Most business owners approaching exit discover their business is worth significantly less than they thought. We close that gap — before the window does.
Your accountant is talking about exit value. Your best people know more about how this business runs than any documented process does. And somewhere between the golf club and the 3am bedroom ceiling staring, you've started to wonder whether what you've built will actually pay what you've earned.
You're not wrong to wonder.
The market has changed. The buyer sitting across the table in 2026 isn't buying your history. He's buying your systems, your documented processes, and his ability to prove the business runs without you in the room.
If it can't — he'll tell you. In the form of a lower number.
| Position | What it means | Multiple |
|---|---|---|
Captive Owner-dependent |
The business runs because you're in it. A buyer sees a liability, not an asset. |
3.0x – 3.5x |
Captain System-led, still steering |
Systems exist but you're still managing the gaps. Value leaks remain and a buyer will find them. |
4.5x – 5.5x |
| ▲ The target position | ||
Surfer Sovereign asset |
The business runs. Knowledge is documented and transferable. You collect the value. |
7.0x – 11.0x |
On a £3M EBITDA business, the difference between a Captive exit and a Surfer exit is £22.5 million pounds.
That is the exact exit gap we close.
Most owners arriving here are somewhere between Captive and Captain. The question isn't whether your business has value. It does.
The question is whether a buyer can see it, verify it, and pay full price for it.
Take the 3-Minute Exit Readiness Check →Moving from Captive to Surfer on a mid-sized manufacturing business is the difference between a workable exit and the exit you spent forty years building towards.
Vantage works with manufacturing, distribution and trade businesses in the £2M–£20M turnover range, typically 18 to 36 months from a planned exit.
We do one thing: we identify where your business value is leaking, document what needs to be documented, and build the case that protects your exit multiple when a buyer's team arrives with questions.
We don't sell software. We don't manage your IT. We defend the number on the page when it matters most.
Book the 10-Minute Exit Readiness Call Confidential · No obligation · 10 minutesWe will tell you where your business sits, what the exit gap is likely to be in pounds, and whether Vantage can close it in the time available. If we cannot help you, we will tell you that in the call.
Book the 10-Minute Exit Readiness Call