Knowing Your Worth: Business Valuation, Goal Planning, and Ownership Transitions
By Steven Davis, CFO & Managing Partner at Satellite Strategies
Whether you’re preparing to sell your business, bring on a partner, or pass the torch to the next generation, business valuation is a pivotal moment in the life of your company.
At Satellite Strategies, we work with business owners across Colorado who are navigating the complexities of growth, transition, and legacy. As a financial strategist and CFO, I see firsthand how valuation touches not just the books, but the emotions, relationships, and futures tied to your business.
Whether you’re looking ahead to a sale or simply want to understand what your business is really worth, here’s what you need to know, and how our team can help.
Business Valuation: More Than A Price Tag.
Business valuation is the process of determining what your company is worth, typically based on a combination of:
Financial statements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)
Market conditions and comparable sales
Risk factors and dependencies (especially owner involvement)
Customer base, recurring revenue, and growth potential
Tangible and intangible assets
While many business owners already have a hold on these items, business valuation is a technical, strategic process that most often warrants a financial professional to guide you through the process. A valuation provides clarity, reveals opportunities, and shapes your future decisions about growth, investment, succession, and more.
It’s also one of the most powerful tools for goal setting. Because once you know what your business is worth, you can plan how to grow, protect, or transition that value in a way that works for your life, not just your ledger.
When Business Owners Call Us
We’re typically brought in during one of the following stages:
A sale is being planned (within 1–5 years)
A co-owner is buying out a partner
The company is being transferred to a child or successor
A valuation is needed for legal or insurance reasons
The owner wants to retire or step away
A buyer is being brought in or an investor is showing interest
In each case, the business owner is asking the same thing: What is this worth? And what do I need to do next?
Our job is to bring clarity to those answers, and align the numbers with your goals.
How Our Team Supports Business Valuation and Transition
01. Financial Clarity and Cleanup
A business is only as valuable as it appears on paper. That means up-to-date, clean, organized financials that clearly communicate your performance and potential.
We help you:
Reconcile financial records across systems
Normalize revenue and expenses
Create accurate, investor-ready reports
Translate operational performance into meaningful insights
If a valuation expert or buyer can’t make sense of your books, they’ll assume risk—and discount your value accordingly.We help clarify your personal and professional goals.
02. Goal-Based Financial Planning
Do you want to:
Sell your business and walk away?
Retire slowly or stay involved part-time?
Leave a legacy for your kids?
Reinvest in a new venture?
03. Ownership Transition Strategy
Transferring ownership isn’t just a paperwork process. It’s about positioning your company and your team for long-term success.
We help with:
Buy-sell planning
Internal vs. external transition scenarios
Leadership planning and support
Coordination with attorneys and CPAs
Communications and operational adjustments
We act as your right hand through the transition, helping you prepare not just financially, but strategically and relationally.
04. Partnership with Valuation & Legal Experts
We regularly collaborate with CPAs, brokers, attorneys, and certified valuation professionals. Our role is to keep your data clean, your strategy on track, and your goals front and center.
Why Starting Early Matters
You don’t wait to paint your house until a buyer pulls in the driveway. The same is true for your business.
The earlier you begin preparing for a transition—even if you’re years away from an exit—the more leverage and value you’ll retain. In fact, the most successful transitions we see are the ones planned years in advance.
Ask yourself:
Do I know what my business is truly worth?
Are my financials clear enough to support a sale or handoff?
What do I want from this business, now and in the future?
Am I building toward that outcome?
If you’re unsure, now is the right time to start the conversation.
Start With a Conversation, Not a Commitment
At Satellite Strategies, we’re here to make complex transitions simpler. Whether you’re navigating valuation, planning a sale, or exploring succession, we’ll help you understand your numbers, build a financial roadmap, and move forward with confidence.
Our free 30-minute consultation is a simple, pressure-free way to get started. You don’t need to have all the answers, just a desire to know your worth and protect what you’ve built.
Steven Davis
CFO & Managing Partner
Satellite Strategies | Fort Collins, Colorado
www.satellite-stragies.com
