Advisor portfolio/Cedar & Stone HVAC
JM
John MillerExit Planning Advisor

The owner's starting point

Where do you want to go?

Clarify the outcome the owner actually wants before the advisor builds the exit plan.

01
Direction first. Exit plan second.

This is not a business plan, and it is not the advisor's formal exit plan. It is the owner's clear statement of the destination, priorities, and conditions that should guide everything that follows.

First-session snapshot

The outcome in the owner's own words

Ready for advisor review
“I want the freedom to step away when the right buyer can meet my financial target and protect the team. I am not committed to a specific date—the right outcome matters more than the calendar.”
Desired outcomeSell to the right outside buyer
Decision trigger$3.5M net proceeds and team continuity
TimingNo forced date; act when the terms fit
Owner after closingSix-month handoff, then fully step away
→

Advisor use: Turn this direction into the appropriate exit-planning process, milestones, and recommendations.

Owner knowledge map

What must travel with the business?

With the owner's direction established, capture the knowledge, judgment, and relationships required to make that outcome possible.

Knowledge transfer readiness

62%On track

Three high-risk knowledge gaps remain before the playbook is ready to share.

Captured

47owner insights+12 this week

Documented

6operating areasof 9 recommended

Needs attention

3critical gapspricing, vendors, escalation

Guided pathway

Owner knowledge map

Last session: 2 days ago
✓
Owner exit directionOutcome, conditions, timing, and priorities aligned
100%
✓
Company story & leadership8 insights approved
100%
✓
Customer relationships11 insights approved
100%
04
Pricing & judgment callsInterview in progress
58%
05
Vendors & key partners4 prompts ready
30%
06
People & operating rhythmNot started
0%

Guided owner interview

Capture what only the owner knows

Record a conversation or use the sample to see the complete workflow.

Prompt 03 of 07

When do you make an exception to your standard pricing?

Listen for the signals, thresholds, and relationships that shape the owner's judgment.

Ready to recordAudio remains on this device in the prototype.
00:00

Owner approval queue

Review the organized knowledge

Confirm the draft before it becomes part of the Owner Playbook.

04

No new draft yet

Complete or load a capture session to generate a structured draft.

Transfer-ready knowledge

Owner Playbook

A living guide to the owner's intended outcome and the knowledge that must transfer.

SuccessionRelay

Owner Playbook

Cedar & Stone HVAC

Prepared for leadership transition • Draft v0.6
01

Owner exit direction

The outcome this transition should create

The owner wants the freedom to step away when the right buyer can meet the financial target and protect the team. There is no forced date; the right outcome matters more than the calendar.

Decision conditions$3.5M net proceeds, team continuity, and a six-month owner handoff.
02

Company story & leadership

What this company stands for

We protect the customer’s trust before we protect a single invoice. The team is expected to make the issue right, then explain the economics.

03

Customer relationships

Commercial account escalation

Priority accounts receive a direct call within fifteen minutes. The service manager owns the response and keeps the owner informed until resolved.

The owner's personal transition

What do you want life after ownership to look like?

Selling the business creates an outcome. This conversation helps the owner turn that outcome into a life they actually want.

→
The sale is a milestone. The owner's life keeps moving.

Capture the hopes, plans, and unanswered questions that make the transition personally meaningful—not just financially complete.

A glimpse of what comes next

The owner's future in their own words

“I want to buy a boat, spend real time with my family, and have the freedom to decide what I take on next—without immediately replacing one demanding job with another.”
Why capture this?

A clear personal destination can shape timing, deal terms, handoff responsibilities, and the support the owner may need after the transaction.

Always-open owner inbox

Capture the thought before it disappears

Not every important insight fits the question being asked. Put it here now; decide where it belongs later.

∞
No category requiredUse your own words. A short note is enough.

You do not need to decide where this belongs. The context only helps the advisor understand what sparked it.