The owner’s sale-readiness worksheet

Seven questions to organise the facts before approaching buyers.

1. Objective and authority — What do you want to sell: shares, a business or selected assets? Record the desired stake, decision makers, shareholder consent still required and any existing adviser mandate.

2. Financial baseline — List three completed financial years and the latest management period. For each, identify the source, currency, revenue, reported EBITDA and reconciliation still needed; mark unavailable figures as unknown.

3. Earnings adjustments — For every proposed add-back, record its amount, reason, supporting evidence, recurrence risk and replacement cost. Keep owner proposals separate from adjustments reviewed and accepted by the responsible adviser.

4. Commercial durability — Record the largest customer shares, contract terms, renewal dates, termination rights and dependence on the owner. Distinguish contracted revenue from repeat purchases or management expectations.

5. Cash and investment — Identify cash, debt, leases, normal working-capital needs and maintenance capital expenditure. List missing schedules; do not equate EBITDA with cash available to the buyer.

6. Transferability — Identify who runs the company if you leave, critical staff, permits, intellectual property and contracts requiring consent. Assign a person and deadline to each unresolved dependency.

7. Controlled next step — Choose prepare, repair or pause. Name the three most important gaps, their owners and target dates. Define what may be shared anonymously before any confidential disclosure.

Free worksheet; no registration required. Complete privately and keep sensitive documents out of an initial enquiry. This is a preparation aid, not a valuation, due diligence report, legal opinion or promise of a sale.

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