Know your number. Most owners are surprised.
Free tools to understand your numbers. A network of professionals who know how to protect them.
The Council Model
Four disciplines. One connected network.
Each pillar brings domain expertise. Together, they create an outcome no single advisor can deliver alone.
Main Street Broker
Business valuation and sale process for owner-operated companies.
M&A Broker
Mid-market deal structuring, buyer sourcing, and transaction management.
Accountant
Entity structure, purchase price allocation, and capital gains minimization.
M&A Attorney
LOI review, APA drafting, reps & warranties, and closing coordination.
Capital Preservation and Income Strategist
Post-sale capital deployment, tax-deferred reinvestment strategies, and passive income planning.
The gap most owners never see coming
Business exits aren't just sold — they're structured. And the structure determines how much you actually keep.
Separate advisors cost you more
When your broker, CPA, attorney, and wealth manager aren't talking to each other, deals fall apart — or close at worse terms than they should.
Coordination changes the math
When your broker, CPA, attorney, and wealth strategist share a playbook, the deal gets structured to protect your proceeds — not just close the transaction.
Structure determines your net
How a deal is built — what gets classified, how proceeds are allocated, whether installment structures apply — determines your actual take-home. Most sellers discover these options exist after closing.
Nationwide Network
Find exit professionals near you.
The Exit Council network spans metro markets across the U.S. Each market features one professional per discipline — no competing referrals, no shared leads.
Browse All MarketsHow It Works
Three steps to a better exit.
Run the numbers
Use our free diagnostic tools to understand your tax exposure, net proceeds, and exit readiness — before talking to anyone.
Find professionals in your market
Search by metro to see the brokers, CPAs, attorneys, and wealth strategists in your area — one per discipline, no competing referrals.
Work with advisors who share a playbook
Every professional in the network understands coordinated exit planning. That means aligned strategy across tax, legal, deal structure, and post-sale capital — from the start.
Same Sale Price. 30%+ Tax Savings.
Two owners sell identical businesses for $5M. One nets $3.8M. The other nets $4.3M.
Same price. Different structure.
How a deal is built — what gets classified, what gets deferred, what gets timed — determines your actual outcome. Most sellers find out these options exist after closing.
Calculate your net proceedsUncoordinated Exit vs. Coordinated Exit
*Illustrative estimate. Tax outcomes vary by situation.
Free Tools
Understand your exit before you commit to anything.
Our calculators and diagnostic tools help you see the numbers clearly — before advisors, before LOIs, before decisions.
FAQ
Common questions
What is The Exit Council?
A nationwide network of exit-focused professionals — brokers, CPAs, M&A attorneys, and wealth strategists — organized by metro market. Each market has one professional per discipline, and every advisor in the network operates from a coordinated playbook designed to maximize your net proceeds.
When should I start planning my exit?
Ideally 12–24 months before you intend to sell. Tax strategy, entity structure, and deal positioning all take time to implement properly. Starting late limits your options.
How much does it cost?
Each advisor charges their standard professional rates. There is no platform fee — you hire advisors directly. The value is in finding professionals who already understand how coordinated exits work.
How does deal structure affect my after-tax proceeds?
Significantly. How proceeds are allocated across asset classes, whether installment structures are used, how entity type interacts with sale structure, and whether any tax-deferral strategies apply can swing your net by hundreds of thousands. The same $5M deal can produce very different outcomes depending on how it's built. Most sellers find this out after closing.
Do I need all five advisors?
Not always from day one. Most owners start with a broker and accountant. But having access to professionals who understand each other's role in the exit prevents costly late-stage surprises.
How are ExitCouncil advisors selected?
Each market has one exclusive seat per pillar. Advisors are vetted for transaction experience, not general practice. Once a seat is filled, no competing advisors are added to that market.