The Chris Voss Show The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Smarter Business Exits: Strategies and Toolkits for Corporate Divorce, Succession Planning and Joint Exits by William B. Bierce
Apr 11, 2026
William B. Bierce, a bilingual international business and technology attorney and certified exit planning advisor, shares smart frameworks for planning profitable business exits. He covers designing a business lifecycle, corporate divorce and buy-sell safeguards, governance and valuation mechanics. Short, actionable conversations on succession, owner dependencies, retention during transitions, and a five-year preparedness checklist.
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Design Your Company For Exit From Day One
- Design your business from day one with an exit lifecycle mindset so each growth phase becomes an opportunity to increase value.
- Use vulnerability analysis at each stage to identify gaps, plug them, and only sell when core problems are solved.
Corporate Divorce Can Kill Or Preserve Value
- Corporate divorce is an unhappy separation of co-owners where poor handling can kill the business or optimize value for both sides.
- Prepare buy-sell or shareholder agreements covering death, divorce, disability, and disputes to preserve options.
Put Governance Rules And Valuation Formulas In Writing
- Define corporate governance rules: who decides, veto rights, and valuation methods for buyouts to avoid stalemates or hostage pricing.
- Build formulas and decision rules that consider unequal access to cash so buyouts are realistic.
