TenX-It Ready Accelerator
We partner with million dollar companies to help you grow, scale, and exit your business.
Burned-Out Business Owners: Ready to sell your business on your terms, get the price you want, and ensure your legacy and team are intact?
Get TenX-It Ready.
A proven system to exit your company on your price and your terms.
Who is the TenX-It Ready Accelerator for?
- Your business is in B2B services
- Your top-line revenue is between $3M and $20M
- Your EBITDA or SDE is between $500K and $5M
- You are customer-focused, have a prosperity mindset, and impeccable integrity
- You are considering selling in the next 3-5 years (or just want to have that option)
Dear business owner:
Are you starting to think about selling your company, but you’re not quite sure if your company is ready to sell? Any of this sound familiar:
- You have a “number” in your head but aren’t really sure what your business is worth
- You not only own, but operate the business (and you can’t see a clear path out)
- You not only own and operate the business, but you’re also working in the business as a subject matter expert (aka doing the client or production work)
- You struggle to hire great staff that you can delegate to
- You don’t know or understand all the valuation amplifiers that would make your business worth a lot more (or a lot less)…not to mention all the tax implications that you need to understand ahead of negotiations
- You’ve never sold a business and the process sounds like a black hole, not to mention you don’t know how much time it will take
- …but you still know you’re going to have to deal with this sooner or later, and you know that sooner and proactively is better than later and reactively
What you’ve built is amazing, but what got you here:
Won’t get you there:
The sad truth is, businesses are hard to sell. It takes a long time (if it sells at all) and the owner almost always gets way less than they planned.
%
Approximate number of listed businesses that sell
Average multiple of small businesses under $2M SDE or EBITDA
%
Up to 90% of a business owner's wealth is tied up in their company
So how can you sell your business for the price you want, on the terms you want…
so you can shift into the next phase of your life (whether that’s travel, grandkids, retirement, consulting, a totally different business, or whatever)…
all while protecting your employees and everything you’ve built?
What Buyers Look For in a Great Business
In order to create the most value from your business, you have to get inside the head of your potential buyers to understand what they’re thinking. And what they’re thinking essentially boils down to three things:
- Sustainability
- Scalability
- Transferability
However, these two points have nuances. It’s surprising what buyers will overlook vs. what they will hone in on and discount…and it’s vitally important to know the difference.
Introducing the TenX-It Ready Half Day Consult
In the consult, we’ll deep dive into:
Your Exit Number to Financial Freedom:
How to know exactly what your business is worth today, and what your personal exit number is for true financial freedom
More Time, More Money:
How to extricate yourself from the day-to-day, spend time prepping for sale, and actually increase the valuation of your business…without losing clients, tipping off employees, or working overtime
Hand It Over to the Team and Still Sleep at Night:
How to create a culture so strong, A-list employees ask to work for you (buyers LOVE it when you have an A-team)
18 Ways to Increase Your Valuation:
Which simple tweaks in key areas of your business will exponentially amplify its value
Knowledge is Power:
How to evaluate offers from every angle–tax, investment, cash–and tweak the terms to be advantageous to you. Plus, how to structure your business so you have ultimate control of the sale terms, and stay in the driver’s seat during the selling process when most sellers are doing it for the first time and don’t know what they don’t know.
The Two Types of Buyers and How They Think:
How to get into the heads of strategic and financial buyers and know exactly what they’re looking for in a company…and which type you’d like to sell to
My 5 goals for you in the TenX-It Ready Accelerator
Goal 1: Get off your org chart.
Sure you are proud of the sweat equity you put in (and still put in), but buyers don’t see it that way. Putting an operator in will dramatically increase the value of your company and de-risk it in the eyes of buyers. I’ll help you make this transition successfully without disrupting the business or the team–and for the first time, your business will serve YOU instead of the other way around!
Goal 2: Structure your business with the exit in mind.
A little restructuring, and you’ll have ultimate control over the sale terms, price, and tax implications.
Goal 3: Increase revenue.
Growth is music to a buyer’s ears. Remember above, I said that what buyers want boils down to two things: reduced risk, and future potential? Well, a stagnated or shrinking business doesn’t scream “future potential,” but a steadily- or rapidly-growing one does.
Goal 4: Increase bankable profits.
(I’m assuming this sounds good to you, too, for the next several years while we get you TenX-It Ready?) Most companies are valued on a multiple of their profit margin, so not only do you get to take more home in the meantime (or investing in Goal #3, increase revenue), but you dramatically amplify the exit value with higher profits.
Goal 5: Create transferable value.
Transferable value is just like it sounds: value you can transfer to others…. And that gives you options! With transferable value, you could sell 100% of the business. Take on investors and grow. Sell part of the business and take some of your chips off the table.
Meet Gretchen Roberts, Investor and Business Mentor
- 2+ decades of experience in business, marketing, and consulting, with leadership roles in two public companies and small businesses
- CEO, business-focused accounting, tax, VCFO, and forensic accounting firm Red Bike Advisors
- Managing Partner of TenX Venture Group – business acquisitions and consulting
- Board of Directors, Exec Committee, and Secretary for a Malcolm Baldrige award-winning publishing house
- Owner, boutique vacation rental company
- Business and real estate investor
- Married, mom of four amazing kids, cook, hiker, and gardener
“I’m on a mission to create exponential value for and through businesses for customers, employees, vendors, partners, and the community.”
