consultant in 2019, became COO in July 2020, and CEO in October 2022.

Selling a business is the American dream, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the reward for years of hard work. Successful entrepreneurs make countless sacrifices in hopes that they would someday reap the benefits of their labor and live a new life of vacations, recreation, and prosperity.

You only exit your business once, so you should feel confident passing this milestone. A successful business exit reflects the preparation done beforehand. Failing to plan is planning to fail.

The owner of a privately held company has several alternatives on how to exit their business. In the absence of an exit strategy, events will inexorably dictate the final exit plan. A costly involuntary exit may be caused by death, disability, divorce, disagreement, or distress.

Selling Your Business with David King will help you take control of the sale process and make it positive one.