The Exit Strategies Conference - November 4, 2010 - SFU Downtown

If you own private company shares this workshop will make you money

• Entrepreneurs and investors would have more fun if we had more exits
• And make more money
• Exits are not well understood
• Exits are an under utilized business, and life, strategy
• Human nature leads to sub optimal exits
• Build it and they will come - Not!
• Don't 'ride your company over the top'
• Why exits have changed so dramatically
• Big companies suck at innovation

• The best way for big companies to grow
• The big acquisitions don't often work out
• Most exits are under $15 million
• Google wants to buy pre-revenue
• Companies are often sold just 2 or 3 years from startup
• Who buys tech companies?
• The current exit environment
• We are really good at early exits in BC
• This is a golden era for tech entrepreneurs and angels

• Companies should be sold, not bought
• The exit is just another business process
• Decide what your goals are
• Determine the kind of company you have
• How to design your exit strategy

• Building alignment on your exit strategy
• Corporate DNA
• The Equity Effect
• Vesting
• The Best Time to Sell

• Exits and Investors
• Investors' DNA
• Bootstrapping
• Friends and Family - the really big money
• Why VCs will block good exits

• Angel investors
• Angels fund 27x more startups than VCs
• Choosing between angels and VCs
• Who gets to vote on the exit?
• Investment Terms Sheets and Exits

• Who are the buyers for companies like yours?
• Why the number of buyers is increasing
• Big companies have too much cash

• Small company and Boomer buyers
• Why your buyer might be a public company
• Why your buyer might be in Asia

• How Much Can You Sell for?
• Valuation Methodologies

• Factors that affect your valuation
• Things you can do now to increase value

• Inefficient markets
• Strategic Value

• Multiple bidders
• Great M&A Advisors

• How long does it take?
• Steps in the exit process
• The sales funnel for your exit
• The sales collateral
• The financial model
• The selling document
• The exit team
• Why the CEO should Not Lead
• The Role of the M&A Advisor
• Why your M&A advisor should be local
• M&A Advisors in Vancouver
• Lawyers and Accountants

• The exit coach
• The magic of "Secondary Sales"
• Record keeping and information management
• The Hell of Due Diligence
• The buyers will know more about your business than you do
• Tax Planning - Start Years Before the Exit
• Financing Your Exit
• The letter of intent, offer, deposit and exclusivity
• Employment Agreements
• Reps and Warrantees
• Closing

• Local case studies of recent exits
• Confidential Early Exits

• Parasun
• Other local exits

• Anxiety before closing and what will you do after?
• Congratulations - You're Rich
• What's next?
• What will you do with all that time?

• What to do with all that money?
• The challenges that wealth creates
• Professional financial advisors
• Generational wealth transfer
• Opportunities to 'put something back'

Every attendee will receive a complimentary copy of Basil Peters' book:
Early Exits: Exit Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Angel Investors (But Maybe Not Venture Capitalists)