Are you a family business owner who thinks you can just snap your fingers and sell your business for top dollar when you're ready to retire?In this eye-opening episode, Gary Heldt sits down with Lowell Mora, President of Impact CFO, who brings 35 years of financial leadership experience to small and medium-sized businesses. Lowell shares his journey from Arthur Andersen to helping family-owned businesses prepare for successful exits. 
Lowell reveals the shocking statistic that nearly half of all family-owned businesses end up in bankruptcy within two years of the founder's death due to lack of planning. Lowell discusses the critical differences between traditional accounting/tax services and strategic CFO work, emphasizing the importance of 3-5 year exit planning, building strong management teams, and viewing your business as an asset rather than just an income stream.Key Takeaways
➤ Nearly half of all family-owned businesses go bankrupt within two years of the founder's death due to lack of succession planning.
➤ Most family businesses suffer from dangerous customer concentration (often 70% with one client) and lack strong autonomous management teams - both major red flags for potential buyers.
➤ You need 3-5 years of strategic preparation before selling your business, including professionalizing accounting records, conducting margin analysis, and building operational systems.
➤ There's a crucial difference between your tax-preparing CPA and a fractional CFO - one looks backward for tax compliance, the other looks forward for business growth and exit strategy.
➤ Business owners must shift their mindset from viewing their company as an income stream to seeing it as an asset that needs to be optimized for maximum value.Notable Quotes from Lowell Mora"I've never met a business owner who thought their business was worth less than what it was. Typically, they are amazed that there's no real intrinsic value from an EBITDA perspective at a point in time - there's work that needs to be done.""What happens if you get hit by a bus? Your spouse will be okay because you have life insurance, but you have nobody to run this business. All these employees you treat as family will be grieving you AND dealing with a business crisis."How to Reach Lowell MoraEmail: <a href="mailto:Lowell@impact-cfo.net">Lowell@impact-cfo.net</a>Phone: 847-212-4081Website: <a href="https://www.impactcfo.net/">https://www.impactcfo.net/</a>Visit his website for free consultation scheduling, 13-week cash flow samples, and additional resources for business owners planning their exit strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

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Episode 282: Exit Ready Secrets for Family Businesses

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