Gretchen … is one of those rare birds who ‘gets it’ on a strategic level while being incredibly proficient at the details required to ensure effective realization of sound strategies.
Gretchen defines what needs to be done to accomplish objectives as well as what should be done to lift results to the next level. Then she accomplishes it all – with mindfulness of deadlines and budgets. In my experience, Gretchen is an “A” list partner whose expertise and work ethic raises the platform for the whole team.
What happens when you apply for the TenX-It Ready Accelerator
Step 1: Application review and free strategy session: I’ll review your application against the criteria above, and if you qualify, I’ll reach out to schedule an initial video call to talk through your primary goals, time horizon, and next steps. If you’re just starting to think about selling and don’t know if you’re ready yet, just write your approximate timeframe in the notes on the application.
Step 2: Agreement: If you’re ready to transform your business and dramatically increase its transferable value, we’ll schedule the half day consult.
Step 3: Half Day Consult: Literally one of the most transformational days of your life. We’ll deep dive into your business, your entreprenurial journey, your exit goals, and the gap between where your company is today and where you need it to be for exit. And then, the magic: the 18-step exercise that takes us through key areas of the business that will exponentially amplify its value.
Step 4: Prioritized Action Plan: At the end of the consult, you’ll have a prioritized, actionable plan in a full step-by-step breakdown for creating “TenX-It Value” from your company.
Step 5: Help wanted? TenX-It Partnership: At the end of the consult, if you decide you want help from me to bridge the GAP between where you are today and where you need to be to hit your post-sale number, we’ll talk about what it would look like if we were to partner together.
Who is the TenX-It Ready Accelerator for?
- Your business is in B2B services
- Your top-line revenue is between $3M and $20M
- Your EBITDA or SDE is between $500K and $5M
- You are customer-focused, have a prosperity mindset, and impeccable integrity
- You are considering selling in the next 3-5 years (or just want to have that option)
Ready to TenX-It Ready your business?
Because I’m 100% committed to creating TenX value, I’m extremely selective about the people and companies I work with. I take on a max of 2 clients per month to invest in TenX growth, profit, and exit value.
f you think we might be a good fit to partner together, please apply by filling out the form below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I’m not ready to sell. Should I still apply?
A: If your time horizon for selling is within the next 5 years, then you should go ahead and apply. The work we’ll do together is incredibly valuable, and it’s not an overnight job. A horizon between 2 and 5 years is ideal for the TenX-It Ready Accelerator.
Q: How quickly can I get results? I need to sell fairly quickly.
A: I’ve got you covered. One of the primary ways we structure the consult around is your exit horizon, so if it’s really short, we’ll focus on the “quick hit” and low-hanging fruit levers that can quickly increase your valuation.
Q: How much time will this take?
A: Ten-Xing your business value isn’t a time suck, it’s a time investment that will reap dividends! That said, I get it…you’re already running crazy and don’t have time. And this is why one of the first things we do is get you off the org chart so you do have time. And, if we hit it off during this initial consult and you want my help going forward, we can talk about that, too.
Q: What’s with your criteria?
A: In case you missed it, my criteria is as follows:
- Your business is in B2B services
- Your top-line revenue is between $3M and $50M
- Your EBITDA or SDE is between $500K and $10M
- You are customer-focused, have a prosperity mindset, and impeccable integrity
- You are considering an exit in the next 3-5 years (or just want to have that option)
In some ways, businesses are a lot alike, and the TenX-It Ready Accelerator is widely applicable. But my personal sweet spot is in B2B services; I cut my professional teeth in this space and know it–and its associated pain points and opportunities–well. That said, if you’re in another industry and want to apply, go for it. I’m always open to a conversation.
As to my limit of 2 consults a month, it’s like I said: I’m all in with you and am 100% committed to creating TenX value for you. And when I say I’m focused on owners and founders who are customer-focused, have a prosperity mindset, and are of impeccable integrity, it’s because I want to enjoy working with you–and want you to enjoy working with me!
Q: How much is TenX-It Ready Accelerator?
A: If you’re an accountant, you’re allowed to use the term “cost,” but the rest of you, please use the term “investment.” Why? Because when you put in a dollar and get $10 out, that’s not a cost, it’s an investment.
With that said, the investment for the half-day consult is $11,500, and that comes with a pretty sweet guarantee: You will receive “TenX” value by the end of our consult (that’s $115K+ value), or I’ll wire your investment right back to you. The reason I can make this guarantee is that most clients get so much value from the initial consult that they want to partner with me going forward to help drive the implementation of what we’ve covered and guide the business toward exit. A few choose to DIY on implementation, and that’s ok too!
Q: Are you a broker?
A: Definitely not! Brokers may do a little “quick tips” advising, but their financial gain happens with a listing and then a sale, not in stepping back for 6-36 months to help you tweak key areas that will exponentially increase your company’s value.
The work I do with you is completely different; think of me as the partner you always wanted to strategize with, prioritize initiatives that will get you to your goal faster and smarter, bounce ideas around with, solve problems with, and be just as invested in and excited about your business as you are.
Now, I mentioned above that the investment is $11,500 with a “TenX Value guarantee.” Broker’s fees vary wildly, but something typical might be $2,500 for a valuation, $10-15K up front for the listing, and 5-10% commission upon sale. This is all last-minute stuff, kind of like using a real estate agent to sell your house. They may offer you a few quick ideas to make it more buyer-friendly, but they’re not investing with you for months or years to get it truly ready for market.
Got a question I haven’t answered here? Get in touch.