Investment banking / IB

Exit preparation before the banker takes you to market

The best process starts before the process. We prepare the operating story, financial proof, data room, buyer objections, and diligence answers so the company enters market from strength.

Best fit

Who this service is for

Founder-CEOs, boards, CFOs, and sponsors preparing for sale or capital raise

Trigger

When to use it

Use this 6-18 months before market when the business needs cleanup, a sharper value narrative, or evidence that the growth story is repeatable.

Operator proof
Successful PE exit
22% EBITDA margins maintained through growth
4x annual revenue growth
Operator's read

The banker should inherit evidence, not cleanup

Exit preparation works best before a process starts. We build the proof behind the operating story: finance hygiene, founder extraction, contract cleanup, data-room quality, and the buyer objections that need answers before market launch.

  • Successful PE exit
  • 22% EBITDA margins maintained through growth
  • 4x annual revenue growth
Engagement outcomes

What the work produces

Exit readiness roadmap

Data-room issue list

Buyer objection handling and value narrative

Related intelligence

Articles that support this service

32%
Average Implementation Gross Margin

The 2026 Project Margin Benchmarks for Consulting Engagements

Discover the 2026 project margin benchmarks for consulting firms. Learn why blending strategy and implementation margins is destroying your EBITDA and valuation.

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12.5%
Average EV lost without a certified QoE

Quality of Earnings Report Cost: $25k to $150k Benchmarks by Deal Size

An operator's guide to 2026 Quality of Earnings (QoE) report costs. Discover $25k-$150k pricing benchmarks by deal size and why sell-side diligence protects enterprise value.

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82%
Average IT Services Realization Rate

Realization Rate Benchmarks: Why Your 'Invoiced vs. Delivered' Gap Is Killing Your EBITDA

Diagnostic guide for PE sponsors and founders on realization rate benchmarks. Discover why 11% of billable hours are written down and how to bridge the gap between delivered and invoiced time.

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68%
tech M&A deals suffer multiple haircuts due to failed model sensitivities

Three-Statement Model Assumptions: The PE Diligence Sensitivity Playbook

Discover the exact three-statement model sensitivity ranges Private Equity buyers apply during financial due diligence to test your growth, COGS, and working capital.

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72.3%
Target Blended Utilization Rate

Why 85% Utilization Is a Valuation Trap: 2026 Professional Services Benchmarks by Role

Pushing professional services utilization above 85% destroys EBITDA. Justin Leader breaks down 2026 bench utilization benchmarks by role to protect your valuation.

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18.4%
Average Week-8 Variance in 13-Week Cash Flow Models

13-Week Cash Flow Forecasting: The 18.4% Variance Trap and How to Build a 95% Confidence Model

Discover why traditional 13-week cash flow forecasts miss reality by 18.4%, and learn how to build a 95% confidence rolling model for your PE portfolio company.

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68.4%
Gross Margin for Pure PLG SaaS (<$50M ARR)

The Gross Margin Reality Check: PLG, Hybrid, and Sales-Led Unit Economics

Discover why hybrid and PLG sales motions are dragging down B2B SaaS gross margins, and how to re-architect your COGS to protect your 2026 exit valuation.

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15-20%
Valuation Haircut for >25% Top-10 Concentration

The 'Whale' Tax: Why Customer Concentration Kills Exit Multiples (And How to Fix It)

Discover the 2026 benchmarks for acceptable top-10 customer ARR concentration by growth stage, and learn how to prevent the 20% valuation haircut in PE due diligence.

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$640,000
Median ARR per Mid-Market Account Executive

Sales Productivity Per Rep: ARR-per-AE Benchmarks 2026

Discover why the $1M ARR per AE quota is bankrupting SaaS companies in 2026, and learn the new unit economics benchmarks private equity buyers actually trust.

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FAQ

Common questions

Do you replace an investment bank?

No. We prepare the company before and alongside the process. The banker owns market execution; we make the operating story, data room, and diligence evidence stronger.

When should exit preparation begin?

Ideally 12-18 months before a process. That gives enough time to fix founder dependency, finance hygiene, customer concentration, IP documentation, and technical debt.

Next step

Find the constraint before the next quarter hardens around it.

Start the conversation

We're ready to respond to your doubts

Understanding your habits and bringing future possibilities into the present.