Exit routes
Compare the main ways UK owners exit a business.
This hub pulls together the core exit paths owners most often consider. Use it to compare the basic shape of each route, then drill into the page that fits your situation best.
Each route page explains how the exit works, where it tends to suit a business owner and what can complicate the process. The goal here is not to overcomplicate the decision. It is to make the first comparison easy: who you sell to, how much control you keep, how the deal is funded and how the business changes after completion.
Owners often move between routes as the picture becomes clearer. A trade sale may start as the obvious choice, but a management buyout, employee ownership transaction or partial exit can become more attractive once timing, culture, valuation or succession priorities are considered.
All routes
The main exit route options
Click through for a fuller route guide and matching adviser profiles.
Trade Sale
Sell to a strategic buyer, consolidator or competitor.
Read guide →
EOT
Transition ownership to an employee ownership trust.
Read guide →
MBO
Sell to the existing management team.
Read guide →
Succession
Pass the business to family, management or employees over time.
Read guide →
Partial Exit
Take some cash out while keeping a stake in future growth.
Read guide →
Guides
Why these guides are stronger now
Each route page now includes how it works, timelines, risks, adviser mix and FAQs.
Trade Sale
How a trade sale works, when it fits and which advisers matter most.
EOT
How an EOT works, when employee ownership fits and what advisers are needed.
MBO
How a management buyout works and what owners should compare before starting one.
Succession
How to think about family, management or employee succession over time.
Partial Exit
How a partial exit works when the owner wants liquidity but not a full sale.
Next step
Use the route finder if you want a quicker starting point.
If you are still deciding, the route finder can help narrow the field before you compare advisers.