Full Exit Readiness Assessment
20 questions across financials, owner dependence, customers, team and legal. Retake it and watch your score improve.
Business Exitsby Valius
What is your business really worth, and are you ready to sell?
The free Exit Hub for UK business owners. Get your Exit Score, an indicative valuation and a personal plan to sell for more, with confidential access to Valius advisers when you're ready.
- turnover focus
- £500k–£25m
- turnover focus
- confidential
- 100%
- confidential
- ideal prep window
- 12–24 mths
- ideal prep window
- 20+
- years advising UK owners
- 200+
- businesses valued
“The whole process was simplified by ensuring we had a two-year or three-year plan to shape the business and make it exit-ready.”
Free quick check1 minute
How sale-ready is your business?
Six questions and an honest first score. This is the same lens buyers apply in early diligence, so it is better to look through it now than under offer pressure.
Free membership
Inside the Exit Hub
Everything you need to prepare, value and plan your sale, saved to your account so you can track progress over months, not minutes.
Valuation estimator
An indicative value range for your sector, adjusted for recurring revenue and readiness.
Personal action plan
A prioritised checklist built from your gaps, plus the document checklist buyers expect.
Owner guide library
11 in-depth guides: timelines, valuation, tax, data rooms, diligence, earn-outs and more.
Confidential adviser access
Request a call back from a Valius adviser whenever you're ready.
A route to market
When you're market-ready, list confidentially on Valius and reach qualified buyers.
Join the Exit Hub (free)
Free forever · takes under a minute · no card needed
Valuation drivers
What actually drives your valuation
Multiples get the headlines, but buyers pay for quality. These six drivers decide where your business lands in, or above, the range.
Recurring revenue
Contracted and repeat income commands the strongest multiples. One-off project revenue is discounted heavily.
Owner independence
If the business runs without you, it's transferable. If it doesn't, buyers price in the risk that it won't survive the handover.
Customer concentration
No single customer above ~15% of revenue is the comfort threshold for most acquirers.
Clean financials
Three years of consistent, well-prepared accounts shorten due diligence and protect your price.
Documented operations
Processes, contracts and IP in writing turn goodwill into something a buyer can actually buy.
A credible second tier
A management team that stays post-sale is one of the most valuable assets you can build before exit.
Indicative UK multiples by sector
Typical private-sale ranges as a multiple of maintainable earnings (EBITDA). Indicative only, as every business is priced on its own merits.
Technology & SaaS
Recurring revenue and low churn push towards the top end
5–10×
Professional services
Owner independence and client retention drive the spread
4–7×
Healthcare & care
Regulatory standing and contract quality are key
5–8×
Manufacturing & engineering
Order books, asset base and customer diversification matter
4–6×
E-commerce & retail
Brand strength and channel concentration set the range
3–6×
Construction & trades
Backlog quality and reliance on the owner weigh heavily
3–5×
Hospitality & leisure
Site quality, lease terms and management depth set the range
3–5×
Other
Depends on sector; recurring revenue and owner independence matter everywhere
3–6×
Owner guides
Learn from owners who've been there
Most owners sell a business once. Buyers do it for a living. These guides level the field.
Planning
The 24-month exit timeline
What to do, quarter by quarter, in the two years before you sell, and why the order matters.
Read the guideValuation
How buyers actually value your business
Multiples are the headline, but quality of earnings, risk and transferability set the real number.
Read the guideConfidentiality
Selling without telling the whole world
Blind teasers, NDAs and staged disclosure, and how confidential sales protect staff, customers and price.
Read the guideThe Valius route to market
When you're ready: from first thought to final signature
A clear, four-stage path through the Valius marketplace, at your pace, under your control, confidential by default.
- 01
Assess
Understand how sale-ready your business is today and what would move the number.
- 02
Prepare
Build your exit profile: financials, operations and the story buyers need to see. You approve everything.
- 03
Match
Your opportunity is introduced privately to qualified buyers whose criteria align with yours.
- 04
Transact
Manage enquiries, advisers and deal progress in one secure workspace through to completion.
Confidential by defaultNothing published without approvalFree to start
Questions owners ask us
When should I start planning my exit?
Ideally 12 to 24 months before you want to complete. Owners who prepare early consistently achieve stronger valuations and smoother due diligence, but it's never too late to start.
Will my business be listed publicly?
No. Valius is a confidential marketplace. Your identity and business details are only revealed to buyers you approve, under NDA where appropriate.
Do I need an adviser or broker?
Not necessarily. Valius works with or without an adviser, and if you'd like one, we can introduce corporate finance advisers and brokers experienced in your sector and deal size.
What size of business is this for?
Valius focuses on UK owner-managed and SME businesses, typically from £500k to £25m turnover, across all major sectors.
Start planning your exit today
Join free for your full Exit Score, valuation estimate and action plan, and speak to a Valius adviser in confidence whenever you're ready.
Join the Exit Hub (free)Free. Confidential. Nothing is shared without your approval.