Oct 13, 2026 · 10 min · 10 segments
James Jack, Managing Director and Head of the Business Owners Client Segment at UBS, shares what separates founders who achieve successful exits from those who leave value on the table. He discusses…
So James, I'd, I'd like to start off with, um, biggest mistakes that, you know, business owners can make.
So, um, you know, in your opinion, what do you think is the single biggest early decision business owners make that quietly undermines a future liquidity event?
Um, I think the biggest mistake owners make is waiting too long to begin serious exit and tax planning.
But by then, um, much of the meaningful opportunities has often already been lost.
That doesn't mean business owners need to have every strategy in place on day one, but it does mean they need to start planning well before a transaction is imminent.
Once a, a letter of intent or an LOI is signed, many of the most powerful tax, estate, and structuring opportunities can become significantly more limited.
The business owners who preserve the most wealth are those that are, who are recognizing that liquidity planning should begin while they still have flexibility, not when the deal clock is already running.
Enterprise value matters a lot, but timing and preparation often determine how much of that value business owners actually keep.
So James, I'd, I'd like to start off with, um, biggest mistakes that, you know, business owners can make.
So, um, you know, in your opinion, what do you think is the single biggest early decision business owners make that quietly undermines a future liquidity event?
Um, I think the biggest mistake owners make is waiting too long to begin serious exit and tax planning.
But by then, um, much of the meaningful opportunities has often already been lost.
That doesn't mean business owners need to have every strategy in place on day one, but it does mean they need to start planning well before a transaction is imminent.
Once a, a letter of intent or an LOI is signed, many of the most powerful tax, estate, and structuring opportunities can become significantly more limited.
The business owners who preserve the most wealth are those that are, who are recognizing that liquidity planning should begin while they still have flexibility, not when the deal clock is already running.
Enterprise value matters a lot, but timing and preparation often determine how much of that value business owners actually keep.
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