Exit planning from an operator with two exits.
Exit planning is getting a business ready to sell, or to hand off, on your terms: operations that don't depend on you, numbers that hold up, documented systems, and a data room buyers can work through. Lockhold handles the operational and data-room side. We're not a business broker, and we don't give legal or tax advice; we work alongside the advisors who do.
Your business exit strategy, ready before you need it
- Operations that run without you: buyers look closely at how much depends on the owner, so we document and hand off what still runs through you.
- Numbers that hold up: clean monthly reporting and KPIs, built with your accountant, ready for diligence.
- Data room prep: contracts, financials from your accountant, SOPs, and vendor and customer information, organized so questions get answered quickly.
- The narrative: how the business works and where it can grow, told plainly.
- Diligence support: answering the operational questions that come up once a buyer is serious.
What we don't do
Brokerage, finding buyers, valuation opinions, legal work, or tax advice. Those belong with a business broker or M&A advisor, an attorney, and a CPA. We'll work alongside yours, so the operational side is ready when they need it.
The experience behind it
Joe was CEO of both companies he exited. He bootstrapped the first and sold it in a seven-figure deal. After the sale he stayed on with the buyer as CEO, learned what giving up control costs, and later sold his shares: the second exit. He was also a founder, Director of R&D, and board member of a company taken public.
What that means for you: Joe has been on the seller's side of the table twice, and knows how much of a sale comes down to operations being ready.
Who it's for, and who it's not for
For
Small to midsize, owner-led companies thinking about a sale or a raise, and owners who want the business to run without them either way.
Not for
Finding a buyer, negotiating the price, valuations, legal documents, or tax structuring.
How engagements work
- Selective. A small number of engagements at a time.
- Set scope. What we deliver, what “done” looks like, and the timeline, in writing first.
- Fixed price. Agreed before work starts. No open-ended hourly billing.
- Plain updates. What moved and what's blocked.
Who's behind it
Lockhold is owned and run by Joe and Ro. Joe has been through two exits and helped take a company public. Read our story.
The AI & Operations Teardown
A paid, two-week look at how your business actually runs. We find where AI and better systems take work off your plate first. You get a written plan, plus a build scope and a fixed quote. If you go ahead with the build, the Teardown fee is credited toward it.
- About two weeks
- Written plan you keep
- Build scope and fixed quote
- Fee credited toward the build
Questions about exit planning
What is exit planning?
Exit planning is preparing a business, and its owner, for a sale or handoff ahead of time: deciding what you want, then getting operations, numbers, and documents ready. The earlier it starts, the more options you keep.
How long does it take to sell a business?
It varies a lot with the size of the business, how ready it is, and the buyer. Finding a buyer, diligence, and closing each take time, and missing documents are a common cause of delays. A broker or M&A advisor can give you a realistic timeline for your market.
How do I value a small business?
Small businesses are usually valued on earnings, often as a multiple of profit, adjusted for growth, risk, and how much depends on the owner. Assets and recurring revenue matter too. For a real number, get a professional valuation or ask a broker; we don't give valuation opinions.
How do I prepare a business for sale?
Make it run without you, clean up the books with your accountant, document your processes, and gather the contracts and records a buyer will ask for. Then bring in a broker or M&A advisor, an attorney, and a CPA for the sale itself.
What goes in a due diligence checklist?
Typically financial statements and tax returns, customer and vendor contracts, employee and payroll records, legal and corporate documents, licenses, intellectual property, and how operations run day to day. Your attorney and advisor will set the exact list for your deal.
What would a buyer find if they looked today?
Tell us in a few lines. If it's a fit, we'll come back with a scope.
Scope your project