Exit Strategies


Recent Exit Strategies Articles

Exit Strategies for Social Entrepreneurs

When your business has a heartfelt social mission, the concept of "selling out" takes on a whole different meaning.  Read more

Making Your Business Sellable 

Serial entrepreneur John Warrillow answers reader questions on how to build value in your business.  Watch video

How to Choose an Exit Strategy

When you need to decide on an exit strategy for your business, here are factors to consider and tips for choosing the one that's best for you.  Read more

How to Find Out What Your Business Is Really Worth

Whether you want to sell or not, it’s natural to wonder what your business could fetch on the market. Entrepreneur John Warrillow offers up some resources.  Read more

9 Things to Know Before Going Public

Many business owners dream of taking their companies public, but serial entrepreneur John Warrillow warns there are plenty of reasons to think twice about it.  Read more

Business for Sale: A Flooring and Remodeling Store

Would you pay $318,000 to buy this California retailer?  Read more

Taking Advantage of a Percolating IPO Market

The IPO market bounced back this year, enabling a backlog of promising companies, including several on this year's Inc. 5000, to go public.  Read more

What Private Equity Wants – And What You Risk

Serial entrepreneur John Warrillow examines some pros and cons of selling a stake in your business to a private equity firm.  Read more

Making Private Equity's Short List

Getting approached by a private equity buyer is exciting stuff, but your chances of actually being bought are slim. Here's just how slim.  Read more

Demand Media's Curious IPO

Turns out Demand Media is not profitable, according to the company's IPO filing. In fact, the red-hot media start-up lost $22 million last year on $114 milli...  Read more

Skype Calls for IPO

Each day, Inc.'s reporters scour the Web for the most important and interesting news to entrepreneurs. Here's what we found today: ...  Read more

Inc. 500 Alum 2Wire Snapped Up

Tech company founded in 1998 is bought by British firm Pace for nearly a half billion dollars as broadband booms.  Read more

Education Start-up SynapticMash Acquired for $10 Million

The three-year-old company's founder came to educational software thanks partly to volunteer work -- and a life-changing accident.  Read more

Handbag Maker Vera Bradley Files for IPO

The iconic summer handbag company was founded in an Indiana basement with just $250 in start-up capital.  Read more

VC-backed IPOs Still Struggling

More venture-backed companies are going public, sure. But those aren’t the only numbers you should be watching.  Read more

Case Study: When a Married Couple Disagree

Tom Pastorius wanted to buy back his business, Penn Brewery. His wife Mary Beth was not so sure.  Read more

Business for Sale: An Ohio Golf Course

For $2.5 million, a buyer can have any tee time he or she wants.  Read more

The Return of the IPO

Investors are betting on high-growth start-ups.  Read more

Woot Acquired by Amazon.com

Fresh on the heels of the Zappos.com acquisition, the deal-a-day pioneer Matt Rutledge of Woot.com sells his company to Amazon.com.  Read more

10 Tips for Planning Your Exit

Expert pointers on the details of selling a business, planning an IPO, and choosing a successor.  Read more

Reasons to Sell Your Business Before You're Ready to Retire

You don't have to hold onto your business until your working days are done. Here are some reasons why "retirement" and "exit planning" shouldn't be synonymous.  Read more

Tesla IPO Goal: $178 Million

If it hits the high end of its target range, Elon Musk's electric carmaker would be valued at $1.5 billion.  Read more

Selling a Business Is Not a DIY Project

If you're serious about selling your business - especially to a larger company - going it alone is a bad idea for a number of reasons.  Read more

Leadership Development: Who's Next?

Tracy Hart, CEO of the $121 million general-contracting company Tarlton Corp. in St. Louis wants to be prepared. So she is drawing up succession plans for ...  Read more

How Will the IPO Market Treat Zipcar?

Despite strong revenue gains, the car-sharing service has yet to turn an annual profit, faces increased competition, and has a tricky merger to execute.  Read more

Why I Sold Zappos

Tony Hsieh built his online shoe retailer into an e-commerce powerhouse. But with credit tightening and investors eyeing the exits, Hsieh was forced to ask: ...  Read more

Business for Sale: A Motorcycle Accessories Shop

Would you pay $1.3 million to buy this Arkansas retailer?  Read more

Cargas Systems: Chip Cargas

It’s a good sign when employees are eager to invest in their company, and at Cargas Systems, 95 percent of employees have dug their own money into company ...  Read more

Smashbox Beauty Cosmetics Snapped Up by Estee Lauder

Privately held makeup brand's digital and social media presence draws in cosmetic giant's interest.  Read more

How to Hammer Out Deal Terms Like Warren Buffett

In the early stages of selling your business, you're better off taking cues from the Oracle of Omaha and keeping the lawyers away from the negotiations.  Read more

Squeezing the Best Valuation Out of a Buyer

Getting the highest valuation for your business means negotiating for more than just the multiple.  Read more

Business for Sale: A New Jersey TV Station

A low-power TV station that broadcasts lots of high school sports and town hall meetings is on the market for $2.5 million.  Read more

Norm Brodsky on Exit Strategies

Planning to sell your business as you get closer to retirement  Read more

How to Create an Estate Plan

For most entrepreneurs, their biggest asset is often their business. Taking steps to protect that asset now is one of the smartest things you can do as a bus...  Read more

How to Prepare a Company for an Initial Public Offering

An initial public offering of stock can be viewed as the definitive sign of a company's success. Here is a look at the steps a company can take to prepare fo...  Read more