Upcoming events
Exit Planning Essentials
Exit Planning Essentials
Thursday, March 6th, 2025 | 8am - 12:15pm
Burnaby, BC
Register for Relay’s upcoming seminar in Burnaby: Exit Planning Essentials
Our speakers will provide an overview of the key areas you need to focus on when selling a business in order to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful outcome.
This seminar is most relevant for owners of profitable companies with revenues in the $5M to $50M range.
Meet our speakers
Katie Bennett | Master Certified Forum Chair, MacKay CEO Forums
Increasing the Effectiveness of your Executive Team, Strategy and Execution to increase the Value of Your Business
This presentation provides a deep dive into what it takes to become a highly effective leadership team aligned around a tight, focused strategy to deliver the kind of business results you are looking for. When your team is firing on all cylinders, and your business results follow, that’s when buyers come knocking. When your leaders deeply trust each other, develop the ability to passionately debate strategy and ideas, create a clear and simple strategy and meet regularly to review the plan and hold each other accountable – that’s when the business magic happens.
In the spirit of MacKay CEO Forums the discussion will include proven tools, real life stories and illustrate the value of having a strong peer network of other CEO’s around you as you navigate the world of being a successful entrepreneur.
Chris Dyck | Partner, Avisar CPAs
Tax Planning Best Practices
Tax planning is critical well in advance of a sale transaction if an owner is going to maximize their proceeds. Tax rules can be complex and are always evolving so specialized expertise is required to ensure an optimal outcome.
Chris will highlight the importance of early planning and discuss a variety of tax topics, including family trusts and lifetime capital gains exemptions, which can significantly reduce the tax burden on closing.
Yashar Farmarana | Partner, Relay Transition Partners
The Selling Process
Professionally selling a business to maximize buyer competition and create an optimal outcome for the seller requires a well-managed, disciplined process that typically takes 6 to 9 months.
In this segment Yashar will:
provide an update on current market valuations and activity levels;
explain how most businesses are valued;
highlight the key steps in a comprehensive go-to-market selling process;
discuss common transaction challenges and how to avoid them.
Taking a best-practices approach to selling your business will frequently result in a faster close, higher value and better terms and conditions.
Pratibha Sharma | Partner, Clark Wilson LLP
Selling a Business – Legal Traps to Avoid
Pratibha will discuss legal issues in selling a business, pointing out pitfalls business owners face in the sale process so you can avoid making the same costly mistakes. She will explain the difference between an asset purchase and a share purchase in the sale of a business and which is maybe best for you. You will learn about the importance of confidentiality agreements and standstill agreements when selling a business, and how to properly deal with non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants. Finally, Pratibha will explain how representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities in the purchase agreement can cause the actual payment you receive for your business to be lower than the price you negotiated, and how you can prevent this from happening to you.
Paul Walchuk | Former Partner & CEO, Kova Engineering
An Entrepreneur's Experience
Paul Walchuk was the CEO of Kova Engineering. Kova has head offices in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario and for 35 years, their mission has been to provide world class engineering, inspection, certification and training services.
The company was recently sold to Industrial Inspection & Analysis (IIA) - a leading inspection provider for an array of industries across North America. Post sale, Paul’s role changed to VP Canadian Services. He will share his perspectives on the highs and lows of business transition based on his recent experience.
Exit Planning Essentials
Exit Planning Essentials
Thursday, October 17th, 2024 | 8am - 12:15pm
Langley, BC
Register for Relay’s upcoming seminar in Langley: Exit Planning Essentials
Our speakers will provide an overview of the key areas you need to focus on when selling a business in order to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful outcome.
Meet our speakers
Katie Bennett | Master Certified Forum Chair, MacKay CEO Forums
Increasing the Effectiveness of your Executive Team, Strategy and Execution to increase the Value of Your Business
This presentation provides a deep dive into what it takes to become a highly effective leadership team aligned around a tight, focused strategy to deliver the kind of business results you are looking for. When your team is firing on all cylinders, and your business results follow, that’s when buyers come knocking. When your leaders deeply trust each other, develop the ability to passionately debate strategy and ideas, create a clear and simple strategy and meet regularly to review the plan and hold each other accountable – that’s when the business magic happens.
In the spirit of MacKay CEO Forums the discussion will include proven tools, real life stories and illustrate the value of having a strong peer network of other CEO’s around you as navigate the world of being a successful entrepreneur.
Chris Dyck | Partner, Avisar CPAs
Tax Planning Best Practices
Tax planning is critical well in advance of a sale transaction if an owner is going to maximize their proceeds. Tax rules can be complex and are always evolving so specialized expertise is required to ensure an optimal outcome.
Chris will highlight the importance of early planning and discuss a variety of tax topics, including family trusts and lifetime capital gains exemptions, which can significantly reduce the tax burden on closing.
