For many business owners, an unsolicited offer to buy their business arrives out of the blue. An email. A letter. A quiet approach through an intermediary. Sometimes flattering. Sometimes unsettling. Often tempting. Handled properly, an unsolicited offer can be the start of a very good outcome. Handled badly, it can cost you time, value and control. At BusinessExits.co.uk , we regularly speak to owners who have already engaged with a buyer before seeking advice. By that point, leverage has...

One of the most common and least planned for exit scenarios is this: one shareholder wants to leave, and the other does not. It happens more often than most business owners care to admit. Priorities change. Health intervenes. Retirement looms. Or one partner simply wants their money back while the other still has appetite to grow. Handled badly, this situation destroys value and relationships. Handled properly, it can be resolved without destabilising the business. The uncomfortable reality...

For many business owners, selling the company outright feels like the natural end point. Build the business, find a buyer, and move on. In reality, a full exit is not always the best outcome financially, strategically, or personally. In some situations, selling everything can create unnecessary pressure, compromise value, or lead to regret later on. The mistake many owners make is assuming the choice is binary. Either sell the whole business or keep going as things are. In practice, there are...