Succession and Exit Planning Services
Build the business into something transferable. Then transition it, on your timeline, for what it’s actually worth.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Exit Readiness
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Accuracy
ERISA Succession Compliance
EBITDA Multiple Analysis
Market-based business valuation insights
Data Room Preparation
Buyer diligence documentation readiness
Earnings Normalization
Owner expense adjustment analysis
Recognized by the best
Our Featured Clients
From exit readiness assessment to buyer-ready financials to ownership transition, we take you through the entire lifecycle of your exit.
Nancy - Vintage Charm
"We can't speak highly enough about Frak Finance. Their customized CFO services
have transformed the way we manage our retail business. Their team took the time to understand our industry, challenges, and goals, allowing them to provide tailored financial strategies that have significantly improved our profitability. Their insightful analysis of our financial data has given us a competitive edge, and their responsiveness to our needs has made them an integral part of our strategic planning. Working with Tom has been a game-changer for our business."
Mark Oden - BIM Designs
"Frak Finance has worked with BIM Designs, Inc. from June 2022... as a Fractional CFO.
During this time, Tom brought his extensive financial and people management expertise to support rebuilding our finance organization from the ground up while the firm transitioned out of a startup mindset and into a mature organization. Tom would excel in an organization where leaders hold themselves accountable and own true to their commitments, needs are explored and clearly stated, and collaboration is considered paramount."
Dhruv Singh - Aktivate
“I recommend Frak Finance for any early-stage, high-growth company that needs a smart,
reliable team who has done it before and can get things done well and quickly, all with a smile on their face. Tom sees the big picture as a founder/investor himself. He can also understand the details quickly as a prior operator. I personally threw Tom in the deep end to build our financial model prior to our 10MM+ raise with little guidance on the eve of a holiday weekend (it was a pre-emptive opportunity). Tom delivered in the face of this aggressive deadline with a smile on his face.”
Jeff August - August Medical
“What Frak Finance has really done for me is give me time back to spend with my family
and clarity around how my business is really performing. They cleaned up our books, built a proper chart of accounts, and completely changed the conversation with my accountant by providing structured, reliable books. Even when things feel messy on my end, I know the financial foundation is solid — and that’s been huge.”
Adam Elias - WhirlyBall
“I needed a solution that was cost effective but high quality and high caliber.
So that's where Frack comes into mind because... Level of attention and care and transparency. They take care of what your needs are and they tailor it exactly to what your business requires. You're not just hiring Frack, you're hiring an entire team of experts and you're not just getting this one individual on your team, you're getting our entire network."
The Exit You Deserve to Have
Your Business Is Worth More Than You Think — If You Prepare for It.
You built the business, now plan your transition on your terms. Frak Finance helps founders prepare for succession, leadership handovers, and future exits with clean financials, buyer-ready documentation, and strategic planning that strengthens valuation and reduces deal risk.
Plan Early, Exit Strong
Maximize Your Valuation
Transition With Confidence
Prepare Your Business for a Smooth Transition and Strong Exit
At Frak Finance, You Can Plan Your Exit On Your Terms
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Higher buyer confidence through organized financial and operational documentation
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Improved transaction positioning using tax-efficient succession structuring methodologies
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Governance alignment supporting ESOP, M&A, and ownership transition requirements
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Reduced transfer uncertainty through contingency and buy-sell agreement planning
From Today’s Business to a Buyer-Ready Enterprise
We don’t hand you a checklist and walk away. We manage the entire exit preparation process alongside you.
Exit Readiness Assessment & Valuation Baseline
We evaluate your business the way a buyer’s advisor would: financial accuracy, EBITDA quality, revenue concentration, owner dependency, management depth, contract strength, and documentation readiness. You receive a scored readiness assessment and a realistic view of where your valuation stands today versus where it could be with preparation. This sets the baseline for the entire engagement.
Financial Cleanup, EBITDA Normalization & Expansion
We standardize your historical financials, normalize EBITDA, and identify every lever available to expand earnings before you go to market. Vendor renegotiations, pricing adjustments, operational cost review, and revenue mix optimization are all on the table. The goal is a defensible EBITDA that is higher, cleaner, and more credible than where you started.
Succession Planning & Operational Independence
We build the succession plan that makes your business transferable. Key client relationships are transitioned to the team. SOPs are documented across critical functions. Internal leaders are elevated into management roles. By the time a buyer looks at this business, they see an operation that runs without the current owners in the room.
Data Room, Documentation & Go-to-Market Readiness
We prepare the virtual data room, organize every document a buyer will request, build the financial package (normalized P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, working capital analysis), and position the business for buyer conversations. When diligence starts, there are no gaps, no scrambling, and no surprises. The financials tell a clean story that supports your asking price.
What Changes When You Plan Your Exit Right
An exit planned with financial discipline and operational preparation produces a fundamentally different outcome than one that happens reactively. Here’s what you gain from our structured exit planning engagement.
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A Higher, Defensible
Valuation
Clean EBITDA, diversified revenue, and operational independence consistently produce higher multiples. Clients who plan 18+ months out see measurably stronger offers.
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A Business That Sells Without You in It
Succession planning and operational documentation prove to buyers that the company runs independently. Owner dependency is a valuation discount, removing it is a valuation premium.
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Buyer Confidence From Day One of Diligence
Organized financials, documented processes, and a complete data room signal professionalism and reduce perceived risk, which is how you avoid retrades and protect your price.