Grant Wallace | Partner, Relay Transition Partners
The Selling Process
Professionally selling a business to maximize buyer competition and create an optimal outcome for the seller requires a well-managed, disciplined process that typically takes 6 to 9 months.
In this segment Grant will:
provide an update on current market valuations and activity levels;
explain how most businesses are valued;
highlight the key steps in a comprehensive go-to-market selling process;
discuss common transaction challenges and how to avoid them.
Taking a best-practices approach to selling your business will frequently result in a faster close, higher value and better terms and conditions.
Don C. Sihota, K.C. | Partner, Clark Wilson LLP
Selling a Business – Legal Traps to Avoid
Don will discuss legal issues in selling a business, pointing out pitfalls business owners face in the sale process so you can avoid making the same costly mistakes. He will explain the difference between an asset purchase and a share purchase in the sale of a business and which is best for you. You will learn about the importance of confidentiality agreements and standstill agreements when selling a business, and how to properly deal with non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants. Finally, Don will explain how representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities in the purchase agreement can cause the actual payment you receive for your business to be lower than the price you negotiated, and how you can prevent this from happening to you.
Bob Friesen | Owner, Pacific Radiator
An Entrepreneur's Experience
Bob is the prior owner and President of Pacific Radiator - the largest manufacturer of replacement copper-brass radiator cores and tanks for trucks and equipment in Western Canada. The company was recently sold to Petwin Private Equity - the investment arm of family-owned Petwin Bancorp Inc. Bob will share his perspectives on the highs and lows of business transition based on his recent experience.
Exit Planning Essentials Webinar
Exit Planning Essentials Webinar
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 | 8 am - 12:30 pm
Online Event
Join us for Relay's first webinar: Exit Planning Essentials! Our speakers will cover the essential areas to focus on when selling a business to help you avoid common pitfalls and achieve a successful outcome.
Meet our speakers
Scott Brown | Regional Director - BC, MacKay CEO Forums
Increasing the Value of Your Business Before What’s Next
Increasing the Value of Your Business Before What’s Next offers proven tools and approaches and shared experiences that when implemented will help the entrepreneurial leader and their business leadership team get more of what they want from their business today while developing a healthier and smarter leadership team for tomorrow. How to proactively enhance the leaders ability to articulate value and provide greater assurance to the investor buyer with respect to continuity and growth post investment event will be explored. In the spirit of MacKay CEO Forums the discussion will include practical actions taken that enhanced the perceived value of the business and select stories of glorious successes and primary pitfalls.
Kevin Walsh | Partner, Tax, Walsh King LLP
Tax Planning to Maximize your Proceeds
Planning for the potential tax on the sale of your business is a critical component to a transaction. As with all tax matters, the number of planning opportunities are maximized the sooner you engage a tax professional.
Canadian tax law and its numerous acronyms and nomenclature can be daunting. Kevin will provide an explanation of some of the key concepts that may be helpful during the sale process.
Tax planning opportunities exist whether you sell shares or assets. Kevin will discuss how each of these scenarios may impact the tax planning that you may want to consider. Kevin will also discuss some common tax planning opportunities that exist for private corporations including utilizing the lifetime capital gains exemption and multiplication of the lifetime capital gains exemption.
Axel Christiansen | Partner, Relay Transition Partners
The Selling Process
Professionally selling a business to maximize buyer competition and create an optimal outcome for the seller requires a well-managed, disciplined process that typically takes 6 to 9 months.
In this segment Axel will:
provide an update on current market valuations and activity levels;
explain how most businesses are valued;
highlight the key steps in a comprehensive go-to-market selling process;
discuss common transaction challenges and how to avoid them.
Taking a best-practices approach to selling your business will frequently result in a faster close, higher value and better terms and conditions.
Don C. Sihota, K.C. | Partner, Clark Wilson LLP
Selling a Business – Legal Traps to Avoid
Don will discuss legal issues in selling a business, pointing out pitfalls business owners face in the sale process so you can avoid making the same costly mistakes. He will explain the difference between an asset purchase and a share purchase in the sale of a business and which is best for you. You will learn about the importance of confidentiality agreements and standstill agreements when selling a business, and how to properly deal with non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants. Finally, Don will explain how representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities in the purchase agreement can cause the actual payment you receive for your business to be lower than the price you negotiated, and how you can prevent this from happening to you.
Dave Dinesen | Chief Operating Officer, MacKay CEO Forums
An Entrepreneurs Experience
Dave Dinesen is a serial entrepreneur who founded BackCheck, a pre-employment background screening company company, in 1997. It grew exponentially and by the time he sold the business in 2012 it was the 8th largest in the world and by far the largest in Canada. BackCheck expanded to the United Kingdom and South Asia and had 550 employees in four offices in three countries. Dave sold to his largest US competitor in 2012, invested a portion of his proceeds and joined the company’s executive team in New York. Two years later, the entire business was sold again and Dave exited fully.
