Exit to Private Equity - An Insider Guide for Founders, CEOs, and Professional Investors

Cover of a report titled 'Exit to Private Equity' by Dr. Daniel Baade, showing a man in a dark suit with a pink tie standing in front of a window, with pages of the report fanned out beside.

This practical 60-page report provides a deep insight into the risks and opportunities of partnering with Private Equity firms across the UK and Europe. It is relevant for founders, CEOs and professional investors of mid-sized companies, i.e. companies that usually have:

  • more than €15m revenue; or

  • more than €5 million adjusted EBITDA; or

  • more than 50 staff members.

It is based on our practical deal experience from more than 40 transactions and covers all key sectors, including business services, financial services, technology, healthcare, media, etc. and the insights are applicable to companies from all over Europe and the UK, irrespectively if they are located in a major capital or in a regional centre.

After reading the report, you will have a deep understanding of the risks and opportunities of exiting to Private Equity - knowledge that could be worth millions to you.

Free. Confidential. No obligation.

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What you will learn from this report

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How Private Equity works

Private Equity firms invest based on different strategies. Understanding these strategies will not only allow you to evaluate your options with more confidence, it will also allow you to have a clear strategic advantage in any future negotiation.

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How a good deal could look like

A Private Equity will never disclose their hand. However, based on our deep knowledge of the sector, we show you how Private Equity values businesses, what determines the difference between a good deal and an average deal and how far you could push a deal.

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How you can achieve a deal with Private Equity at market leading terms

In this report you will learn how you can negotiate better with Private Equity to ensure you do not only get a market leading valuation, but also a better deal structure, roll-over terms and downside protection.

What’s included in this free 60-page report?

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Chapter 1 - Who should consider an exit to Private Equity

  • An exit to Private Equity is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

  • While it has become an increasingly common path for owners of successful businesses, it is only well suited in specific situations.

  • Founders, CEOs, and shareholders need to understand the inner workings of the Private Equity model to evaluate a potential fit.

Pages from a financial brochure titled 'Exit to Private Equity' with sections explaining benefits of private equity, including 'High valuations' and 'Immediate cash + future upside potential.' The left page highlights six main benefits in a circular diagram. The right page discusses valuation strategies, advantages of private equity transactions, and the importance of liquidity and retained upside.

Chapter 2 - Why is selling to Private Equity such an appealing strategy

  • Founders, CEOs and investors of successful privately owned companies are rarely limited to a single strategic path.

  • The right choice depends on strategic objectives, financial priorities, and personal expectations.

  • Private Equity stands apart, because it offers in addition to high valuations, five other key benefits that other strategic options very often fail to deliver.

A man in a business suit sitting at a desk, talking on a phone in a modern office setting, with text discussing private equity investment success factors.

Chapter 3 - When selling to Private Equity isn’t right

  • Not all Private Equity investments are successful, and failures are often highly visible and expensive.

  • You will learn what factors determine the difference between success and failure, how can you avoid key pitfalls and how certain No-Go’s affect different situations.

Map of Europe showing locations of private equity firms and offices with lines connecting London to various cities including Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Zurich, Munich, Warsaw, Gdansk, Tallinn, Riga, Stockholm, Oslo, Stavanger, and Aberdeen. The right side has text about European private equity, firms, investments, and average deals.

Chapter 4 - What the European Private Equity landscape looks like

  • The European Private Equity landscape is characterised by cross-border investment activity and a high degree

    of flexibility in deal size, structure, and ownership models.

  • With over 4,400 professional investment firms in Europe, smart founders and CEO can not only create highly competitive processes, but also realise deal structures that are perfectly aligned with their personal preferences.

Two-page spread from a financial report or presentation about private equity strategies. The left page explains six categories: Venture Capital, Growth Equity, Leveraged Buyouts, Buy-and-Build, Distressed Investments, and Sector-Specific Funds, with icons for each. The right page shows a strategic timeline with stages: Venture Capital, Growth Equity, Leveraged Buyouts, and Distressed, along with key metrics plotted over time, and an explanation of private equity strategies.

Chapter 5 - How does Private Equity actually work

  • Private Equity is not a single investment model, but a collection of distinct strategies applied at

    different stages of a company’s lifecycle.

  • Understanding these strategies gives founders a clear competitive edge.

  • We show you how the key Private Equity strategies work, and for which situations they are most applicable.

Two men in business attire sitting at a desk, one on the left with a beard and pink tie, and one on the right speaking on a phone. The right man is on a call, with a window and office background.

Chapter 6 - What Private Equity really looks for - and PE works with founders and CEOs

  • We show you how Private Equity measures success, what returns PE firms targeting, and how they plan to achieve these returns.

  • We also outline key deal killers and how you can improve your negotiation position significantly.

  • Furthermore, we provide some clear insights into how to engage with Private Equity at the different stages of their investment process to ensure you can realise the best possible deal terms.

A detailed infographic from Dyer Baade & Company explaining how private equity views valuation, focusing on EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA. Includes charts comparing EBITDA profiles for PE-backed versus non-PE backed companies, and illustrates value increase with PE. The background shows a factory or industrial setting with machinery.

Chapter 7 - What valuations are possible

  • How Private Equity things about Valuation.

  • Why adjusted EBITDA really drives value.

  • Multiples paid by sector.

  • We show you why two firms from the same sectors with the same financials can trade at very different valuations, and how you can ensure that your valuation is closer to the top end of the market.

About the Author - Dr. Daniel Baade

Daniel is CEO and majority shareholder of Dyer Baade & Company - a leading M&A advisory boutique specialised on advising founders, CEOs and investors of privately owned businesses on their exit to Private Equity.

The firm is authorised and regulated by the FCA, and engineers premium outcome for its clients through its i) independent perspective, ii) strategic foresight, and iii) international reach.

Based in St. James, London, the firm has forget deep relationships with key Private Equity investors in the UK and across Europe, giving its clients a clear competitive advantage, that translates into industry leading KPIs:

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+40

Transactions

~85%

of deals involve
Private Equity

+90%

Transaction success rate

+34%

average valuation premium achieved

Frequently asked questions

Who should read the report?

Founders, CEOs and investors of mid-sized companies, i.e. companies that usually have either more than €15m revenue, or more than €5 million adjusted EBITDA, or more than 50 staff members.

Why is this report special?

Across more than 60 pages, you’ll gain never-before-seen insight into the ins and outs of dealing with private equity, based on our practical experience with leading PE firms in the UK and Europe.

Is the report useful, even if I’m not ready to sell?

Yes.

Is the report free?

Yes, the report is free without any obligation.

What do I need to do to get the report?

Just fill out the form (takes less than 1 minute) and you can download the report as a pdf straight away.

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