THE BOOK — FOR ILLINOIS MANUFACTURING & TOOLING OWNERS
Retire with peace of mind.
You can maximize your exit strategy and achieve the best value for your manufacturing business. This book breaks the sale of a company into manageable, strategic steps — pricing it right, structuring the deal, planning the succession, and securing the life that comes after the wire clears. Free, and mailed to your door.
In this book, you'll learn:
The strategic sale process
Why a methodical, step-by-step approach to the sale process wins — breaking the biggest transaction of your life into manageable moves instead of one overwhelming leap.
The advisor question
Why finding the right advisor to maximize value and align the deal with your personal and financial goals is one of the most important components of the entire exit.
Sector-specific counsel
Insights and practical advice tailored to the specific challenges and nuances manufacturing and tooling owners face — not generic small-business platitudes.
Price and structure
The essential deliberations: determining the optimal sale price, structuring the deal, and succession planning that doesn't fall apart at the closing table.
Life after the sale
A clear understanding of how to secure a good financial future post-sale — so the proceeds of decades of work are defended, not just deposited.
Your ambitions, multifaceted
You built something enduring with entrepreneurial tenacity. The exit should be a testament to those years of dedication — this book shows you how to make it one.
"This isn't just a manual on selling your business."
"It's a detailed guide to achieving your aspirations and securing your future. Every word reflects my decades of experience and genuine dedication to helping entrepreneurs like you navigate the complexities of business ownership and transition planning. As a business owner, I comprehend the gravity of the decisions you're confronted with — I've personally witnessed the highs and lows, and it's become my mission to impart the wisdom I've gained along the journey. Within these pages you'll find practical guidance, strategic insights, and a personal commitment from me to assist you at every stage."
— Krzysztof "Kris" Garlewicz, CFP®, CRPS®. The child of immigrant parents who built a business in the Chicago area, Kris has spent his career guiding Illinois manufacturing and tooling owners — typically in their late 50s and early 60s, contemplating a sale within the next three to five years — through optimal pricing, deal structure, succession, and post-sale security.
More about Kris and the firmReading is step one. Knowing your number is step two.
The book gives you the strategy. These give you your specifics — free, before you ever talk to anyone.
Value the business
Get a directional read on what your company could be worth at ValueMyBiz.
Scan your defenses
The WD-360™ scan scores your asset protection, tax exposure, concentration, and continuity in three minutes.
Read the field manual
The 12-Month Crash: Why Your Exit Won't Save You — what actually happens to founders after the wire clears.
Decades of work deserve a strategic exit.
Request the book, read it in an evening, and know more about selling your company than most owners learn the hard way.