In 2018 he co-founded another background screening technology company, ModoHR. The company developed industry leading online screening technology specific to the Canadian market that introduced never before seen efficiency. Dave was board chair and ModoHR was successfully sold to a strategic in 2022.
Today Dave supports the success of many entrepreneurs as COO of MacKay CEO Forums.
In a ‘fireside chat’ format, Dave will share his lessons learned in preparing for and executing the successful sale of two successful businesses.
Exit Planning Essentials
Exit Planning Essentials
Thursday, February 29, 2024 | 7:30am - 12 pm
Vancouver, BC
Register for Relay’s upcoming seminar in Vancouver: Exit Planning Essentials
Our speakers will provide an overview of the key areas you need to focus on when selling a business in order to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful outcome.
Meet our speakers
Tara Landes | President and Founder, Bellrock Benchmarking
Business Planning to Maximize Your Exit
How do owners maximize the value of the business they’ve poured their life into? By structuring that company to have steady, profitable revenue and run independently of their involvement. Whether you’re looking for a quick exit or just believe that every business should be built to sell, join Bellrock as we dive into the foundational systems the most successful businesses implement to maximize their return on time and investment.
Kevin Walsh | Partner, Tax, Walsh King LLP
Tax Planning to Maximize your Proceeds
Planning for the potential tax on the sale of your business is a critical component to a transaction. As with all tax matters, the number of planning opportunities are maximized the sooner you engage a tax professional.
Canadian tax law and its numerous acronyms and nomenclature can be daunting. Kevin will provide an explanation of some of the key concepts that may be helpful during the sale process.
Tax planning opportunities exist whether you sell shares or assets. Kevin will discuss how each of these scenarios may impact the tax planning that you may want to consider. Kevin will also discuss some common tax planning opportunities that exist for private corporations including utilizing the lifetime capital gains exemption and multiplication of the lifetime capital gains exemption.
Grant Wallace | Partner, Relay Transition Partners
The Selling Process
Professionally selling a business to maximize buyer competition and create an optimal outcome for the seller requires a well-managed, disciplined process that typically takes 6 to 9 months.
In this segment Grant will:
provide an update on current market valuations and activity levels;
explain how most businesses are valued;
highlight the key steps in a comprehensive go-to-market selling process;
discuss common transaction challenges and how to avoid them.
Taking a best-practices approach to selling your business will frequently result in a faster close, higher value and better terms and conditions.
Don C. Sihota, K.C. | Partner, Clark Wilson LLP
Selling a Business – Legal Traps to Avoid
Don will discuss legal issues in selling a business, pointing out pitfalls business owners face in the sale process so you can avoid making the same costly mistakes. He will explain the difference between an asset purchase and a share purchase in the sale of a business and which is best for you. You will learn about the importance of confidentiality agreements and standstill agreements when selling a business, and how to properly deal with non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants. Finally, Don will explain how representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities in the purchase agreement can cause the actual payment you receive for your business to be lower than the price you negotiated, and how you can prevent this from happening to you.
Dale Parsons | Blue Chip Logistics
An Entrepreneur's Experience
Established in 2002, Blue Chip Logistics specializes in managing the long distance product logistics requirements for over 65 customers primarily in the food and packaging industries. As an asset-light 3PL firm, Blue Chip does not own transportation equipment, but rather has a roster of vetted suppliers in trucking, rail, ocean and air transport which it contracts and oversees. The Company is primarily focused on TL (truckload) vs LTL (less than truckload) which means it arranges to transport full truckloads on behalf of clients.
In mid-2023 Dale Parsons sold Blue Chip to a Family Office purchaser. In a ‘fireside chat’ format, Dale will share his recent experience in preparing for and executing the successful sale of his company.
Exit Planning Essentials
Exit Planning Essentials
Thursday, February 1, 2024 | 7:30am - 12 pm
Langley, BC
Register for Relay’s upcoming seminar in Langley: Exit Planning Essentials
Our speakers will provide an overview of the key areas you need to focus on when selling a business in order to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful outcome.
Meet our speakers
Renee Russo | CEO, Rise Up Business Coaching
Build Value, Unlock Wealth
We will explore the fundamentals of value acceleration and demonstrate why exit planning is simply good business strategy. You will understand how to build and maximize the value of your business, and ensure that the wealth in your business is protected and able to be harvested on your terms and timeline. Our desire is to help ensure that your business, personal and financial goals are in alignment so that you may pursue your transition with confidence and realize your freedom.
During the session, we will:
Unpack the 5 stages of value maturity,
Explore the 4 drivers of strategic valuation multiples,
Explain how to align your 3 plans for business, self and wealth,
Unlock 1 powerful operating system that will help set you free.
