Every business owner must face their exit at some point, and those who think about planning their exit strategy in advance are likely going to experience a better transition than those who leave it to the last minute. Today, host Anne-Marie Henson, BDO partner, and co-host Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and leader of Accounting Advisory services welcome Sunil Sharma, BDO Canada's Transaction Services and ARM Private Equity leader. He has joined the podcast for a discussion about the role of private equity in the SMB and SME space, including current trends, considerations for clients who are looking at a private equity exit, and the advantages of creating an exit plan sooner rather than later.

What You'll Hear In This Episode:

[1:57] Insights into the size of various companies and their impact on private capital investors.

[5:41] Entities that are considered providers of private capital.

[7:45] Comparing the private market growth against public markets.

[10:20] A look at the trends in the IPO market in 2023.

[14:06] Advice for SMB and SME clients who are looking into a private equity exit.

[19:14] The advantages of creating a five year exit plan today.

[23:26] Preparations that assist the owner-managed business to portfolio company transition.

[27:14] Exit strategies of private equity when looking to divest.

Mentioned:

BDO

Sunil Sharma

Anne-Marie Henson

Armand Capisciolto

Quotes:

"We are seeing that private capital is truly outpacing public market growth quite considerably."

"Getting help, there's nothing wrong with that. It will generally lead to a more successful outcome."

"You're going to exit your business one way or another; voluntarily or involuntarily. You're better off thinking about it earlier so you can dictate the terms and have a plan."

"Where you can do preparatory work to make the eventual [exit] process as seamless as possible is only to your advantage."