Building Business Value: How to Command a Premium Price for Your Midsized Company

by Martin O’Neill

Third Bridge Press, 2009, 156 pp.

Now is the time for owners of midsize companies to start planning an exit strategy and building maximum value in their businesses, according to author Martin O’Neill. His book, Building Business Value, is specifically geared toward helping business owners and C-level executives identify their company’s current value and define a course toward a specific value vision.

Based on his personal experience owning and running businesses, O’Neill understands the daily struggles and crises that arise from running a midsize company. “It’s hard to think about the future when you’ve got so much to worry about today,” he acknowledges. Yet, C-level executives almost need the discipline of Wall Street to force them to assess where they are today and where they wantto go in the future.

O’Neill highlights 25 mistakes business leaders make that contribute to subpar business valuations when it comes time to exit their business. Understanding these mistakes can help executives “begin the process of building a super-premium business value.” The first step involves information gathering to honestly assess the state of the company—recognizing what is done well and identifying areas for improvement. Once the leadership team has agreed on its company’s standing and committed to the value-building process, the next steps are working to increase operational effectiveness by focusing less on small tasks that don’t add value, learning to delegate more effectively, and implementing processes and structure for the company. The final step is to choose the right path based on a clear vision and well-informed decisions. O’Neill uses instructions, exercises, flow charts and diagrams to guide leaders through each step.

Building Business Value is a practical guide that will assist midsize business owners with their exit strategy planning by showing them the path toward building business value today.

By JofA Senior Editor Loanna Overcash