Exit Your Business by Design

Your business may be the single most valuable asset you own. We believe that it's worth your time and effort to exit your business by design rather than by default.

Let us help you plan your exit so you can sell your business when you want, for the money you need, to the person you choose.

Your Concerns

You are the founder and owner of a successful business. You've paid your dues and are enjoying the fruits of your labor.

You also feel that now is the right time to start planning for cashing out and moving on from your business. That it's time for you to start working on your business, not just in your business, and plan for your life beyond business ownership.

You may be wondering:

How much is my business worth?
How can I grow the value of my business so I can maximize its price in the eye of the beholder (potential buyer)?
Do I know how much I need to net from the sale? Will the net proceeds after tax support my ideal lifestyle after I exit?
Is my business prepared to be sold? If someone shows up at my door and offers to buy it, would I be able to receive the money I need?
Who is the right buyer? Employees? Family members? A third party?
Are my employees or children up to the challenge of business ownership? Or, should I sell to an outside buyer?
How can I keep my key employees from leaving to join competitors?
What would happen to the business and my family if I or my key employees die unexpectedly or are unable to work?

How We Help

We help sell your business when you want, for the money you need, and to the person you choose.

Given the inseparable and intertwined relationship between your personal and business goals, we work closely with accountants, attorneys, M&A consultants, financial planner, and other professionals to help prepare your business for a sale in alignment with your overall goals.

On a personal level, we work with your financial planner to address your personal needs such as:

Setting goals in alignment with the relationships and values that matter most to you
Evaluating the amount you need to support your goals
Making your money last during retirement
Passing your assets to your heirs efficiently

Similarly, we help prepare your business for an eventual sale, coordinating with outside professionals and experts.

Evaluate what your business is worth
Set goals and make actionable plans to achieve them
Make plans to increase the value of your business—building a strong management team, developing a growth strategy, implementing processes, and so on
Set up a sensible compensation and benefits program for your key employees
Make provisions to safeguard your business from the unexpected

What if you could...

Build a cohesive leadership team with clear roles and an accountability structure

Clearly articulate your company's mission, vision, and core values

Run your business with discipline in alignment with your strategic direction

Implement a business operational system that helps get things done

Have a system to identify and hire the right people (and part with the wrong people)

Cultivate a corporate culture that engages and motivates your team

Set tangible goals and stay disciplined to make your vision a reality

Build a brand consistent with your company's target market and uniqueness

Institutionalize your core business processes

Engineer an exit plan in alignment with your business and personal goals

Sell your business when you want, for the money you need, to the person you choose

The Results

Sustainable Growth

With a formalized growth strategy, growth will be dependent less on the founder's personal goodwill or rainmaking ability, and more on collective efforts. This is a far more sustainable and scalable model which allows your business to thrive beyond its founder

Risk Minimization

By minimizing your business risk factors—concentrated customer base, product commoditization, competition from nontraditional players, lack of strategic direction, etc.—you give your business the best chance to continue to flourish beyond your exit.

Scalability

You will optimize technology and implement repeatable processes around all your activities like customer service, operations, marketing and other activities. This results in increased productivity and efficiency without committing significant additional resources.

Employee Engagement

Because your team members know clearly your firm's strategic direction and know how their daily activities specifically contribute to advance progress toward your firm's overall vision, your team members will be more engaged and more productive.

Strategic Discipline

With a clearly communicated strategic direction and a right structure to implement your vision, you will run a highly disciplined organization with every activity, initiative and task fully in alignment with your strategic plan—like a good story with a tight plot line.

Transferable Value

All the efforts outlined here will culminate in a transferable enterprise value. The more institutionalized your business is and sustainable independent of you, the more valuable it becomes. This opens up attractive options for exit planning.

"Hoon came to us when I was facing health issues. With revenue rapidly declining and clients leaving by the week, we had to act fast and reverse course. When the dust settled, Hoon somehow managed to help increase the value of my firm four-fold (400%), and sell it at a price that would’ve seemed outrageously optimistic just one year ago when Hoon started working with us. Where was Hoon five years ago?"

Founder of a wealth management firm we helped prepare for a sale, find a buyer and close the sale

"Working with Hoon has been a period of personal growth for our management team, being gently nudged to courageously step out of our comfort zone. Our primary focus and energy have always been in branding our firm around the highest level of client service unmatched by our peers. But as our firm grew and added more staff, we struggled with discord, petty politics, and even hostility among staff members. We were very much in need of building a cohesive team and reclaiming our firm’s family-like culture. Hoon helped us clarify and stay focused on our firm’s core values—communicating and living out those values. We now enjoy a positive and supportive culture where everyone feels welcome and stays productive. Even our clients notice it and compliment on our warm, collegial office atmosphere."

Founder of a CPA firm we helped with strategic planning which included transforming the firm culture to enable growth and take the firm to the "next level"

"Hoon is a visionary, yet extremely relational leader. He delivers problem-solving solutions while seeking to improve the business by building up every member of the team through mentorship and positive instruction. He provides a rare combination of innovation and attention to detail that is needed to produce results that will drive the organization forward. Hoon is a deep thinker, who can clearly articulate his wisdom and insights to those around him. I was in the fortunate position of learning from Hoon while he was my supervisor, and I still consider him a valued mentor."

Junior advisor we helped recruit and groom as a potential successor for a wealth management firm we helped prepare for an eventual ownership transition

"In the six years I've worked here, this is the first time I feel like I know what we stand for and where we are going."

Portfolio manager of a wealth management firm we helped with strategic planning

"Hoon was instrumental in helping our firm institutionalize many processes and lay the groundwork for additional growth. He clarified our vision and articulated strategies to accomplish our long-term goals. Hoon was very well liked by all. He was a consummate team player, but never a "yes" man. He always strove to build esprit de corps, and worked relentlessly to help us achieve our targets. Thanks, Hoon!"

Founder of a wealth management firm we helped with laying the groundwork for a transition from a practice to a business with an enterprise value

"Hoon has an ability to see things at both a strategic and tactical level. He has a broad understanding of the Financial Services industry and brings years of experience and practical hands on application to the table. He can drive various areas forward from Technology, Operations, Client Service and Finance and unify them in a way that fits and makes sense as a whole, rather than disjointed parts operating in isolation."

Senior partner of a wealth management firm we helped with laying the groundwork for a transition from a practice to a business with an enterprise value

"All the groundwork we put in place for new business is paying off for me. I think I'm on track to bring in $30 million of new assets this year. I'm already at about $16 million so far. I attribute it to all the work we did last year and the fruit is showing up now."

Partner of a wealth management firm we helped with strategic planning which included formalizing marketing and business development plans

Hoon Kang

CPA, CFP®, ChFC, CLU

Principal

As a seasoned executive, I help business owners prepare to sell their business when they want, for the money they need, and to the person they choose.

Since I began my career over 30 years ago with a Big 4 accounting firm, I have held leadership positions at several financial services firms. I stumbled into an executive role when a colleague invited me to help him run his firm like a "real business". My success in that role led me to a similar project with another company, and then another, and so on.

I have written numerous articles on business and finance topics, some of which have appeared nationally in prestigious peer-reviewed professional journals. I have also taught MBA classes and have spoken at various seminars and conferences.

Outside of work, I enjoy live jazz, hiking, and spending time outdoors with my family and friends. Though I claim to play golf, no one in my foursome seems willing to vouch for that.