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An Exit on Your Terms, Not a Buyer’s
When your business is positioned correctly, you negotiate from strength. Multiple interested parties, clean financials, and a clear growth story give you leverage at the table.
Case Studies
Our Featured Projects
Selected Case Studies from Exits We’ve Helped Close.
INDUSTRIES WE SERVE
Partnering with Businesses Across Every Sector
Every industry has its own buyer landscape, valuation drivers, and diligence standards. We plan accordingly.
Business Succession Planning That Protects the Company You Built
About Frak Finance
We’re Operators Turned CFOs Who Get What You’re Building
With over 20 years of experience, we’re the CFOs who’ve actually built, scaled, bought & sold businesses. Now we guide yours.
We are Always Dedicated to our Work
Are Leading Consultants that you can Trust
“Most people don’t think of the endgame. They’re just focused on the moment. But what happens if something unexpected occurs? The business just implodes. That’s why exit planning matters.”
— Tom Dillon, CFA
Founder, Frak Finance
certified exit planning advisor
Is Succession and Exit Planning Right for
Your Stage?
Gain access to our entire bench of CFOs, controllers, M&A advisors, and industry specialists, all working toward one outcome: your strongest possible exit.
Planning to Exit in 1–3 Years
You have a timeline in mind and want to maximize what you walk away with. An 18–36 month preparation runway gives you time to clean financials, expand EBITDA, reduce concentration, and go to market from the strongest possible position.
Exploring Succession Options
You’re considering a family transition, management buyout, or partial sale. Succession planning maps the leadership structure, financial modeling, and transition timeline so the business continues to operate at full capacity through the change in ownership.
Active Deal Under Pressure
You have an LOI, a buyer in diligence, or a QoE review that raised questions. We step in to normalize financials, rebuild documentation, and restore buyer confidence before the deal falls apart. Time-sensitive engagements are prioritized.
Want to Know Where You Stand
You’re not ready to sell today, but you want to understand what your business is worth to a buyer and what it would take to improve that number. An exit readiness assessment gives you clarity without commitment.
Scaling, Acquiring, or Preparing to Sell? Let’s Talk.
Run Your Business on Numbers You Can Trust.
Looking to have a real conversation about your numbers? Book a call today to discuss the gaps standing between you and your goals.
A Strategy Call With Senior Leadership
Honest Read Of Where You Stand Financially
Clear Next Steps, Scoped To Your Situation
Call Us Support 24/7: (312) 685-1627
Call Us Support 24/7: (312) 685-1627
View All Consulting Office Locations
View All Consulting Office Locations
Schedule a Free Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
Honest answers for business owners thinking about their exit for the first time or preparing for one now.
How far in advance should I start planning my exit?
Ideally, 18 to 36 months before you want to go to market. That gives you enough time to clean financials, normalize EBITDA, expand earnings, reduce customer concentration, build management depth, and document operations. Clients who start three years out consistently achieve higher multiples than those who start twelve months out. That said, if you have an active deal or a shorter timeline, we can accelerate the process and focus on the highest-impact preparation steps first.
Do you handle the sale process or just the preparation?
We specialize in the financial and operational preparation that maximizes your valuation and positions you for a successful transaction. For the actual sale process — buyer outreach, negotiations, and deal closing, we work alongside M&A advisors, brokers, and legal counsel, many of whom are already in our network. We can connect you with the right professionals for each stage of the process.
What does exit readiness typically cost?
It depends on the scope. An exit readiness assessment is a focused engagement that gives you a clear picture of where you stand. A full 18–36 month exit planning engagement is a more comprehensive investment that includes financial cleanup, EBITDA normalization, succession planning, data room preparation, and ongoing advisory. Most clients find that the valuation improvement from structured preparation far exceeds the cost of the engagement itself.
What are the most common succession and exit planning mistakes to avoid?
Common mistakes include waiting too long to plan, failing to document processes, not preparing future leadership, overlooking tax implications, and lacking a clear transition strategy. Proper planning helps avoid costly disruptions and protects both the business and its stakeholders.
Can succession and exit planning help reduce taxes and protect my legacy?
Yes. A well-structured succession and exit plan can help minimize tax liabilities, preserve business value, and ensure your goals for employees, family members, and future ownership are carried out effectively. It also helps safeguard the long-term legacy of the business you’ve built.
Blogs & Insights
Exit planning knowledge for founders who want to sell smart and transition with confidence
27
Mar
Why Your CPA Can’t Help You Sell Your Business
Your CPA files clean returns. They don't normalize EBITDA, manage diligence, or prepare buyer-ready financials.…
27
Mar
The Financial Roadmap Every SMB Owner Should Be Following Right Now
A clean exit doesn't happen at the negotiation table. It happens in the five years…
27
Mar
Quality of Earnings Report: Why Every SMB Buyer & Seller Needs One
The P&L tells you what was reported. The QoE tells you what the business actually…
27
Mar
What Happens When You Don’t Plan Your Exit Until It’s Too Late
Owners who wait until they're "ready to sell" are already too late. Owner dependency, untransferable…
23
Apr
Your Revenue Is Growing. So Why Are You Always Broke?
Revenue growth and cash flow are not the same thing. Stretched receivables, inventory bloat, and…
— BUILT TO EXIT —
Monthly Finance Briefings to Grow, Acquire, or Exit Your Business
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Finance and accounting leadership for privately held businesses at every stage. Ready to see what the right financial partner changes? Get in touch with Frak Finance today.