Bring your questions and get ready to unlock your wealth and realize your freedom.
Chris Dyck | Partner, Avisar
Tax Planning Best Practices
Tax planning is critical well in advance of a sale transaction if an owner is going to maximize their proceeds. Tax rules can be complex and are always evolving so specialized expertise is required to ensure an optimal outcome.
Chris will highlight the importance of early planning and discuss a variety of tax topics, including family trusts and lifetime capital gains exemptions, which can significantly reduce the tax burden on closing.
Axel Christiansen | Partner, Relay Transition Partners
The Selling Process
Professionally selling a business to maximize buyer competition and create an optimal outcome for the seller requires a well-managed, disciplined process that typically takes 6 to 9 months.
In this segment Axel will:
provide an update on current market valuations and activity levels;
explain how most businesses are valued;
highlight the key steps in a comprehensive go-to-market selling process;
discuss common transaction challenges and how to avoid them.
Taking a best-practices approach to selling your business will frequently result in a faster close, higher value and better terms and conditions.
Steve Fruitman | Lawyer and Principal, Magellan
Legal considerations when selling your business
When and why to hire a lawyer (pre-closing structure should be considered well in advance)
Types of transactions and the pros and cons of each (i.e. asset, share and hybrid)
The key stages in a transaction (NDA, LOI, due diligence, definitive agreement and closing)
The purchase agreement and key provisions such as: representations, warranties and conditions; survival periods, indemnities; sandbagging / anti-sandbagging; purchase price, earn-outs, holdbacks and working capital adjustments; and vendor take-back financing and security therefor
Post-closing issues such as: adjustments and transition
Carey Healey | President, Interpro Technical Services Limited
An Entrepreneur's Experience
Founded in 1987, Interpro Technical Services is a leading industrial maintenance firm in Western Canada specializing in rotating machinery – including steam turbines, gas turbines and fans. The Company is a field services firm and, as such, typically works on-site servicing equipment that is too large to ship to a shop.
On December 31, 2023 Carey Healey sold Interpro to Skyward Equity Partners – a private equity group focused on acquisitions in the industrial and specialty food verticals.
In a ‘fireside chat’ format, Carey will share his recent experience in preparing for and executing the successful sale of his company.
Exit Planning Essentials
Exit Planning Essentials
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 | 8am - 12pm
Victoria, BC
Register for Relay’s upcoming seminar in Victoria: Exit Planning Essentials
Our speakers will provide an overview of the key areas you need to focus on when selling a business in order to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful outcome.
Meet our speakers
Kevin Walsh | Partner, Tax, Walsh King LLP
Tax Planning to Maximize your Proceeds
Planning for the potential tax on the sale of your business is a critical component to a transaction. As with all tax matters, the number of planning opportunities are maximized the sooner you engage a tax professional.
Canadian tax law and its numerous acronyms and nomenclature can be daunting. Kevin will provide an explanation of some of the key concepts that may be helpful during the sale process.
Tax planning opportunities exist whether you sell shares or assets. Kevin will discuss how each of these scenarios may impact the tax planning that you may want to consider. Kevin will also discuss some common tax planning opportunities that exist for private corporations including utilizing the lifetime capital gains exemption and multiplication of the lifetime capital gains exemption.
J. Andre Rachert | Partner, Cook Roberts LLP
Selling a Business - Legal Perspective
The value of non-disclosure agreements in advance of a buyer’s review of financial statements, supplier and customer lists, and employee information
The purpose of, and key terms included in, a Letter of Intent
The buyer’s due diligence process
The Purchase Agreement and key terms such as conditions, representations and warranties, payment of the purchase price & holdbacks, execution vs closing dates, and dispute resolution provisions
Selling to family versus selling to an arm’s length party
Grant Wallace | Partner, Relay Transition Partners
The Selling Process
Professionally selling a business to maximize buyer competition and create an optimal outcome for the seller requires a well-managed, disciplined process that typically takes 6 to 9 months.
In this segment Grant will:
provide an update on current market valuations and activity levels;
explain how most businesses are valued;
highlight the key steps in a comprehensive go-to-market selling process;
discuss common transaction challenges and how to avoid them.
Taking a best-practices approach to selling your business will frequently result in a faster close, higher value and better terms and conditions.
Jason Sikora, CIM | Wealth Advisor, CIBC Wood Gundy | CIBC Private Wealth
Business Planning After The Sale
You have sold your business…now what? How will you replace the thousands of hours per year you currently spend working in your business? How will you invest the sale proceeds? Do you still plan on working? What is your legacy plan, and how will your estate be handled? We will cover the business planning process after selling in four parts; transition planning, retirement planning, investment strategy planning and estate planning.