How it works
Four steps. You keep the one that matters.
SimpleExit does the preparation, the distribution and the paperwork. You keep the buyer conversations and every decision. Here is exactly who does what.
At a glance
Preparation is ours. Decisions are yours.
Steps two and three are where most of the work is, and none of it needs your time. Step four is where you take over, because the conversations with buyers are the part only you should run.
You do this
Tell us about the business
SimpleExit does this
We build the package
SimpleExit does this
We list it and collect NDAs
You do this
You take the lead
Step 01 · You
Tell us about the business
Complete a secure online questionnaire about your financials, operations, customers and what makes the business worth owning, and share your financial statements. Most owners finish it in one sitting, then go back to work.
- Financial statements and the story behind the numbers
- Operations, staff, customers and what depends on you
- What you would and would not consider from a buyer
The questionnaire covers
- Financials
- Operations and staff
- Customers and contracts
- What makes it valuable
- What you want from a sale
Step 02 · SimpleExit
We build the package
We turn your answers into an investment memo and a set of marketing materials: a clear, buyer-ready presentation of the business. You review it before anything goes out. No meetings are needed to produce it.
- Investment memo: overview, financial summary, market position, growth opportunities
- A listing written to describe the business without naming it
- You approve every word before it is published
Investment memo
- 01Business overview
- 02Financial summary
- 03Market position
- 04Growth opportunities
- 05What a buyer takes on
Step 03 · SimpleExit
We list it and collect NDAs
The listing goes live on major business-for-sale platforms and buyer networks, and buyer matching runs in the background. Anyone who wants detail signs a non-disclosure agreement first. You get a weekly report on views, inquiries and NDAs signed.
- Distribution across business-for-sale platforms and buyer networks
- Every inquiry answered and routed to an NDA automatically
- A weekly report, so you can see the response without chasing it
Established commercial cleaning company with recurring contracts
- Industry
- Commercial cleaning
- Region
- Midwest
- Annual revenue
- $1.2M
- Business name
- Shared after NDA
- Financial detail
- Shared after NDA
Step 04 · You
You take the lead
NDA-signed inquiries are forwarded to you. You decide who to talk to, what to share and what to do next: engage, wait, or pass. Optional support reviewing letters of intent and purchase agreements is available separately if you want it.
- You qualify buyers and run every conversation
- You decide what information to release, and when
- You are never obliged to sell, to anyone, at any price
Your weekly report
- Listing views
- Inquiries received
- NDAs signed
- Buyers forwarded to you
Who does what
The line is clear, and it doesn't move.
SimpleExit does not negotiate for you, represent you in the sale or hold funds. Those are yours, with whatever advisers you choose.
What happens after
Buyers come forward. Then it's your move.
Testing the market ends with information, not an obligation. Owners typically do one of four things with it.
Engage a buyer
Take a conversation forward with a buyer who fits, on your terms.
Wait
Learn what the market thinks now and choose a better moment.
Pass
Decide the offers on the table aren't for you. Nothing obliges you.
Go further
Use what you learned to run a formal sale process later.
If a buyer sends a letter of intent or a purchase agreement, optional support reviewing those documents is available separately. It is never required, and it never changes who is running the sale: you are.
FAQ
Questions about the process
- How much of my time does SimpleExit take?
- Very little before buyers appear. You complete one questionnaire, share your financial statements and review the materials before they go live. After that the work is yours only when an NDA-signed buyer is forwarded to you and you choose to engage.
- How do you keep the sale confidential?
- The listing describes the business without identifying it, and anyone who wants detail signs a non-disclosure agreement first. You decide what each buyer sees after that, and when.
- Where is my business listed?
- On major business-for-sale platforms and buyer networks, chosen for where buyers of a business like yours actually look. We go through the specific distribution on the consultation call.
- How long does the listing run?
- We walk through timing on the consultation call, because it depends on the business and on what you want to learn from the market.
- What happens when a buyer wants to make an offer?
- The conversation is yours. If you want help reviewing a letter of intent or a purchase agreement, optional support for that is available separately. SimpleExit does not negotiate on your behalf or represent you in the sale.
- Can I stop at any point?
- You are never obliged to accept an offer or keep talking to a buyer. Whether and when to sell is always your decision; we cover the specifics of the engagement on the call.
Next step
See what your business could draw, before you commit to anything.
A 30-minute call. We review your business, answer your questions and give you a free opinion of value. Then you decide whether testing the market makes sense.