Give yourself a runway. The owners who net the most started preparing a year ahead — fixing value-killers on their own timeline instead of a buyer's. Use the roadmap to set expectations and the checklist to get to work.
Your 12-month exit roadmap
A typical lower-middle-market sale runs 9–12 months from preparation to close. Here's how it unfolds.
Pre-sale prep checklist
Check off what's already done. Whatever's left is your to-do list — and a preview of what buyers will dig into during diligence.
Get the full roadmap & checklist
We'll email you a clean PDF to share with your team and work from — plus an offer to walk through your specific timeline, confidentially.
For educational purposes only. Every sale is different — timelines and requirements vary with deal size, structure, industry, and market conditions. A Ridge Trail Capital advisor can build a plan around your specific situation.