Business succession · Waterloo Region
Don't leave money on the table when you sell your business.
SaleReady is a 6-week Sunday program that gets owners organized, documented and buyer-ready, ideally 3–5 years before they exit.
Info sessions every Wednesday · 8 PM ET · Online · Free
Next cohort starts Sunday, January 3, 2027
What is succession planning?
Your business is your life's work. What happens to it when you step away?
Succession planning is how you prepare for your exit: deciding who takes over, what the business is worth, and how it keeps running without you. It isn't only for large corporations. For small and micro-business owners, it's what protects you, your family and your employees.
Why it matters: when owners don't plan, good businesses quietly close and local jobs disappear. A clear plan keeps your business, and the people who depend on it, part of Ontario's economy.
Source: Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 2023
Why preparation matters
Most owners start preparing too late.
Money left behind
Messy financials and undocumented systems lower what a buyer is willing to pay.
Deals that fall apart
Buyers and lenders walk away when due diligence turns up gaps and surprises.
A rough handover
Your employees, clients and legacy are left exposed when know-how lives only in your head.
The best time to prepare is 3–5 years before you sell.
Is this you?
If one of these sounds familiar, now is the right time to start.
Join Wednesday's info session- You're 55 or older and thinking about what comes next
- You're feeling burnt out running the day-to-day
- You've had an unsolicited offer and didn't know how to respond
- A family member or key employee may take over
- You're not sure what your business is really worth
Who we work with
Built for the businesses that keep Waterloo Region running.
Every industry has its own value drivers and buyer questions. SaleReady helps you prepare for yours.
Specialty contractors
Contracts, crews and equipment lists a buyer can trust.
Skilled trades
Turn your reputation and repeat customers into documented value.
Food manufacturers
Recipes, suppliers, certifications and retail accounts, ready to hand over.
Dental practices
Patient base, team and systems prepared for an associate or outside buyer.
Franchise owners
Meet franchisor transfer requirements and show strong unit performance.
Property management
Management contracts, owner relationships and recurring revenue made transferable.
Online businesses
Accounts, platforms, data and traffic documented so nothing breaks at handover.
Don't see your industry?
Most owner-run businesses fit. Ask us at an info session.
How SaleReady works
Six weeks to build the plan. Years to grow the value.
One 2.5-hour session a week, followed by two one-on-one coaching sessions.
Built around your week
Sessions run on Sundays, when your business doesn't need you.
Online · morning
9:30 AM to 12:00 PM ET
Online · afternoon
1:30 PM to 4:00 PM ET
In person · evening
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM ET
Week 1
Your market
Industry, competitors, SWOT and your unique value.
Week 2
Your buyer and goals
Family, employee or outside buyer, plus your personal and financial goals.
Week 3
Your selling story
Answer buyer questions and own the narrative of your business.
Week 4
Your numbers
Clean financials, key metrics and what buyers and lenders look for.
Week 5
Your assets
Clients, tech, systems, accounts and how access is handed over.
Week 6
Your operations
Document how value is created, using the 5E framework, so buyers see it can repeat.
What you walk away with
An executive summary for potential buyers
A buyer-ready information package
A cleaned-up financial picture
A complete asset and operations list
Your selling story, in your words
A roadmap to grow value before you exit
For real estate professionals
Stop chasing your clients for documents.
Refer your business-owner clients to SaleReady. We get them organized and staged for sale, so you can focus on marketing and closing the deal.
See how partnering worksThey arrive organized
Deals run smoother
Your relationship comes first
We support your client relationship, never replace it.
The offer
The SaleReady 6-Sunday Exit Accelerator
Sell your business for what it's really worth, on your terms. Buyer-ready in 6 Sundays, online or in person.
Founding cohort: 6 seats. Starts Sunday, January 3, 2027 · Founding pricing and bonuses end December 13, 2026, or when the 6 seats are filled.
SaleReady Program · Online or in person
Regularly $2,995
$1,995
CAD + HST · founding price
Or 3 monthly payments of $665
- 6 live Sunday sessions, 2.5 hours each
- Online at 9:30 AM or 1:30 PM, or in person at 5:30 PM
- 2 one-on-one coaching sessions
- All templates and workbooks
- Final executive summary for potential buyers
- All founding bonuses below
Founding bonuses · Included when you enroll by December 13
Everything you need to get to a sale
Executive summary review by Kemar
A line-by-line review of your buyer summary before it goes to anyone.
$1,500 value
Buyer Q&A prep
The questions buyers and lenders ask, and how to answer them with confidence.
$500 value
A seat in the Buying a Business workshop
For your successor, family member or key employee.
$450 value
12-month listing on our businesses-for-sale page
With the SaleReady prepared badge, when you're ready to sell.
$120 value
Introductions to our partner network
Trusted local accountants, tech professionals to streamline your processes and systems, local marketing professionals, and real estate professionals.
Priceless connections
Our guarantee
The Buyer-Ready Guarantee
Attend all 6 sessions and do the work. If you don't finish with a complete executive summary for potential buyers, we keep working with you one-on-one at no charge until you do.
Next cohort starts Sunday, January 3, 2027 · 6 Sundays, ending February 7 · Founding cohort limited to 6 owners
Not sure yet? Join an info sessionYour advisor
Built by someone who's been on the other side of a handover.
Kemar Lawrence · Venture Coach & Advisor
Kemar took over his family's hospitality business and grew it into a premium rental operation with 900+ five-star reviews and a 9-year Superhost streak. He's spent 16+ years helping organizations, from Mastercard and Deloitte to early-stage founders, turn complex problems into clear, workable plans.
Today he works in Program Development & Delivery and has coached 24+ founders at Conestoga College's Venture Lab. SaleReady brings that experience to owners in Waterloo Region.
SaleReady works alongside your accountant, lawyer and real estate professional, and can introduce you to trusted local accountants, tech and marketing professionals.
- 16+
- years in business strategy
- 100+
- week-long workshops led
- 24+
- founders coached
- 900+
- five-star reviews in his family business
Frequently asked questions
No, your accountant doesn't need to join the sessions. You will need access to your raw financial records, so you can understand your metrics from your real numbers, the same way a buyer will. Please have these ready:
- Raw transaction records, such as bank and credit card statements
- Your bookkeeping records, or access to your accounting software
- Your most recent financial statements, if you have them
Many owners share their finished summary with their accountant afterwards.
Most succession resources give you information. SaleReady helps you get the work done, and you finish with something a buyer can use.
- Done with you, not on your own. Live weekly sessions and two one-on-one coaching sessions, instead of articles and videos to work through alone.
- You leave with real deliverables. A buyer-ready information package and a final executive summary for potential buyers, not just a plan on paper.
- Focused on value, not just paperwork. We document how your business creates value so a buyer can see it will keep working after you leave.
- Built around your week. Sessions run on Sundays, online or in person, so you never lose a working day.
- Small groups. No more than 19 owners per cohort, so you get real attention and learn from owners like you.
- Local to Waterloo Region. We know the local market and work alongside the real estate professionals, accountants and lawyers who help you close.
- Connected to buyers. Graduates can list on our businesses-for-sale page with a SaleReady prepared badge, and we train the next generation of buyers too.
- Led by someone who's done it. Kemar took over and grew his own family business, so he knows what a handover really takes.
Your business is your biggest asset. Get it SaleReady.
Join a free info session and see if the program is right for you.
Every Wednesday · 8 PM ET · 45 min · Free
Prefer to talk first? Call or text 647-450-2210